 | 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition |  |
796
BLOOD MONEY.
Hasten the old woman's tedious dying,
Hurry her off from the stage
Hung as in black with her querulous crying,
Made not for burdens like age;
She, on the milk of the land and the honey,
Long has been fattened, and we
Now want our share of the good things, and money
Meant for a funeral spree;
What if the doctor suspects, or is certain
Drugs should her sickness have cured?
Slip off the pillow, and draw down the curtain;
For she's insured.
Hurry her off from the stage
Hung as in black with her querulous crying,
Made not for burdens like age;
She, on the milk of the land and the honey,
Long has been fattened, and we
Now want our share of the good things, and money
Meant for a funeral spree;
What if the doctor suspects, or is certain
Drugs should her sickness have cured?
Slip off the pillow, and draw down the curtain;
For she's insured.
True the old woman was not a bad mother
Once, but remember the gain,
And it were kind with a blanket to smother
Such grim contortions of pain;
Drink, girls, although there is blood on the bottle
Drink will support us the best,
Just in a minute that clamour to throttle,
Spoiling our comfort and rest;
Coroners are not severe on a sinner,
When to these doings inured,
Inquests too might interfere with a dinner—
And she's insured.
Once, but remember the gain,
And it were kind with a blanket to smother
Such grim contortions of pain;
Drink, girls, although there is blood on the bottle
Drink will support us the best,
Just in a minute that clamour to throttle,
Spoiling our comfort and rest;
Coroners are not severe on a sinner,
When to these doings inured,
Inquests too might interfere with a dinner—
And she's insured.
Hang the old woman, she keeps us all waiting,
Dying so long and so hard,
When I by rights should be else where, and baiting
Neddy (the ass) in the yard;
Who would suppose, with these days of starvation,
Stript of her bed-clothes, and reft
Clean of what's needful, save parson's oration,
Breath in her body was left?
Still she can bother us with her affection,
Woes for us children endured,
Plague us with Scripture and home recollection—
But she's insured.
Dying so long and so hard,
When I by rights should be else where, and baiting
Neddy (the ass) in the yard;
Who would suppose, with these days of starvation,
Stript of her bed-clothes, and reft
Clean of what's needful, save parson's oration,
Breath in her body was left?
Still she can bother us with her affection,
Woes for us children endured,
Plague us with Scripture and home recollection—
But she's insured.
Ah, the old woman, in spite of her bleeding
Wounds, bitter tears, and white hair,
Now, girls, at last must be helped by a speeding
Up to a happier air;
Choke her, the nuisance, she loves us and lingers—
Aye, and the meat getting cold—
No one will see the blue print of the fingers,
While we shall collar the gold;
There—it is done—and the fools must be juggled
Somehow, and we are secured,
Though she was game to the finish and struggled;
And she's insured.
Wounds, bitter tears, and white hair,
Now, girls, at last must be helped by a speeding
Up to a happier air;
Choke her, the nuisance, she loves us and lingers—
Aye, and the meat getting cold—
No one will see the blue print of the fingers,
While we shall collar the gold;
There—it is done—and the fools must be juggled
Somehow, and we are secured,
Though she was game to the finish and struggled;
And she's insured.
| 'Twixt Kiss and Lip or Under the Sword. By the author of "Women Must Weep," [i.e. F. W. O. Ward] Third edition | |