A Child-World by James Whitcomb Riley
page 106 of 123 (86%)
page 106 of 123 (86%)
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"'Hail, all hail! don't you see the stars a-fallin'? Hail, all hail! I'm on my way. Gideon[1] am A healin' ba'm-- I belong to the blood-washed army. Gideon am A healin' ba'm-- On my way!'" And their _return!_--with their oldest boy Along with them! Why, their happiness Spread abroad till it grew a joy _Universal_--It even reached And thrilled the town till the _Church_ was stirred Into suspecting that wrong was wrong!-- And it stayed awake as the preacher preached A _Real_ "Love"-text that he had not long To ransack for in the Holy Word. And the son, restored, and welcomed so, Found service readily in the town; And, with the parents, sure and slow, _He_ went "saltin' de cole cash down." So with the _next_ boy--and each one In turn, till _four_ of the five at last Had been bought back; and, in each case, With steady work and good homes not Far from the parents, _they_ chipped in |
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