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Show Queer Old Solomon Oaks A queer old fellow la Solomon Oaks; lie belongs to the good-natured order of folks; He sings ntid he whistles about tho work That nobody ever has known him to siilrk. And ho makes you think,' with his blithe good cheer, Of tlio merry blackbirds when spring is hero. If they come to lilm with n doleful tnlo Of a neighbor's faults, they nlwnys fall To ronso attention to what they tell. At such a time ho can't hear ory well; Hut If they prali up u neighbor then lie can hear as well ns tho best of men. lie always Indorses tho good things said Uy hli friends of thn living as well as the dead. It he'H iiskid what he thinks of a mnn gone wrong. He'll pause, perhnrs, In his cheerful song, And say: "I'm orry. but thero must bo Some good to his credit, It Heems to me." "I haven't tlmo to keep track," says he, "Of thn sad things nnd bad thlngu that I mlpht fcee If I was to look for them; go I try To shut my ejes ns I pass them by, And see only good things along tho way And I And n lot of them every day. "I3y nlwnys having something to do I keen out ot trouble, and mischief, too. I stick to my business, ns best I can. And keep on good terms with my fellow- mait And the better I treat him. It seems to mo, The better my fellow-man treats me." A queer old fellow, this Solomon Oaks, With his merry laugh and his pleasant Jokes. And his fnlth In his fellows, said or sung. He's n host ot friends among- old and young. He makes tnem and keeps them by smllo nnd song And tho word that helps us when things go wrong. Ills life holds a lesson 'twero well to learn: Shut vour eyes to tho bad; all the good discern: Keep busy: be cheerful; nnd aim to make This old world better for love's sweet sake. Queer? Well. It may be; but this I say: Moro of such queerness we need to-dny. Kuen 11. Itoxford In Chicago Record-Herald. |