The Home Circle | AdventAI

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 30, 1879

The Home Circle.

A CLOSE, HARD MAN.

A HARD, close man was Solomon Ray, Nothing of value he gave away; He hoarded and saved, He pinched and slaved, And the more he had the more he craved.

The hard-earned dollars he toiled to gain Brought him little but toil and pain; For little he spent, And all he lent He made it bring him twenty per cent.

Such was the life of Solomon Ray, The years went by and he grew gray; His cheeks grew thin, And his soul within Grew hard as the dollars he worked to win.

But he died one day, as all men must, For life is fleeting, and men but dust; The heirs were gay, That laid him away, And that was the end of Solomon Ray.

They quarreled now, who had little cared For Solomon Ray while his life was spared. His lands were sold, And his hard-earned gold All went to the lawyers, I am told.

Yet men will cheat, and pinch, and save, Nor carry their treasure beyond the grave; All their gold some day Will melt away, Like the selfish savings of Solomon Ray. —Exchange.