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Show MY LIFE IS SADDENED. Tho following poem, which so pathetically pathe-tically tells the life-story of a -young man whose future was wrecked bv a stepfather, is from the pen of Mr. Robert Rob-ert L. Grafton, a young man who wheels ore at the Hammer smelting works. Mr. Grafton works for a living. His poetry is natural. It flows. rom ins soul liko gas from a Kokomo well. Tho hardships of Mr. Grafton's life are, as be says, "pitiable." Enjoying tho comforts aud luxuries of a home for seven loug years, until a "stepfather" "step-father" "stepped in" and forced him to roam, was sufficient to drive any young man to poetry, no matter how bright his future. The Timks gives space to this poem with the hope that it may reach the eye of the inexorable stepfather and cause his "heart hard as stone" to relent: My young life Is saddened. I'm heart-broken, too, Cusod from tho ha'dshtp, and sorrows in life I've partKel through. Pitiable Is the truth I Hfcw sadly unfold. I was ilriveu from home whea only seven years old. Yes, my youna life is saddened, and happy childhood days are lied, Thnre's no one lert to comfort mn, parents are .lead: My life's r,e'n a ad on-- not a sunny inirn; I've si-en nauirht but sorrow ever sinro I was hnrn. Oh. yes. my young life It Is saddened, 1 nadly repeat. From the rough voynce In lite which I've had to nie-t: Many a weary thousand miles I ve traveled since my parents are dead: I've ort been weary, footsore and hungry, and lain on the cold earth for my bed. Yea, my youn life t Is cadrtsned now sadly I 1 m v- I I've mo one to comfort me, and no place to stay: I was the pet and pride o' our once happy home: t'ntil a stepfather stepped In and rorrel me to roam. Ph, alas, my young life is saddened and con- s;derably roughed as well; What I've suffered, and went througu, l'u oever poetically t-U ; If I would narrate tie experience ot my whole life, which Is very moan. It would make anyone who reads it, weep, if they had heart hard as st me. llahfH L. Grafton. |