A COUNTRY pastor, visiting the flock,
At old Rebecca’s cottage gave a knock.
“Good morning, lady, I mean not any libel,
But in your dwelling have you got a Bible?”
“A Bible, sir!” exclaimed she in a rage;
“Do you think I’m turned pagan at my age?”
Here, Sally, run upstairs for it, my dear;
’Tis in the drawer, be quick and bring it here.”
The girl returned with Bible in a minute,
Not dreaming for a moment what was in it.
When lo! on opening it at the parlor door,
Down fell her glasses on the cottage floor.
Amazed, she stared, and was a moment dumb.
At length she said: “Oh, sir, I’m glad you’ve come.
’Tis six years since these glasses I have lost,
And I have missed them to my poor eyes’ cost.”
At length the glasses to her nose she raised,
And clasped the Bible, saying, “God be praised!”
ML-07/29/1973