awaiting last judgement,
stood silent and
bowed his head.
The Judge
was solemn,
His face was stern,
but His Voice was soft
as He said:
"It was not you
on trial here today.
With a deep
sense of sadness
I find I must say
that the Soul of a Nation
has now been laid bare.
And I'm not at all pleased
by what I see there!
"What is it, St. Pete?
You keep shaking
your head.
Do you wish to
espress an opinion?"
"Yes I do," said the Saint.
"As I've oft before said,
you could give it back
to the Indian."
"If Indian men all
still were braves,"
said The Judge,
"I very well now
might agree.
But some of them, too,
have grown greedy and soft,
and would whine
of a wound on the knee.
No, my good Saint--
it is too late now
to give it all back
to the Indians.
"And Richard,
The best I can do
for your Land
is to offer some
candid opinions.
"I had such great hopes
when that Nation began.
From its very beginning
I blessed every man
'amongst its founders
and builders
who showed me that he
really lived by the code
that all men
should be free,
while respecting
all others,
to each earn his best,
for himself.
by the talents
with which
he'd been blessed.
"Then the way
that Nation prospered
was a most fantastic story.
And I was pleased,
for as it prospered,
so it added to
my own Glory!
"And I suffered
with its People
through famine
strife and war;
prouder, still, that
they seemed afterward
more Glorious
than before.
'Til lately I had noted
just such change
as Richard mentions
I'd sorely like
to help change back,
Such still are
my intentions.
"But one flaw is now
cleary apparent.
And it tears at the
strings of my heart.
Real adversity once
did unite them.
Now prosperity
tears them apart.
"Make a note, Pete
to get me a mirror;
the largest and
clearest you can.
I must look once again
at my image,
since that was
the pattern
for Man!
"Now back on the record,
Let's get this
wrapped up.
After which in
my chambers
we'll share a good cup.
"Where was I--?
Oh, yes---
Richard made a request
that I now save
his Country
from Hell.
But my contract is such
that I can't save one Soul
unless that Soul
makes some try
for itself.
"You, yourself, Dick,
once uttered a
Truth which applies.
'Twas on an earlier
campaign trail.
You said that the Freedom
men need to succeed
includes the freedom to fail.
"Your foe called
you 'heartless',
for saying such things.
And you shied away
from debating.
Did you think
you'd lose votes?
You were probably right.
Many voters even then
were forgetting
that True Freedom is not
a lifetime guarantee
of security,
or of anything else;
except a fair opportunity
to make
what one will
of one's self.
"So, Mr. President,
I can't grant your request.
I can't save your
Country from Hell
-if it chooses to go there,-
no matter that I,
much longer than you,
Loved it well.
"I only can do,
as I always have done,
give my blessings
when men truly
sought them.
"Whenever men choose
to sell out
their Souls,
it is Satan,
not I,
who has bought them!"
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