Print This Page#02711 Print This Page
Attention, all kind hearted friends to these few lines I write,
While I relate of Michael Power who, while mining, lost his sight;
And with determined, manly pluck this man did persevere,
To grind an organ on the street that you could scarcely hear.
In wet and cold all day he stood, this poor afflicted man,
An honest penny trying to earn, the only way he can;
And with a squeaky, old machine all day he walked the street,
Depending on the kindness of a few friends he may meet.
Then Walter Clouton made a move, Albert Martin and James Vey,
Imported down a grand machine for this poor man to play;
They took up a collection, and got down this grand machine,
That every day on Water Street, in motion can be seen.
For such an act shows kindly hearts of true and worthy men,
To show their kindness for the poor, these few lines I pen;
All in our little island home we'd like to see today,
Such men as Albert Martin, Walter Clouston and James Vey.
Published in Burke's Ballads, pp.11-12, c.1960, compiled by John White and archived at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Libraries, Centre For Newfoundland Studies - Digitized Books collection.
See more songs by Johnny Burke.
Notes from St. John's, NL, c.1900:
With offices or businesses on Water Street in St. John's, Walter Clouston was a commission merchant and store proprietor, Albert Martin was the owner of the Martin Hardware Company at 157-159 Water Street, and James Vey was a professional photographer with a studio on the top floor of the Gazette Building on Water Street after the great fire of 1892 until 1917.
