Classic Poem

The day that Bilkins bought his radio set he said:
" None of your high-priced sets; not on your life.
It's just a toy to amuse the kids and wife.
They'll be crying soon for something else instead.
Remember our old phonograph? Great Ned!
Those kids would play it morning, noon and night,
And when I made 'em stop they'd start to bawl.
But now? They never touch the thing at all.
You'll see I'm right.
I'm going to buy an inexpensive set.
They'll tire of it soon enough, I'll bet. "

The following week again we chanced to meet.
His arms were filled with bundles, and he wore
A grin of placid joy. He said, and smiled:
" I haven't got that old set any more.
Those crystal sets perhaps might please a child;
I bought a three-bulb outfit all complete.
Here are some tubes I'm bringing from the store.
We hook it to our phonograph, and say,
Last night we got Chicago — LHK,
As clear as though 'twere just across the street. "

The next I heard of Bilkins he was dead.
I called upon his anguished wife that week;
She clasped my hand and tears rolled down her cheek.
" I couldn't pry him loose from it, " she said.
" He wouldn't even leave to go to bed.
At first he looked upon it as a joke —
A passing whim. And then the habit grew.
He used to dash right in to it at night
When he returned from work, and call to me:
" Say, listen! Bedtime Tales from FXZ."
And then he'd sit, and listen in, and smoke.

" I used to bring his supper to him, too,
But generally he'd never touch a bite.

" Then, pretty soon, he stayed at home all day,
His business failed and funds were running short.
The tradesmen wrote they'd make us pay in court.
But when I tried to speak to him he'd say:
" Don't bother me. I'm getting Davenport."
And so for weeks he never left his seat.
The children joined my pleading with their cries.
He never slept nor took a bite to eat.
I saw him slowly starve before my eyes.

" Last week I heard him crying out one night.
I quickly ran into his room, and there
I saw him sitting rigid in his chair.
His cheeks were flushed, a strange unnatural light
Shone in his eyes; and in the gloom
I felt another presence in the room.
And then across his haggard face there spread
A smile of radiant joy. He raised his hand
As though to bid the unseen presence stay.
" One minute — I'll be with you right away.
I think I'm getting London now," he said.
He smiled and toppled forward.... He was dead. "