Undismayed
A convict explained to a visitor why he had been sent to the penitentiary. “They can’t put you in here for that!” the visitor exclaimed. “They did,” replied the convict. So smiling seems a futile thing. Apparently it cannot get us anywhere—but it does.
He came up smilin’—used to say
He made his fortune that-a-way;
He had hard luck a-plenty, too,
But settled down an’ fought her through;
An’ every time he got a jolt
He jist took on a tighter holt,
Slipped back some when he tried to climb
But came up smilin’ every time.
He came up smilin’—used to git
His share o’ knocks, but he had grit,
An’ if they hurt he didn’t set
Around th’ grocery store an’ fret.
He jist grabbed Fortune by th’ hair
An’ hung on till he got his share.
He had th’ grit in him to stay
An’ come up smilin’ every day.
He jist gripped hard an’ all alone
Like a set bull-pup with a bone,
An’ if he got shook loose, why then
He got up an’ grabbed holt again.
He didn’t have no time, he’d say,
To bother about yesterday,
An’ when there was a prize to win
He came up smilin’ an’ pitched in.
He came up smilin’—good fer him!
He had th’ grit an’ pluck an’ vim,
So he’s on Easy Street, an’ durned
If I don’t think his luck is earned!
No matter if he lost sometimes,
He’s got th’ stuff in him that climbs,
An’ when his chance was mighty slim,
He came up smilin’—good fer him!
James W. Foley.
From “Tales of the Trail.”