Newspaper History

Month: July 2023

  • Gentle Revenge

    From the Richmond Times Dispatch, July 2, 1915.

    When she gave him a smile—
        As she did in the dance—
    It was not done in guile,
        Nor with wish to enhance
            His burning affection;
    But the fact was, it had
        That effect, just the same,
    And the poor foolish lad
        Was so scorched by love’s flame
            He moped in dejection.

    Which perceiving, she felt
        She had played the wrong part,
    And then felt pity melt
        To its kin in her heart—
            A fitting location.
    So this damsel and swain
        Tuned their lives to Love’s lays,
    And walked down Lover’s Lane
        For the rest of their days—
            Grief got a vacation!

  • The Don’t-Worriers

    From the Evening Star, July 1, 1915.

    We started a “Don’t Worry” Club at Pohick on the Crick.
    We thought we’d stop the troubles that were gatherin’ too thick.
    We’d heard about the way that exercisin’ of the mind
    Would help us to be gay an’ leave our earthly cares behind.
    Sim Slicer said that he was through with worryin’ each day
    ‘Bout goin’ home an’ hearin’ what his wife would have to say.
    An’ all the fellers, they agreed the proper thing to do
    Was jes’ to think of pleasant things an’ hope that they’d come true.

    We sat an’ talked about the world so full of nature’s charm,
    An’ no one made allusions to the mortgage on the farm.
    We all took life so easy that Bill Briggs, who keeps the store,
    Resolved to shut it up an’ never fret hisself no more.
    Sim Slicer’s wife she led a crowd who said a thing or two
    ‘Bout various things, includin’ mortgages a-fallin’ due.
    It was a blissful dream from which we wakened all too quick.
    Now everybody’s worryin’ down to Pohick on the Crick.