Newspaper History presents media sourced from a United States newspaper dating back 108 years.

  • Scattered

    From the Rock Island Argus, November 21, 1912.
    By Duncan M. Smith.
     
    
     I have cousins in Missouri
         I have uncles in New York
     I have sisters in Chicago
         And an aunt who lives in Cork
     Second cousins in Australia
         And in any other place
     That offhand you might mention.
         My, but we’re a scattered race!
     
     When my father was a youngster
         In a little Scottish town
     He was blessed with several brothers—
         Eight it was; I marked it down—
     And about as many sisters—
         Ten I think I heard him say—
     And when they had grown and married
         Each one went a different way.
     
     And they had—how many children?
         Goodness knows, for I do not
     As I never took a census
         But it must have been a lot.
     And the children, grown to manhood
         As myself, for time has flown
     And we all are growing ancient,
         Must have children of their own.
     
     So the stock is widely scattered
         From the palm tree to the pine
     Nearly every state and country
         Has some relative of mine.
     And with almost every family
         It’s the same old tale again,
     For the world is getting ready
         For a common race of men.