Old Father William (1924)
A Parody
"You are old. Father William," the son made remark,"And your hair has become very white;
Yet you tear round the country from day-break to dark:
Do you think at your age it is right ?" "In my youth," said the sage, as he puffed a cigar,
"I slept sixteen hours in my bed ;
Now such comfort and ease do I find in this car,
That I rest in my auto instead." "You are old. Father 'William, and no one would think.
That your eye was as steady as ever ;
Yet you dodge thorough the traffic with never a wink,
What makes, you so awfully clever ?" "In my youth," said the sage, "I'd to plan and to plot
For a job that was simple and light ;
In the easy control of my auto I've got
A business that suits me all right." "You are old," said the youth, with a bit of a cuss,
"Soon your journey on earth will be done;
If you spend all your money on running this bus,
There won't be much left for your son." "Gently, youth," said the sage, and his eye was aglow
"I'm afraid you're becoming a blether,
Why, the running expense of my auto's so low
That it's cheaper than using shoe leather." Notes From the Adelaide newspaper The Mail 23 Feb 1924 p. 21.