 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
99
BENEVOLENCE.
A benevolent man was Absalom Bess,—
At each and every tale of distress
He blazed right up like a rocket;
He felt for all who 'neath poverty's smart
Were doomed to bear life's roughest part,—
He felt for them in his inmost heart,
But never felt in his pocket.
At each and every tale of distress
He blazed right up like a rocket;
He felt for all who 'neath poverty's smart
Were doomed to bear life's roughest part,—
He felt for them in his inmost heart,
But never felt in his pocket.
He did n't know rightly what was meant
By the Bible's promised four hundred per cent.
For charity's donation;
But he acted as if he thought railroad stocks,
And bonds secure beneath earthly locks,
Were better, with pockets brim full of rocks,
Than heavenly speculation.
By the Bible's promised four hundred per cent.
For charity's donation;
But he acted as if he thought railroad stocks,
And bonds secure beneath earthly locks,
Were better, with pockets brim full of rocks,
Than heavenly speculation.
Yet all said he was an excellent man;
For the poor he 'd preach, for the poor he 'd plan,—
To better them he was willing;
But the oldest one who had heard him pray,
And preach for the poor in a pitiful way,
Could n't remember, exactly, to say
He had ever given a shilling.
For the poor he 'd preach, for the poor he 'd plan,—
To better them he was willing;
But the oldest one who had heard him pray,
And preach for the poor in a pitiful way,
Could n't remember, exactly, to say
He had ever given a shilling.
100
O, an excellent man was Absalom Bess,
And the world threw up its hands to bless,
Whenever his name was mentioned;
But he died one day, he did, and O!
He went right down to the shades below,
Where all are bound, I fear, to go,
Who are only good intentioned.
And the world threw up its hands to bless,
Whenever his name was mentioned;
But he died one day, he did, and O!
He went right down to the shades below,
Where all are bound, I fear, to go,
Who are only good intentioned.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |