St. Nicholas/Volume 40/Number 12/In Spite of Appearances
IN SPITE OF APPEARANCES
BY ROBERT EMMET WARD
It does me good to gaze upon
The portrait of Granduncle John—
An “ambrotype,” when he was nine:
It seems to me there could not he
A boy so heavenly good as he—
That early relative of mine!
His hair, in heavy silken curls
As long and golden as a girl's,
Lies softly on his ivory brow;
His lifted eyes are grave and wise,
And blue and calm as summer skies—
No boy I know looks that way now!
When I’m particularly bad,
I look at that angelic lad;
In times of penance I enjoy
The tale that he once—just like me—
Was cornered up an apple-tree,
And fiercely fought the butcher-boy!
The only thing that seems unfair
Is that he had that saintly air,
And yet was fond of fun and noise;
But I suppose it only shows—
And it's a comfort, goodness knows!—
In spite of looks, boys will be boys!
‘That ’s why I like to gaze upon
‘The portrait of Granduncle John.