There Is No Money In It

The good old days of Chivalry have long since passed away;

And everything is Business with people of Today;

You ask them to do this or that, they’ll halt right on the minute,

And look the matter up to see if there is Money in it.

You talk about some Scheme of yours from which you Pleasure take;

Or tell them of some little plan for Recreation’s sake;

They’ll look at you with pity, but as tho’ they were agin’ it;

“O, yes,” they say, “it’s very well, but there’s no Money in it.”

The good old days of making Love have gone with all the rest;

Romances of the Cottage will no longer stand the test.

The young man of To-day, his suit, before he tries to win it,

Will calculate in Figures cold, if there is Money in it.

The Burglar or the bold Cashier, the high and lowly Crooks,

The young Elopers, one and all, the Keeper of the Books,

All nowadays make doubly sure, before they try to Skin it,

That or vault, or Father’s purse, has lots of Money in it.

And now I sometimes think the Book a slight mistake has made,

By not proclaiming that above all men will be well Paid;

For I opine that multitudes, the Tree of Life would shin it,

And clamor at the Holy Gate, if there was Money in it.

Jan. 28, 1895

Pub. in Boston Courier,

Feb. 3, 1895