Classic Poem

" Train delayed? and what's to say? "
" Blocked by last night's snow they say. "
Seven hours or so to wait;
Well, that's pleasant! but there's the freight.
Depot loafing no one fancies,
We'll try the caboose and take our chances.

Cool this morning in Watertown,
Somewhat frosty — mercury down;
Enter caboose — roaring fire,
With never an air-hole; heat so dire
That we shrivel and pant; we are roasted through —
Outside, thermometer thirty-two.

We start with a jerk and suddenly stop.
" What's broke? " says one; another " What's up? "
" Oh, nothing, " they answer, " That's our way:
You must stand the jerking, sorry to say. "
We " stand it " with oft this painful thought:
Are our heads on yet, or are they not?

Comrades in misery — let me see;
Girl like a statue opposite me;
Back and forth the others jostle —
She never winks, nor moves a muscle;
See her, as she sits there now;
She's " well balanced, " anyhow.

Woman in trouble, tearful eyes,
Sits by the window, softly cries,
Pity — for griefs we may not know,
For breasts that ache, for tears that flow,
Though we know not why. Her eyelids red
Tell a sorrowful tale — some hope is dead.

Man who follows the Golden Rule,
And lends his papers — a pocket full,
Has a blank book — once in a minute
Has an idea, and writes it in it.
Guess him? Yes, of course I can,
He's a — well — a newspaper man.

Blue-eyed fairy, wrapped in fur;
Sweet young mother tending her.
Fairy thinks it's " awful far, "
Wants to get off this " naughty car. "
So do we, young golden-hair;
All this crowd are with you there!