 | The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth |  |
27
HUNGER AND AN EMPTY PURSE;
OR, THE RUINED GAMBLER.
Needs must, when the devil's driver,
I must diddle, beg, or worse,
For I 've not a single stiver
To expel him from my purse.
I must diddle, beg, or worse,
For I 've not a single stiver
To expel him from my purse.
Once in the infernal regions,
Ere I met with luck's reverse,
I could cleanly do the pigeons,
Till I neatly filled my purse.
Ere I met with luck's reverse,
I could cleanly do the pigeons,
Till I neatly filled my purse.
Then among the swells and pippins,
Who could “play the devil” worse,
Till point “Non Plus” saw me tripping,
Not a penny in my purse.
Who could “play the devil” worse,
Till point “Non Plus” saw me tripping,
Not a penny in my purse.
Poverty, they say 's an evil,
Hunger, damme! that is worse,
Both together are the devil,
Hunger and an empty purse.
Hunger, damme! that is worse,
Both together are the devil,
Hunger and an empty purse.
28
When I dream of feasting, raking,
Playing, winning—oh! the curse
Of still finding here on waking,
Hunger and an empty purse.
Playing, winning—oh! the curse
Of still finding here on waking,
Hunger and an empty purse.
Though I run when bailiffs rout me,
Flying wont remove the curse,
Still I bear my hell about me,
Hunger and an empty purse.
Flying wont remove the curse,
Still I bear my hell about me,
Hunger and an empty purse.
Jane, of late—I 'd better staid off—
Treats me with neglect, or worse;
But, perhaps, the girls afraid of
Hunger and an empty purse.
Treats me with neglect, or worse;
But, perhaps, the girls afraid of
Hunger and an empty purse.
When the parson prays for sinners,
He omits the deadliest curse—
“Save us from the want of dinners,
Hunger, and an empty purse.”
He omits the deadliest curse—
“Save us from the want of dinners,
Hunger, and an empty purse.”
Doctors feel the pulse, we know, too,
Often when they should feel thus,
For we half our sickness owe to
Hunger and an empty purse.
Often when they should feel thus,
For we half our sickness owe to
Hunger and an empty purse.
While their patients make a die on 't,
Lawyers oft are doing worse,
Leaving many a hapless client
Hunger and an empty purse.
Lawyers oft are doing worse,
Leaving many a hapless client
Hunger and an empty purse.
29
What but this infernal gnawing,
When our lotteries make a fuss,
Draws such crowds to see the drawing?
Hunger and an empty purse.
When our lotteries make a fuss,
Draws such crowds to see the drawing?
Hunger and an empty purse.
What 's the boasted inspiration,
That creates the poet's verse,
But the hope of compensation,
Hunger and an empty purse.
That creates the poet's verse,
But the hope of compensation,
Hunger and an empty purse.
| The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth | |