American Old Time Song Lyrics: 32 The Square Honest Man

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 32

THE SQUARE, HONEST MAN.
Copyright, 1891 J.H. Rohde.

We all have our hobbies, and I have as well
Some few odd ideas I may as well tell;
That which I object to, we hear everywhere,
'Tid Women are saying the men are not square.
Tho' on one another we all do depend.
You'll find that most men are a friend to a friend;
The greed that seems common is born in us all,
'Tis a race where the weak have to go to the wall.

Chorus.
For "man's greatest study is man," you'll agree.
To claim a "fair deal" is a hobby with me;
So I like to see all men do right when they can,
As God's grandest work is a square, honest man.

I like to have dealings with old-fashioned men.
They're honest, you'll and, nine times out of ten;
Their good hearts and customs how well we do know,
But best folks to meet with wherever we go.
'Tis all wrong when children will slight their old dad.
Whose ways may be slow or whose grammer is bad;
The respect they owe him is next to their God,
E'en tho' he's a banker, or carries a hod.- Chorus.

I don't like the Judas who runs down his friend
With murderous glee, his good name to rend;
So take care and watch him, as thro' life you pass.
His tongue is but venom, a snake in the grass;
I speak of the Grundy we see every day,
Whose word is no good, and all men are his prey;
For of all the mean men to whom woman gave birth.
The scandal creator is the meanest on earth.-Chorus.

There are men in public who try to do right.
Who frown upon evil with all of their might;
I'll mention out one man, quite well known to you.
And heedless of party, we'll give him his due;
You anticipate me, as surely you must.
When I speak of a man w ho was true to his trust,
Tho' he differed from many in his tariff plan,
We know Grover Cleveland was a square, honest man.-Chorus