 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
81
The Model Girl.
To S---
A model girl, pure from her birth,
No one can estimate her worth,
And on this dark and sinful earth—
She's needed.
No one can estimate her worth,
And on this dark and sinful earth—
She's needed.
She goes to church and Sunday school,
The Bible is her vestibule,
And fam'ly prayers, her mother's rule—
She loves them.
The Bible is her vestibule,
And fam'ly prayers, her mother's rule—
She loves them.
She always tries to do the right,
And if you try to blur and blight,
She'll hit you with the Christian light—
She's candid.
And if you try to blur and blight,
She'll hit you with the Christian light—
She's candid.
Sometimes, before she thinks, she speaks,
You know in this a woman's weak,
But if you will explain the freak—
She'll listen.
You know in this a woman's weak,
But if you will explain the freak—
She'll listen.
And if she sees immoral trash,
She treats it very cool and rash,
And all her soul seems in a flash—
She shuns it.
She treats it very cool and rash,
And all her soul seems in a flash—
She shuns it.
82
She knows the evils of the land,
She knows the wicked ways of man,
She takes a high and lofty stand—
She dreads them.
She knows the wicked ways of man,
She takes a high and lofty stand—
She dreads them.
She knows if woman stands aloft,
The wicked men will scorn and scoff,
And yet when they desire betroth—
She charms them.
The wicked men will scorn and scoff,
And yet when they desire betroth—
She charms them.
She knows that if she mingles low,
The evil class will treat her so,
And those who try to upward soar—
Will shun her.
The evil class will treat her so,
And those who try to upward soar—
Will shun her.
She's never wrecked herself at all,
At these low dissipating balls
Where women dance and virtue falls—
She scorns them.
At these low dissipating balls
Where women dance and virtue falls—
She scorns them.
She never goes in public places,
Where men and women's evil faces
Are ever looking for disgraces—
She fears them.
Where men and women's evil faces
Are ever looking for disgraces—
She fears them.
She never strolls the streets alone,
Whene'er the sun has ceased to roam
And all the stars so brightly shone—
She waives it.
Whene'er the sun has ceased to roam
And all the stars so brightly shone—
She waives it.
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When men put on an outside show,
To see if woman won't adore,
While to virtue his heart's a foe—
She's vex-ed.
To see if woman won't adore,
While to virtue his heart's a foe—
She's vex-ed.
She gives pleasure a reverent touch,
She never tries to know too much
Of foolishness, gab and all such—
She's seen these.
She never tries to know too much
Of foolishness, gab and all such—
She's seen these.
Pure literature attracts her eyes,
Trash novels she detests, despise,
She sees the future, hears its cries—
“Protect us!”
Trash novels she detests, despise,
She sees the future, hears its cries—
“Protect us!”
She knows contentment is decay,
That discontent brings brighter days
By men and women's thriving ways—
She's busy.
That discontent brings brighter days
By men and women's thriving ways—
She's busy.
She knows that early fragrance flees,
The deepest cup hath still its lees,
And she thinks there's a “yet to be”—
She's hopeful.
The deepest cup hath still its lees,
And she thinks there's a “yet to be”—
She's hopeful.
She sometimes walks in slip'ry places,
But pride with all its charming graces,
Makes all the evil-minded faces—
Respect her.
But pride with all its charming graces,
Makes all the evil-minded faces—
Respect her.
84
Sometimes her mind is fluctuation,
Sometimes her soul is detestation,
Sometimes her heart is admiration—
She usurps.
Sometimes her soul is detestation,
Sometimes her heart is admiration—
She usurps.
You see her as she skips along,
She has not thought of any wrong,
She's firm for right, well tried and strong—
She's dauntless.
She has not thought of any wrong,
She's firm for right, well tried and strong—
She's dauntless.
She never has that vain belief
That someone's watching her as chief
And asking every one in brief—
“Who is she?”
That someone's watching her as chief
And asking every one in brief—
“Who is she?”
There's a secret she calls her own,
A myst'ry to most young girls unknown,
And 'gainst the outside worldly tone—
It cheers her.
A myst'ry to most young girls unknown,
And 'gainst the outside worldly tone—
It cheers her.
She knows the rock once cleft for all,
She stands where'er its shadows fall,
And when she leans upon its walls—
She's strengthened.
She stands where'er its shadows fall,
And when she leans upon its walls—
She's strengthened.
It makes the blessed Savior smile
To see a trusty, faithful child
Go through the world pure, undefiled—
She knows it.
To see a trusty, faithful child
Go through the world pure, undefiled—
She knows it.
85
The eye may try to be a charm,
But from the heart's imperial throng,
Come penciled lines of right and wrong—
She's cautious.
But from the heart's imperial throng,
Come penciled lines of right and wrong—
She's cautious.
Time's etching gives her tone of thought,
God's etching shows divinely bought
Soul stenciled by the spirit taught—
She's fix-ed.
God's etching shows divinely bought
Soul stenciled by the spirit taught—
She's fix-ed.
Her sisters all should imitate,
Her brothers should appreciate,
Her father should reconsecrate—
And mother.
Her brothers should appreciate,
Her father should reconsecrate—
And mother.
I hope her Christian spirit bold
Will dwell where summer seasons roll,
And cheerful hearts will ne'er grow old—
She'll like it.
Will dwell where summer seasons roll,
And cheerful hearts will ne'er grow old—
She'll like it.
And when time's clouds have all gone by,
And she has quit the world of sighs,
I hope the place beyond the skies—
Will take her.
And she has quit the world of sighs,
I hope the place beyond the skies—
Will take her.
Now some of you who read these lines,
May try to form within your minds,
The reason why I write this rhyme—
I like her.
May try to form within your minds,
The reason why I write this rhyme—
I like her.
86
Well I guess that it must be true,
And if you knew her as I do,
I think you'd kinder like her too—
She earns it.
And if you knew her as I do,
I think you'd kinder like her too—
She earns it.
Oh, somewhere in this shadowed land,
A host of shining angels stand;
Somewhere the sun is shining bright,
And hearts are made of burdens, light;
Somewhere the little children shout
And walk the streets, their hearts are stout;
Somewhere the evil hearts of men
That tempt the little ones to sin
Are counted as a wicked shame,
And wicked men will be refrained—
From doing evil, dirty work,
Which, from the young ones, virtue jerk;
Somewhere good people congregate
And leave off those who dissipate
And make them have a strong desire
To quit their ways and come up higher;
Somewhere young men appreciate
The girl who shuns all future fates;
Somewhere good deeds are recognized,
And virtue counted as a prize;
Somewhere the angels hover 'round
To dedicate the earthly town
Because it tries to do the right
And keep the Lord's will e'er in sight;
Oh, somewhere there's security
To live a life of purity,—
Not our town.
A host of shining angels stand;
Somewhere the sun is shining bright,
And hearts are made of burdens, light;
Somewhere the little children shout
And walk the streets, their hearts are stout;
Somewhere the evil hearts of men
That tempt the little ones to sin
Are counted as a wicked shame,
And wicked men will be refrained—
From doing evil, dirty work,
Which, from the young ones, virtue jerk;
Somewhere good people congregate
And leave off those who dissipate
And make them have a strong desire
To quit their ways and come up higher;
Somewhere young men appreciate
The girl who shuns all future fates;
Somewhere good deeds are recognized,
And virtue counted as a prize;
87
To dedicate the earthly town
Because it tries to do the right
And keep the Lord's will e'er in sight;
Oh, somewhere there's security
To live a life of purity,—
Not our town.
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