The Ne'er Do Well

NZ Truth, Issue 1030, 22 August 1925, Page 1

The Ne'er Do Well

I've sAvagged it north." and I've' trailed down, south; I've sojourned m the west; A thousand years, it seemed I lived In the t e#st, on^a> hopeless quest-; - .iv ■■<■' But I've met real men, whose burden, too, Has led them down through hell; : ; " Nature 's my tutor, the highway's my school, '"■■■■ Though I'm only a. ne'er-do-well. I've crawled for a mile m a scorching sun With the shadow of Death close by, I've scrapped outback with an outlaw pack t And fallen asleep to die. I've galloped a horse- — a crazy moke— For a dying comrade's belle. Heigh ho! It's LIFE m the open space, Though I'm only a ne'er-do-well. =. ' I've tasted the joys of, the City grand (It wasn't real joy. to me), . ' Ive I . tried to vie with the banker chaps In their world of revelry. I've done my best to play the game '"..... - : In an artificial hell, But I missby a mile — a fool that say, And I'm only a ne'er-do-well. One of these days, they'll find me— 7 gone Along the Broad Highway, : Where the sound of the birds and the bushnlan's-axe Echo the live-long day; • And p'raps old pals will greet me then '-'"■'. (One never, never < can tell), ' , : : ;.:. : And a place to rest the weary head " - "•"" - : -■- Of only a ne'er-do-well. . .;.,..:.._ ;: