<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Boy Next Door</h1><p class="byline"> S. E. KISER <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The Saturday Evening Post</span><br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/>Permission to reproduce in this book</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">THERE used to be a boy next door</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Whom I often have longed to throttle;</p><p class="line">I've wished a thousand times and more</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That he had died while "on the bottle"! </p><p class="line">Oft in the past it has been hard </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">For me to check my inclination, </p><p class="line">When he had cluttered up our yard,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To hand him heavy castigation.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">With freckles on his tilted nose</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And ears that far in space protruded,</p><p class="line">He was not one, as heaven knows,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">To whom I in my prayers alluded.</p><p class="line">Derisively he showed his tongue</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And scorned the warnings which I gave him, </p><p class="line">But now I list myself among</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The ones who pray the Lord to save him.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">How vividly I can recall</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Him at the window, making faces;</p><p class="line">I used to think that in him all</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The impish traits had lurking places.</p><p class="line">He stole the green fruit from my trees,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Not caring how it might affect him;</p><p class="line">Today he's fighting overseas,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And may the God of hosts protect him!</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">From childhood into youth he passed,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And then my little garden flourished;</p><p class="line">And still his friendship was not classed</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Among the treasures which I nourished.</p><p class="line">He tortured first a slide tombone,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And next he tried a squeaky fiddle;</p><p class="line">His voice took on a raucous tone</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That used to rasp me down the middle.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">How soldierly our lad appeared</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">When with his comrades he departed!</p><p class="line">I wonder if he knew I cheered,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Or guessed that I was heavy--hearted.</p><p class="line">If I have damned him heretofore</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I now retract each foul aspersion</p><p class="line">God bless the boy who lived next door,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And used to be my pet aversion!</p></div></body></html> · Great War