The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley in ten volumes |
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 | The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley |  |
998
THE KIND OLD MAN
The kind old man—the mild old man—
Who smiled on the boys at play,
Dreaming, perchance, of his own glad youth
When he was as blithe and gay!
Who smiled on the boys at play,
Dreaming, perchance, of his own glad youth
When he was as blithe and gay!
And the larger urchin tossed the ball,
And the lesser held the bat—
Though the kindly old man's eyes were blurred
He could even notice that!
And the lesser held the bat—
Though the kindly old man's eyes were blurred
He could even notice that!
But suddenly he was shocked to hear
Words that I dare not write,
And he hastened, in his kindly way,
To curb them as he might!
Words that I dare not write,
And he hastened, in his kindly way,
To curb them as he might!
And he said, “Tut! tut! you naughty boy
With the ball! for shame!” and then,
“You boy with the bat, whack him over the head
If he calls you that again!”
With the ball! for shame!” and then,
“You boy with the bat, whack him over the head
If he calls you that again!”
The kind old man—the mild old man—
Who gazed on the boys at play,
Dreaming, perchance, of his own wild youth
When he was as tough as they!
Who gazed on the boys at play,
Dreaming, perchance, of his own wild youth
When he was as tough as they!
| The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley | |