They gave up cake and pumpkin-pies, and had the plainest eatin’;
And never asked folks home to tea, and scarcely went to meetin’.
The man that was a Bankrupt called, was kind’er shunned by men,
And hardly dared to show his head amongst his town folks then.
But now-a-days, when a merchant fails, they say he makes a penny;
The wife don’t have a gown the less, and his daughters just as many;
His sons they smoke their choice cigars, and drink their costly wine;
And she goes to the opera, and he has folks to dine!
He walks the streets, he drives his gig; men show him all civilities;
And what in my day we called debts, are now his lie-abilities!