THE WISE SAINT
(A FABLE FOR ANYBODY)
BY HERMAN DA COSTA
PICTURE BY W. T. BENDA
DE debble see St. Peter sneak into heaben’s gate;
He holler: “What’s yo’ hurry? Wait dar, Peter! Wait!”
De saint pull in de latch-string, an’ holler: “Now, you go!
I’ll sic de houn’ dawg on you de fustest t’ing you know.”
“I speaks you like a ge’man,” de debble up an’ say,
“And yere you shets me out, sah! Fer shame! to ack dat way!”
“Don’ argify,” say Peter. “You leads fo’ks into sin.
Ain’t shettin’ you out, nohow; I’s shettin’ mahse’f in.”