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The Penny Ye Meant to Gi'e

There's a funny old tale of a stingy man,
  Who was none too good, though he might have been worse;
Who went to church on a Sunday night,
  And carried along his well-filled purse.

When the sexton came with his begging plate,
  The church was but dim with the candles' light;
The stingy man fumbled all through his purse,
  And chose a coin by touch, and not sight.

It's an odd thing now that guineas be
  So like unto pennies in shape and size,
"I'll give a penny," the stingy man said;
  "The poor must not gifts of pennies despise."

The penny fell down with a clatter and ring;
  And back in his seat leaned the stingy man,
"The world is so full of the poor," he thought,
  "I can't help them all—I give what I can."

Ha, ha! How the sexton smiled to be sure,
  To see the gold guinea fall into his plate;
Ha, ha! How the stingy man's heart was wrung,
  Perceiving his blunder, but just too late!