A little book of tribune verse A number of hitherto uncollected poems, grave and gay |
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BE NOT FORGETFUL. |
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 | A little book of tribune verse |  |
87
BE NOT FORGETFUL.
Some folks believe in angels
A prowling around on earth;
Experience teaches me better,
You may take it for what it's worth.
A prowling around on earth;
Experience teaches me better,
You may take it for what it's worth.
Las' night a dreamy-eyed creature
Crep' up in the darkness and said,
“Please gimme a quarter mister,
Ter pay fer a supper and bed.”
Crep' up in the darkness and said,
“Please gimme a quarter mister,
Ter pay fer a supper and bed.”
I looked at him sharp and I thought
I saw a strange light in his eyes,
An' a suddent thought came upon me—
'Twas a angel chap in disguise!
I saw a strange light in his eyes,
An' a suddent thought came upon me—
'Twas a angel chap in disguise!
So I reached down in my breeches,
And gin him my last stray dime,
An' he crept back into the darkness,
A blessin' me all the time.
And gin him my last stray dime,
An' he crept back into the darkness,
A blessin' me all the time.
A calm like peace came on me,
An' them blessins rung in my ear,
Till later that night I run across
That thar angel a guzzlin' beer.
An' them blessins rung in my ear,
Till later that night I run across
That thar angel a guzzlin' beer.
Arter all, it done me more good,
To give to that thirsty moke,
Than if he'd a been a angel
A playin' a practical joke.
To give to that thirsty moke,
Than if he'd a been a angel
A playin' a practical joke.
April 15th, 1882.
| A little book of tribune verse | |