THE 
 
 OLD MAN : 
 
 HIS CHILDREN, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 BUNDLE of STICKS. 
 
 «^^*M*^wMjgMfesa^^*»Tmrrfcfa3 
 
 oOLD BY J FVAiMv »vrA 
 
 * 6ri * tA!b ™**« will b< made to Sb . 
 
 PRirF riMr rr. ? 7 Hawkers, 
 rmcL ONE HALFPENNY 
 Or 3s per Hundred ' 
 
 entereu at ^tottowrs mi 
 
THE 
 
 OLD MAN, his CHILDREN, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 B indle of Sticks. 
 
 GOOD old man, no matter where, 
 Whether in York or Lancashire, 
 Or on a hill ur Jn a dale, 
 It cannot much concern the tale ; 
 Had children very much like others, 
 Compos'd of sisters and of brothers i 
 In life he had not much to give, 
 But his example how to live; 
 Jiis luck was what his neighbors had, 
 For some where good and sortie were bad^ 
 When of their father death bereft 'em, 
 His good adVic£ W^'^U he left 'em, 
 
The good old man who long had lain 
 Afflicted with disease and pain • 
 With difficulty drew his breath, 
 And felt the sure approach of death. r 
 He still had liv'd an honest life, 
 Kind to his neighbor and his wife ; 
 His practice good his faith was sound, 
 He built his hope on scripture grew.id 
 And knowing life hangs on a breath 
 He always liv'd prepar'dfor death. 
 He trusted God, nor fear'd to die, 
 May it be thus with you and I J 
 
 Nor let us hope to die content, 
 
 Unless our life be wisely spent, 
 He call'd his children round his bed, 
 And thus unto them all he said: 
 Alas ! alas ! my children dear, 
 I well perceive my end is near; 
 I suffer much, but kiss the rod. 
 And bow me to the will of God. 
 Yet ere from you I'm quite reniov'd, 
 from you whom always I have loy'd; 
 
( ( 5 ) 
 
 I wish to give you all my blessing, 
 And leave you with a useful lesson ; 
 That when I've left this world of care, 
 Each may his testimony bear, 
 How much my latest thoughts inclin'd 
 To prove me tender, good, and .kind! 
 Observe that faggot on the ground, 
 
 With twisted hazel firmly bound: - 
 
 The children turn'd their eyes that way. 
 And view'd the faggot as it lay; 
 But wonder'd what their father meant; 
 Who thus expounded his intent. 
 I wish that all of you would take it, 
 And try if any one can break it. 
 Obedient to the good old man, 
 They all to try their strength began; 
 Now boy now girl; now he now she, 
 Apply 'd the faggot to their knee; 
 They tugg'd and strain'd and try'd again, 
 But still they tugg'd and try'd in vain; " 
 In vain their strength and skill exerted. 
 The faggot every effort thwarted. 
 
And when their labour vain they found, 
 They threw the faggot on the ground. 
 
 Again the good old man proceeded, 
 To give tlV instruction which they needed ; 
 Untwist, says he, the hazel bind, 
 And let the faggot be disjoin'd; 
 Then stick by stick, and twig by twig, 
 The little children and the big, 
 Foll'wihgthe words their father spoke, 
 Each sprig and spray they quickly broke; 
 
 There father! all began to cry, 
 
 I've broken mine ! and I, and I. 
 Replied the Sire, 'twas mv intent. 
 
 My family to represent; 
 
 Whileyou are join'cl in friendship's thong, 
 
 My dearest children you'll be strong; 
 
 But if by quarrel and dispute, 
 
 You undermine affection's root, 
 
 And thus the strengthening cord divide, 
 
 Then will my children ill betide : 
 
 E'en blasts of prey in bands unite. 
 And kindly fu^eatrh other fight'; 
 
U . . ( 7 ) 
 
 Arid shall not Christian children be, 
 Join'd in sweet links of amity ? 
 
 If separate you'll each be weak, 
 
 Each like a single stick will break* 
 
 But if you're firm, and true, and hearty, 
 
 The world and all its spite can't part ye. 
 
 The father having clos'd his lesson, 
 
 Proceeded to pronounce his blessing: 
 
 Embrac'd them all, then pray'd and siglv'd, 
 
 Look'd up, then dropt his head— and dy'd* 
 
 And thus, my countrymen -shou'd-you* 
 And I, and all, be firm and true ; 
 If christian faith and love combine us, ,> 
 And sweet affection's cords intwine us; 
 We need encourage no dejection, 
 Secure in the Divine Protection. 
 In prosperous days we'll bless our GGD 
 And when he smites, we'll kiss the rod* 
 
 JF 3f B 3 & 
 
tli£ FOLLOWING 
 
 T R A C T S 
 
 If AVE BEEN LATELY PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY 
 
 J. E VA N S. and Co.. 
 
 the History of Mr. Bragwell 7 Parts price 6d. 
 1 he Two Shoemakers - * - 5 ditto tt-K ^rf, 
 
 . jPw* Threepence. 
 
 The Story of Joseph and his Brethren. 
 The Explanation of the Ten Commandments. 
 I raVer.9 to be used by a Young Person, by a Grown Per. 
 ton, by the Mastci or Mistress of a Sunday School, &c. 
 
 Price Twopence. 
 
 The History of Tom White, the Postillion. 
 
 The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain. 
 
 Black Giles the Poacher, in Two Parts. 
 
 Price Three- Half p ence. 
 Watts's Hymns for Children, complete, with Prayer*. 
 Tne History of Mary Wood. 
 
 - — " Mr. Fantom. 
 
 The Labourers in the Vineyard. 
 The Valley of T?ars, in Two Parte. 
 The Judgment Day. 
 
 Hints to ali Ranks on the Scarcity of 1 79 5. 
 
 Price One Penny. 
 
 The Thunderstorm. 
 rTia all for the Best. 
 
 The Cottage Cook. 
 
 The Sunday School. 
 
 Hester Wifmot, vpart I. It. 
 
 The Sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 A new Christmas Tract. 
 
 Good Friday Tract. 
 
 Parley the Porter. 
 
 The Fall of Adam. 
 
 The Black Prince. 
 IjThe Cheapside Apprentice. 
 [The Lancashire Collier Girl. 
 [The Life of William Baker. 
 >rhe Two Soldiers, 
 petty Brown. 
 |f he Shopkeeper, 4 parts. 
 
 The Good Mother's Legacy, 
 The Beggarly Boy. 
 Noah's Flood, 
 The Troubles of Life. 
 The Harvest Home. 
 Sorrowful Sam. 
 Tawney Rachel. 
 Charles Jones, the Footman. 
 General Resurre< tion and Day 
 
 of Judgment. 
 Ott&simus 
 
 j Patient Joe, Wild Robert, 
 Faith and Works, Gin Shop 
 
 Sinful Sally, Robert and Rich- 
 ard, Hampshire Tragedy, 
 Bad Bargain. 
 
 Turn the Carpet, Christmas 
 Hymn, Army of Martyrs. 
 
 J. Evans aad Co. timers, 4a, Luixg-Une, London.