A Selection of Original Songs, Scraps, Etc., by Ned Farmer (3rd ed.)/The Last Word
A grey-headed couple Were sitting
One night in their chimney nook,
The old dame was engaged with her knitting,
Whilst he bowed his head o'er a book.
The kettle, a "steam tune" was singing,
The cat purred a song to herself,
And the fire its bright glimmer was flinging
O'er the old pewter plates on the shelf.
Said he, "Here's a sentence worth heeding,
'Tis what makes life sunshine or cloud,"
And then the old man began reading
The following passage aloud:
"'Tis not when dark trouble is round us.
Or Misery's entered our door,
Or the deepest misfortune hath found us,
That the temper is apt to boil o'er.
"But it is in the absence of sadness,
When there's nought to occasion our tears,
When our hearts should be bounding with gladness,
That this demon of discord appears.
Oh! beware the first word that is spoken
At all to unkindness akin;
For I've known hearts grow cold, aye, and broken,
Through what in mere jest might begin.
"I've known houses made wretched and lonely,
Do you ask how all this has occurred?
From this simple cause, and this only,
The trying to have the last word!"
Said the old dame, "'Tis sadly too true,
'Tis the parent of trouble and pain;
And I'll tell you, love, what you shall do,
Turn that leaf down, we'll read it again."