John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892). The Poetical Works in Four Volumes. 1892.
Narrative and Legendary PoemsValuation
T
And his neighbor, the Deacon, went by,
“In spite of my bank stock and real estate,
You are better off, Deacon, than I.
You have less of this world to resign,
But in Heaven’s appraisal your assets, I fear,
Will reckon up greater than mine.
I wish I could swap with you even:
The pounds I have lived for and laid up in store
For the shillings and pence you have given.”
While his eye had a twinkle of fun,
“Let your pounds take the way of my shillings and pence,
And the thing can be easily done!”