The Old Man’s Sorrow, and how he caused it.
(A Ballad of the Future.)
“You are sad, People’s William,” the young man cried,
“And you seem to your years to succumb;
You are weak, People’s William, though not very old,
And have a large corn on your thumb.”
“In the years lately past,” People’s William replied.
“I weakly attempted too much;
I abused both my health and my vigour, and now
There is scarcely a task I dare touch.”