“Something Just as Good”

There is the man who hands you out

      The thing you want to buy;

The man who’s wise and up to date,

      Who has a good supply.

And then there is the half-way man

      Who keeps a stock most crude,

Who says he hasn’t what you want,

      But something just as good.

If you are easy to his wiles,

      And fall beneath his bluff,

You soon may find upon your hands

      A bunch of worthless stuff.

You may get something just as good,

      Sometimes it happens so;

But as a rule you’ll wake to find

      Your purchase will not go.

The world is full of sharkish souls

      To lead the weak awry;

‘Tis best to learn exactly what

      You want before you buy.

And when you thus know what you want

      Don’t let some scamp intrude

And palm upon your halting mind

      A “something just as good”.

If one can’t give you what you want,

      Go to the one who can;

That is the only way to keep

      Up with your fellow man.

And when you make a stand like that

      ‘Twill soon be understood,

And grasping ones won’t try to sell

      You “something just as good.”

Aug. 23, 1910