LITTLE TIM.
He stands at the door of the church looking in ; No cross, black-gown'd sexton w near < him; The preacher is speaking of sinners and sin, And little Tim trembles to hear him. A ragged young urchin, abused and forlorn, Whom no one had e'er taught his duty ; Hit head in uncot ered, his trousers are torn, And stern want has blighted his beauty. The grey-headed gentleman up in the bo y, Seems growing more angry each minute ; He doubles his fist and the pulpit ho knocks, So eager to find what is m it. He preaches at people who sit in the pews (Tim takes them for kings and princesses, With his tiny bare feet he envies their shoes, And looks with delight at their dresses). The parion then bids them to think of their need, To give up the world's dissipation. < The nuked to clothe and the starving to feed. Tim listens with great approbation. And when the old minister walks down the aisle, Tim runs up to meet him so gladly. 1 Shure, give me my dinner,' says he with a smile, ' It's meself that nseds it too badly.' The rich lords and ladies indignantly stare, The sexton hears tell of the danger ; And shaking hi* ttilver- topped staff in the air. He threatens the poor little stranger. But Tim's not afraid— why ho sparkles with joy, , And eries — who so anxious to cry it ?— ' You'll give me my dinner, I'm such a poor boy; Yo said ho— shure ! don't ye deny it.' The pompous old sexton may grunt and may glare, And whisper 'bout burglars and arson, But the child who has faith in the sermon stand* there, And smiles at the gray-headed parson. The lords and the ladies may wonder and frown, And lays that he wants better teaching ; But the silvered hair parson looks tenderly down On the lad who has faith in his preach- j ing. He leads him away without query or blame, A* eager as young Tim to press on ; He thinks a good dinner— who'd not think the same t The moral that lies in the lesson.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2167, 29 May 1886, Page 5 (Supplement)
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358LITTLE TIM. Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2167, 29 May 1886, Page 5 (Supplement)
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