A Hopeful Brother Poem by Frank Lebby Stanton

Ef you ask him, day or night,
When the worl' warn't runnin' right,
'Anything that's good in sight?'
This is allus what he'd say,
In his uncomplainin' way-
'Well, I'm hopin'.'

When the winter days waz nigh,
An' the clouds froze in the sky,
Never sot him down to sigh,
But, still singin' on his way,
He'd stop long enough to say-
'Well, I'm hopin'.'

Dyin', asked of him that night
(Sperrit waitin' fer its flight),
'Brother, air yer prospec's bright?'
An'-last words they heard him say,
In the ol', sweet, cheerful way-
'Well, I'm hopin'.'