Forbidden fruit

Front matter

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(FULLY ILLUSTRATED)

Dedication

To those who can laugh through their tears, Can smile in the midst of a sigh, Can mingle their youth with their years On the road to the Sweet-by-and-byy

This Book is Dedicated.

THE AUTHOR.

Preface

Now reader, go along with me, '

Away back to Eternity; ' Go back beyond the days of youth.

Where everything that was, was truth. *

Beyond the sorrow and the tears,

Beyond the suffering and fears,

Beyond the anguish and the gloom. ]

Beyond the shadow of the tomb. |

Beyond all trouble and all pain. Beyond all losses and all gain. Beyond all sobs and bitter sighs, Beyond the limit of the skies.

Before there was a ray of light. Before there was a day or night. Before a prayer was ever prayed, Before the world was ever made.

Before there was a moon, or sun. Before old time itself begun; Before there was a now, or then, Before there was a where, or when.

Before there was a 'here', or 'there'. Or anything, or anywhere; Go back a hundred thousand years. And farther still, though filled with fears.

PREFACE.

Go back until within the past, You fail to find the place at last Where the beginning you can see, At one end of Eternity.

Go back until there's not a trace Of anything, but God and space; God all around, below, above; Unlimited in power and love.

Away back here removed from sight, Where everything that was, was right; Away back here removed from sin. Is where my story does begin.

FORBIDDE]^ FRUIT.

Part I

Sometime, and somewhere out in space, God felt it was the proper place To make a world, as he did claim. To bring some honor to his name.

Before God brought the world about, I wonder if he did not doubt Whether, since he had found the spot, He'd better make a world, or not.

Hence with himself he then communed, His attributes he importuned; First unto Truth the Lord applied. To see if he was satisfied.

Truth, looking down through coming years, Declared that he was filled with fears. And said he knew not what to do In case that man should prove untrue.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

For Truth unchanged has always stood, And all he knows, or is, is good; And Truth when taken all alone Is firm as walls of solid stone.

Then Justice rising to her feet, Said, '' Unto every one I meet I deal out justice as I should, Alike to both the bad and good.

' And hence from duty I'll not swerve, I'll treat mankind as they deserve. And if on God they do not trust, All I can do is treat them just."

And then cam« Mercy, mil3 and meek, And asked if she a word might speak. In gentle tones and accents mild, She plead as would a little child.

Her lips did quiver as she'd speak. The tears went streaming down her cheek. Her voice was like the voice of love. Or like the cooing of a dove.

She said, ' * If man should go astray, I'll point to him another way, And by the mercy that I give, Poor, fallen man again may live.

THE CREATION.

* ' And his companion I will be, Both on the land and on the sea. And should he fail to go aright, . I'll be near by, both day and night.

* ' I'll be with him when young or old, I'll be with him amongst the gold, I'll be with him when he is poor. When death is knocking at the door.

The Lord adopted Mercy's plan, And made the world — also the man. This is the way the thing was done, Without a ray of light or sun;

Away out there alone, above. Without a thing to make it of. The world was made without a flaw, Without a hammer or a saw.

Without a bit of wood or stone, Without a bit of flesh or bone, Without a board or nail or screw, Or anything to nail it to.

Without a foot-hold or a trace Of anything at all but space. The only thing the Lord could do Was simply speak a word or two.

And then without apparent cause, A thing that was not, now then was. And if the story told is true, The world came boldly into view,

And stood out there alone in space, Without a blade of grass, or trace Of life, or living thing, or light, A bare old world in darkest night.

No rippling rills, nor balmy breeze, No songs of birds, nor swaying trees; There was not e'en a sound on earth, For none of these as yet had birth.

God made the grasses then to grow, And made the balmy breezes blow; He made the sun to give us light. The moon to shine for us at night.

He then did work at things like these: Made fish with fins to swim the seas, Horses, cows and Indian ponies. And whales to swallow up the Jonahs.

He made the little birds to sing.

The mighty oak, and little fern,

And beds of coal for us to burn.

ADAM AND EVE. 21

Made reptiles, worms and creeping things, Made some without, and some with wings, Made dogs to bark, and cats to mew. Made our colors, red, white, and blue.

Made the cyclone, and the zephyr, The wild bull, and domestic heifer, Made the flowers, and forest trees. He made the bugs, and bumble bees.

He made the steam and smoke to rise, The clouds to float up in the skies. And, in accordance with his plan, He took some dirt and made a man.

And many other things did make. And in them all made one mistake; But this was no mistake in plan — The dirt was bad when he made man.

Now, Adam was not satisfied, So Eve was made to be his bride, To share his griefs, as well as joys, And be the mother of his boys.

And they together may have played Beneath the weeping willow's shade, Down by the little rippling stream, Whose waters in the sunlight gleam.

They may have played with pretty toys Like other Httle girls and boys; They may have made mud cakes and pies Like children do of their same size.

Perhaps Miss Eve made dolls and quilts, While Adam stalked about on stilts; Perhaps she rode upon his sled, Or in his wagon painted red.

While he played horse and pulled the load, He may have trudged along the road, As Eve within the wagon sits. And Adam, horse like, chews the bits.

And thus their childhood may have passed, Until they reached the age at last When Adam wished to wed a wife To help him pull his sled through life.

To sew the buttons on his pants, And thus his comfort to enhance, To brush his clothes, tie his cravat, And do such little things as that.

To wash and iron, and scrub the floor, And each day do it o'er and o'er; Three times a day to cook his meals. No matter then how tired she feels.

ADAM AND EVE. ' Now Adam was not satisfied, 5o Eve was made to be his bride.

ADAM AND EVE. 2^

When he comes home at close of day, He wishes her, so bHthe and gay, To meet him with a pleasant smile. And thus his weary hours beguile.

She no doubt thought it would be grand. To always have at her command, Some one to love, some one to scold. Some one to care for her when old.

Some one to brush away her tears, Dispel her sorrow, calm her fears. Some one to drive away dull care, Some one to smooth her tangled hair.

Some one she hoped that she would suit. To help her eat '' Forbidden Fruit," Some one with whom to share her joys, And be the father of her boys.

One day as they together played,

A proposition Adam made;

This proposition was to wed;

I think Miss Eve then hung her head.

Perhaps she bit her finger nail, And blushed, turned red, and then turned pale. Her tongue against her cheek did poke. Then smiled and wet her lips and spoke.

I do not know just what she said, As Adam with her must have plead, But from the sequel I would guess, She must have answered Adam, "y-e-s."

And quickly then the gossips said. That Eve and Adam soon would wed; And Eve was glad, and did rejoice To know that she was Adam's choice.

Without a mansion, house, or cot, Adam went and the license got, And as they stood there side by side. Old mother Eve became a bride.

No mother-in-law took him to task. He had no father-in-law to ask. No one, in fact, had aught to say, Eve simply gave herself away.

There, no doubt, in that far-off land, The bride and groom stood hand in hand; No organ tones the air did fill. But all around them then was still.

The zephyrs were the only breeze That bent the flowers, or swayed the trees, The tender limb and shady bower Had never felt the tempest's power.

IN PARADISE.

In this land there ne'er was a weed, The plants that grew came not from seed; The will of God had placed them there, Tempered the breeze, and the balmy air.

Flowers of every shade and hue, The red and orange, white and blue, With mosses growing on the trees, And vines that swayed with every breeze.

The mellow light from the midnight moon, Rays so bright from the sun at noon, The sweet perfume and singing birds Cannot be told in human words.

As down the flowery aisles they walked, Of loves young dream together talked, How quickly must the years have sped, When Eve and Adam first were wed.

To him it was a world of joys No jealousy of other boys, No pangs to cause his soul unrest, For fear she loved another best.

And thus they did each other please 'Till Eve went shopping 'mongst the trees; She wished some apple-sauce to make, And got the apples of a snake.

When Adam came that night to tea, She said, " Here's apple-sauce for thee," She'd made it very nice and sweet, So Adam took it and did eat.

And on its goodness she enlarged, Because, no doubt, she'd had it ' 'charged. And then perhaps, beside the fruit, She may have bought a fig-leaf suit.

And just as other merchants will, The snake at last came with his bill; And Adam then refused to pay, And tried to send the snake away.

And enmity the Lord did make Between the woman and the snake, That enmity, the Lord did quoth. Should be between the seed of both.

And it shall bruise the serpent's head. And thou shalt bruise his heel instead:" And here the promise first is met Of him who came to pay the debt.

But while the snake around him lurked, The Devil came for whom he clerked. And then he said, to make me whole, " I'll take a mortgage on your soul."

THE devil's mortgage ON THE SOUL. 27

And then a mortgage Adam gives On every soul that ever Hves; And when that mortgage was arranged, How quickly everything was changed.

Disease and sickness, grief and pain, Shadow and sorrow, drouth and rain, Discord and murder, every sin, Were by this mortgage ushered in.

The storm-winds blew, and not the breeze, The wild birds screamed amongst the trees, The rag-weeds and the foxtail grew. The cuckle-burr and thistle too.

Now Adam to supply his needs, Hoed the garden, and mowed the weeds, He tilled the soil through drouth and wet— You should have seen the old man sweat!

All through the day old Adam ploughs, And then goes home and milks the cows, And feeds the pigs and little fowls. And then sits round and growls and growls.

A bitter follows all his sweets, A foe for every friend he meets; The hawks do on the sparrows prey, The tall trees in the tempest sway.

The wild beast in his anger howls, And nights made hideous by the owls, The cyclone sweeps across the lake, The earth does tremble and does quake.

Black clouds gather, the torrent pours, Lightnings flash, and storm-wind roars, The thunders say as they do roll, ' ' You have a mortgage on your soul. "

And further on as the story runs. We're told that Adam had two sons; I often wonder what he did When Cain was just a little kid.

And in my mind behold a sight,

As Adam walks the floor at night.

And sings a lullaby to Cain,

Who, cutting teeth, is racked with pain.

No doubt the little fellow yelled.

Against his papa's will rebelled.

And unto Adam it was plain

To raise the lad — they must *' raise Cain,

At last the lad to manhood grew, And then his younger brother slew, Whose body then, no doubt to hide. Was dragged down by the river s side.

"And saw the serpent past him glide.

FIRST PAYMENT ON THE MORTGAGE. 29

He then upon that body gazed With both his hands to heaven raised, Plead with the powers to end the strife And bring that body back to Hfe.

He kissed the brow and kissed the cheek, And asked the hps again to speak; He wrung his hands and shrieked in grief, Implored the heavens for relief.

Caressed that body, cold and dead, And, Oh! how bitterly he plead For just one smile, or look, or word. Then listened — not a sound he heard.

Save just a rustle by his side, And saw the serpent past him glide; And on his brow came drops of sweat To pay the interest on that debt.

Cain went East to the Land of Nod, Afraid to meet both man and God, And with him there a wife did dwell. But who, or what, I cannot tell.

And, sometime after Abel's death,

A child was born, whose name was Seth,

Old father Adam was his Pa,

And he was Cain's wife's brother-in-law.

.Q FORBIDDEN FRUIT.

And Enos now, I do believe, Was son of Seth, grandson of Eve; And then came Cainan next in view, Mahalaleel and Jarad, too.

Then Enoch came and multipHed; God took him just before he died, And then Methusaleh next appears, Who Hved almost a thousand years.

And Lamech was Methusaleh's son,

And then old Noah's life begun —

A life of peril and of joys;

Shem, Ham and Japheth were his boys.

This is the way the story runs — These are the father and the sons. From when old Adam first had birth. Until the biggest rain on earth.

For we are told about that rain. Whose waters spread across the plain. And covered all the hills and heights. And lasted forty days and nights.

The waters covered all the ground, And every one on earth was drowned, Excepting those who did embark Along with Noah in his ark.

THE DELUGE. ' As up the mountain side she drags Herself by mountain peaks and crags."

THE FLOOD. 31

Now in my mind I see a sight, 'Tis clouds as black as darkest night, I hear the thunders roll and crash, I see the lightnings' vivid flash.

I see the surging of the deep, I see strong men bow down and weep. I see the young man and his bride, Go climbing up the mountain side.

I hear the mother in her grief Imploring heaven for relief, As up the mountain side she drags Herself by mountain peaks and crags.

The serpent, on the mountain side. Out from his hiding place does glide. And says, ' ' I see mid cold and wet, You're paying interest on that debt. "

The winds, no doubt, blew cold and bleak, The waves swept over every peak, And everything was damp and dark, No life except in Noah's ark.

The fountains of the deep were dried, And then the waters did subside; Until at last, upon dry ground, The ark a resting place had found.

Then out of Noah's ark there came Beasts, and birds of every name. They came along in twos and twos, Some polar bears and kangaroos.

Some cows and horses, sheep and shoats, Some billy and some nanny-goats. Some tigers, lions, wolves and bears, Raccoons and 'possums, minks and hares.

The whip-poor-will and hooting owl, The eagle and the barnyard fowl, The hawk and sparrow, and the wren, Four women and as many men.

Awhile on earth these did reside Alone, but quickly multiplied; They owned no land and paid no rents. They moved about and lived in tents.

Unto the land of Shinar came, And built a tower, to make a name. This tower should be so very high — Its top would rest beyond the sky.

But then, this tower was never used: The builders' tongues became confused. When with each other they would speak, One talked in French, another Greek.

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'Hit- TOWER OF BABEL. ' And all at once the work did stop, Some men below, and some on top."

CONFUSION OF TONGUES. 33

One talked Italian, one talked Dutch, One talked Spanish, another such A mixed up mess you never heard, You could'nt understand a word.

While they their work together planned. One says, " I do not understand." * No sabe," then the Spaniard say, And all the Germans, *'nix vishta. "

And when a workman ordered brick They may have brought the man a stick. Or if by chance he ordered bread, They brought a stone, perhaps, instead.

And all at once the work did stop; Some men below and some on top. And some with mortar for the stack. Would turn around and take it back.

And each man mad and madder got — He didn't know at whom or what — vSo many things he did not like, That with the rest he joined the strike.

And hence at last old Babel's walls — A pile of ruins — crumbles, falls To pieces, and upon the ground To-day, I'm told, those bricks are found.

Now Abram and his nephew, Lot, Into some trouble one time got About their cattle and their herds; But Abram said, ' ' We'll have no words,

' ' For thou canst have the left or right Of all the land that is in sight; " And then I think I heard him quoth:

' ' The world is wide enough for both. "

Now, Jordan's plains were rich, indeed, Well watered and supplied with feed; So, Lot down in the valley goes, Selects the land where Jordan flows.

Down in this valley, rich and wide, Some wicked people did reside. And wickedness did so abound, Ten righteous men could not be found.

Now, Lot was told to save his life: To take his daughters and his wife, And up into the mountains flee. Where they would out of danger be.

Here's where their trials first begun — Their story is a salty one — When on their way they made a halt, Lot's wife looked back, and turned to salt,

THE RAIN OF FIRE. 3$

And then his daughters did behave In such a way, up in the cave, Of them we do not care to speak. It brings a blush upon the cheek.

But fire and brimstone God did rain Down on the cities of the plain. The people had so wicked been That now their trials must begin.

And as the fire and brimstone fell, I find no words with which to tell, The grief and anguish, pain and woes, Down where the river Jordan flows.

And while the fire and brimstone falls, Out from his hiding place there crawls The serpent and declares it's true, 'Today your interest cometh due."

To Abram we will now return, And let the fire and brimstone burn; We'll take a peep at Abram's life, His hired girl, as well as wife.

For, Abram, although very old, Was promised heirs, so we are told; And when that promise was arranged, His name to Abraham was changed.

Now, Hagar came with them to hve — To Sarah some assistance give; And she was treated as their child, Until on Abraham she smiled.

Then Sarah somewhat jealous was. And not perhaps without a cause; The pledge to Abraham proved true, Instead of one heir, he had two.

Now, Isaac was their lawful son. And Ishmael the other one.

To Isaac then a feast was made. And both the boys together played.

And Ishmael young Isaac teased. And Sarah thus became displeased; She told Miss Hagar to depart — To take her son at once, and start.

The Lord, we're told, then to decide If Abraham on him relied.

Commanded Abraham to take His son, an offering to make.

So, Abraham, to end the strife. Prepared the wood, and fire, and knife; Up in the mountains he did go, And raised his hand to strike the blow.

THE EXPULSION OF HAGAR

" She told Miss Hagar to depart- To take her son at once and start.

ISAAC AND REBEKAH. 37

A voice then said to Abraham: " Look round, and thou shalt see a ram." He looked, and saw among the thorns, A ram stood fastened by the horns.

The ram for offering was prepared; Bless God, young Isaac then was spared. The father's heart then leaped for joy To think that God had saved his boy.

When Isaac unto manhood grew, He did as other people do; He took Rebekah for his wife, To love and cherish during life.

The courtship was a novel one; This is the way it first begun: Ten camels and a servant went^ Perhaps by Abraham were sent —

To search among the neighbor girls, Among the false teeth, hair, and curls. And there this servant must decide Which one should be young Isaac's bride.

And then the servant knelt and prayed, And asked the Lord to give him aid. Rebekah, very young and lair, Came out in answer to that prayer,

And met the servant at the well, And thus enabled him to tell Which one would be the proper choice To make young Isaac's heart rejoice.

And here the story first begins About two boys — a pair of twins — While Jacob, one of them, was fair, Esau was covered o'er with hair.

Esau, the elder one by birth, Lost everything he had on earth; And what he lost, young Jacob made; Got part by fraud, and part by trade.

When Isaac's eyes with age grew dim, Esau would kill a deer for him, And then prepare the nicest part, And thus he won his father's heart.

When Jacob saw what Esau did. He went and killed a little kid. And put the skin around his wrists, A strip around his neck he twists.

He then prepares a little meat. And gives the old man some to eat, And thus the blessing he obtains; What Esau loses, Jacob gains.

i LLLK^H AT THE WELL " Rebekah, very young and fair, Came out in answer to that prayer.

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THE HEAVENLY CHOIR.

"To bring some honor on his namq,

JACOB AND RACHEL. 39

'Twas on account of what I've said, That Jacob from his brother fled, And made the journey all alone And for a pillow used a stone.

Perhaps he'd heard his mother tell Of her experience at the well, And when unto a well he came, He hoped that his would be the same.

No doubt he sat there hours and hours,

And watched the birds, and bees, and flowers.

Admired the girls that came in sight.

From early morn till late at night.

When Rachel came along that day, Methinks I heard young Jacob say, As off the well the stone he slid: ' I've come to do as mother did."

But Rachel's father, it appears. Required that Jacob work for years. But Jacob's plans could not be foiled; For seven years young Jacob toiled.

He milked the cows and slopped the shoats, He did the chores and fed the goats; And then he said, " I understand I now have won your daughters hand."

That night the wedding songs were sung, That night the wedding bells were rung, That night the groom and trembling bride Stood hand in hand and side by side.

The bridal veil concealed her brow,

They pledged the pledge and vowed the vow;

And now imagine his surprise

When first he looked down in her eyes!

Saw not the eyes nor loving tears Of her for whom he'd worked for years; Saw not the one he'd hoped to wed, But in her place he saw instead,

A weak-eyed, sore-eyed, aged girl. Perhaps without a single curl, No dimples; no, not e'en a trace Of beauty in her homely face.

'T was Leah that young Jacob wed, 'Twas Rachel that he wished instead; It seems that Jacob loved to trade. Hence he another contract made,

To work another seven years, And in that contract it appears That Rachel then should be his bride, And on this contract he relied.

THE SPOTTED CALVES. 4 1

And when these seven years had passed, He got the prize he sought at last; And Rachel now became the bride: Poor Leah had to stand aside.

Now all these contracts had expired, And Jacob now a third time hired To Laban, and six years did stay; Took all the spotted calves for pay.

Hence Jacob studied all the laws To see if he could learn the cause That on the calves would put the spots. The rings and stripes and streaks and dots»

Yes, Jacob did some funny tricks — He peeled the bark from off the sticks And put them in the troughs, I think To scare the cows that came to drink.

The spotted calves came thick and fast, A gloom o'er Laban came at last; Hence Jacob felt that he had cause. To go and live where Esau was.

Now Jacob had a dozen sons — And from the way the story runs, While he no doubt loved all the rest, I think he loved young Joseph best.

He made a coat for him to wear, Of many colors rich and rare, Of red and blue and black and green, And every shade that's found between.

But Joseph used to dream some dreams, About his brothers, so it seems; Hence once when Joseph came in sight, They sold him to an Ishmaelite.

And then they killed a little goat; And put the blood on Joseph's coat; And they unto their father lied. About how Joseph must have died.

But down in Egypt Joseph went, And many years by him were spent, Sometimes in prison walls of stone. Sometimes a ruler on the throne,

Sometimes without a cent in hand. Sometimes had millions at command, Sometimes interpreter of dreams. Sometimes almost a god he seems.

The King of Egypt dreamed a dream, In which he saw near by the stream Seven fat kine along the moor, And seven others very poor.

JOSEPH Su...> .;. ,\, r.uvPi. "And they unto their father lied About bow Joseph nnist have died.'

JOSEPH INTERPRETS PHARAOH'S DREAM. 43

The seven poor cows, lean and lank, Came reeling up the river bank; The seven fat cows soon were doomed, And by the lean cows were consumed.

He feared the dream some evil meant. And straightway to the prison sent, And had the prison doors unlocked, And Joseph came out primed and cocked,

To tell him what would soon transpire; Thus Pharaoh's soul was filled with fire. For seven years the corn would grow, And all the cribs would overflow.

And then for seven years a drouth. In which the hot winds from the south Would parch the corn and dry the wheat, Would leave but little food to eat.

Now Joseph was put in command.

And made a ruler o'er the land

Collected stores from north and south, To feed the people through the drouth.

Now when the famine was severe, The people came from far and near; They came in wagons and in drays. They came in various other ways.

They came by day, they came by night, They came from valley, hill and height, They came at evening, came at morn, To get supplies of Joseph's corn.

Now Joseph's brothers were distressed, And came to Joseph with the rest; They bowed before him, so it seems, And thus fulfilled young Joseph's dreams.

And Jacob, although very old, Came into Egypt, so we're told. To see his son whom he thought dead, But who a ruler was instead.

And now, the way the story runs, Jacob and his dozen sons, Down in Egypt did reside, Until at last old Jacob died.

Now when a famine does appear, At first the poor are filled with fear — They hear their children beg and cry. As one by one their darlings die.

Oh how that mother must have prayed. When on the bed her babe she laid, And watched the baby's startled sleep. When all that she could do was weep.

PAYING INTEREST ON THE MORTGAGE. 45

Perhaps she hears him in her dreams, Perhaps it is with startled screams; He put his cold hands on her head, And begs for just one crumb of bread.

Methinks I hear that mother say, "All I can do my dear, is pray;" So many times she's prayed for bread, It may be now she prays instead,

That he may find relief in death. As on her cheek she feels his breath. And ere the morning, bowed with care, She has the answer to her prayer.