Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 November 1915 — WALT MASON [ARTICLE]

WALT MASON

The Poet Philosopher It’s well to be sunny, and frisky and gay, if one has some money in brine put away; if jye have the plunder where thieves can not steal; it’s surely no wonder if chipper we feel. But some folks don’t borrow an ounce weight of care, they heed not tomorrow, when shelves may be bare. And, not a thought giving to what may befall, “We’ll live while we're living,’’ they cheerily call; “eat, drink and be merry, tomorrow we die, and death with his wherry will soon paddle bv.” And then when tomorrow comes trailing along, all loaded with sorrow and things going wrong, tlio roysterers grumble and murmur and yelp, and send out a humble petition for help. “Oh, come, come a-ilying’’ —you’ve heard their old tunes- “our children are crying for codfish and prunes! Be good to us, neighbors, we need food and coal, and you, by your labors, have piled up a roll! With hunger we sicken, we languish and die! Oh, bring ns friend chicken and pretzels and pie!” Each winter the thriftless send up the old wail, the heedless, the shiftless, the fellows who fail.