THE HOUSE OF JONES.

Southern Cross, Volume 6, Issue 3, 23 April 1898, Page 2

THE HOUSE OF JONES.

The founder of the fambly Was Ezra William Jones ; He’d mighty little schoolin’ An’ dealt in rags and bones, They uster call him “ Frowsy,” “ Old Skeletons,” an’ sich; But Ezra prospered all the same, Grew corpulent an’ rich. He moved his children from the hut, So long the fambly seat, An’ bought a tidy dwellin’ Upon a decent street. His wife thought this extravagant, But Jones was sharp as steel— He held his tongue an’ made a cool Five hundred on the deal. Next, Jones put up a fact’ry, And took ter making soap, The venture was successful Beyond his fondes’ hope. The money flowed in jest es*fast Es he could salt it down, An’ Ezra soon could count hisaelf The richest man in town. He ran fer all the offices From school trustee to mayor An’ always got elected For every bloomin’ chir, The hull blame town was proud of him Since he had grow’d so rich ; They had forgot they ever yelled “ Old Skeletons ” and sich. He built a mighty mansion Upon a lofty slope, An’ kept a liveried coachman, An’ gave up failin’ soap ; He entertained and travelled. Grew full of gout and pride— The fun’ral was jest three miles long When Ezar William died. An’ thus, yer see, was founded The mighty house of Jones ; ’Tis strange what famous doin’s Began in rags and bones. The very boys who uster shout “ Old Skeletons ” an’ sich, Are courting the Miss Joneses now Because their dad died rich. —William Shalmaneser Briggs, in “ Buffalo Express.”