Last And Worst

Upon UCo'a bighway I ws hMstening-, when 1 mot a trouble íírim, AVhum i hiid (ilt'-Ti seen wlth otber men, But I was íar from liim. Hp sei.ed my nrm, nnd with n snoerinj? llp l.nnkril mv bappy paal : With stnklng heart 1 felt his bony (?rip ('luteh tijrht an.l bold me tast. Yon lonk," ho sniil, "so happy ml o brljrht That I have cometo ser Why ottji'r tronlties miss you in thoir Hijarht, And whut you'ü do with me." u And hüvo yon come toxírrj with me?"Icried, Hopi'njr respile to Win. Yes, J have come to stay. Yííut world is wide; I'm crowiled whorc I've becn." T wonl'l not look him in tho fao1, bnttvirned rI"o take him homo with me To all niy oí her troubles, who had apurned His luitcful company. So he w:is "crowiled," and wlth me would roum? I lauírhed with aullen rlee; At arin's-lona-th took him up the steps of home ündermy own roof tree. And íbero T elutehod hia scrawny ñecle and thin. To thruft him In the room Where, locked ñnl barred, I kopt mjr t roul'les, il. Seolusion's friendly gloom Grimly ho looked at me wlth eyes that burnéil: " Votí nothinr know of me; The key on other troublo3 may be turned. Huí I - am Poverty." Ah! soon I knew It waa in yain, in yain! No loeks nvailed for him; Nor doublé doors, nor thickly curtained pane, Could make hls presenee dim. He wrote his name on uil my threadbare ways, Anrl in my shHnkinff air He told the tule of u'eless shifts and stays 1 made affainst despair. He brushed the smile from off my sweet wife's faee. And l(tt an anxlous frown; The f rosh youn joys that ehould my chlldren jfraeo His heavy teet trod down. He took my other troubles out, and walked With them the public rtreet; Clafl in my sacred soi rows, cheaply talkcd With uil he cbanccd to meet. The hours he strotched upon tho rack of days, The dnya to weeka of feara; The week" were months, whose weary, toilsome w:iys BtretChed out throufrh hopeless yoara, To-day I stoepen to fun with oajrcr strlfe Á sinvle hoie whieh jrlowed, And 'mid tho lalinjr emberi of my lifo A fitful warmth bestowed. Cheererl by a spark, I turned with trembling: limb Cinco more the strife to wasre; Hut, as 1 turned 1 saw my trouble xrim Linking his arm with Ao. Old Asre and Poverty- here end the strife! And ye - remorseloss pair - Drape on the laat, dim mlle-stone of my life Your hanner of lesimir.