The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-04-10
AT CASEYS' AFTER MASS.

the west,
Through the tall, white, slender tim
Der, in the land l love the best,
Short it's message is-"To Caseys =
pointing out the road to Caseys',
And my homing heart goes bushward
on an idle rowing quest,
Down the old, old road. contented Ger
the gum leaves crisp and
scented,
Where def hand splashed the pur-
ple on the big hills somber
crest.
All, it's long, long years. and dreary'
many, many steps, and weary
Pack to where the ling'ring morning
dew bedecked the barley grass;
When | watched the wild careerms u
the neighbols through the clear
ing,
Down the sweet bush track to Caseys',
Ger the paddock down 10
Caseys.
Spending Sunday down at Case!s
after Mass.
For as soon as Mass was over, anu
thew swarmed outside like bees,
Filled their pipes, and duly lit them'
brushed the dust from all their
knees,
They would "ready-up' Tor Case!S'
making up to go to Caseys;
Harness horses for "th' wimmin" with
bushmans careless ease;
With neat spring to the saddle, then
would start the wild skeddadle,
Passing gigs and traps and buggles,
packed as tight as they could
squeeze.
Hearts as buoyant as" "a feather in the
mellow autumn weather,
And the noisy minahs cheered to see
the glad procession pass;
An the Regans and the Ryans, and the
whole mob of O'Briens,
Flooding down the road to Caseys'
self-invited down to Caseys',
Spending Sunday down at Caseys'
after Mass
Past the kitchen door they ratified,
and they took the horses out,
While the women went inside at once,
the menfolk hung about,
Round the stable down at Caseys'-
waiting dinner down at Caseys
And they talked about the Govern
ment. and blamed it for the
drought,
Sitting where the sunlight fingers,
picking splinters from their fin.
gers,
Settling all the problems of the WORLD
beyond a chance of doubt.
From inside came sounds of hustle,
and the pleasant, wholesome
hustle,
AS the girls and Mrs. Casey tried all
records to surpass;
Oh. there's many a memry blesses
her dear silver-braided tresses;
They were lovely" down at Caseys'
always joking down at Caseys
Spending Sunday down at Caseys'
after Mass.
So they called us into dinner, five
and twenty guests, and more,
At the longest kitchen table that
think | ever saw;
There was plenty down at Caseys'
Aye, an open house was Caseys'
Where the neighbor and his missuS
never, never passed the door,
Where they counted kindly giving hal
the JOY and pride of living,
And the seasons came full-handed, ant
the angels blessed the store.
While the happy Laughing Mary fit
tered round us like a fairy,
And the big, shy boys stopped business
and looked up to watch he
pass;
All. but when she caught them star
ing at the ribbons she wa
wearing
Well, they spilled their tea at Caseys
on the good, clean cloth a
Caseys',
Spending Sunday down at Caseys
after Mass.
Then the reckless feats of daring, ant
the bushman's fierce delight,
When the brumby squealed and rooted
and the saddle-girths were tight
They could ride 'em down at Caseys'
stick like plasters down a
Caseys';
When they noticed Mary looking, they
would go with all their might
How they belted and they clouted, anC
they yelled and whooped ant
shouted,
Riding flash to "ketch' the ladies
squirting, fogging, left ant
right;
And the lad, with manners airy, risl1et
his neck for Laughing Mary,
When he summoned all his courage III
a rival to surpass,
And the fun went fast and faster, a
he landed in disaster,
In the puddle-hole at Caseys', with hi
brand-new suit at Caseys',
Spending Sunday down at Caseys
after Mass.
Hoary, hale, be-whiskered veterans
perched like mopokes in a row
Out of danger on the top-rail, gave &C
vice to those below;
They were wonders down at Caseys