ACRES OF CLAMS (SEQUEL)
(Francis Henry)

Some say that this country's improving,
And boast of its commerce and trade;
But measured by social enjoyment,
I find it has sadly decayed.

In the pioneer days on the Sound,
When people had little to wear,
And subsisted on clams the year 'round,
We'd hearty good fellowship here.

The thoughtful, industrious old settler,
Was so fond of obliging a friend,
That if any one wanted his tools,
He'd always quit working to lend.

At our gatherings for pastoral pleasure,
Dance, picnic, or social knock down,
One man was as good as another,
No kind of distinction was shown.

But now, when I go to a party,
The people around me seem froze;
They dare not be social and hearty,
For fear they may soil their store clothes.

Not only our friendly relations,
Are dropped for the worship of gold,
But the solid back bone of the country,
Is recklessly bartered and sold.

They're slashing and selling our timber,
Not taking the slightest concern,
For what we shall do in the future,
Without any stovewood to burn.

They're wasting the natural resources,
Our bountiful waters contain;
Our canning our clams and our oysters,
And shipping them off for more gain.

And even the climate is changing,
For only some ten years ago,
Strawberries got ripe in December,
Whilst now it brings four feet of snow.

From Linda Allen's "Rainy Day Songbook." She also gives Sequel which was written
later by Mr. Henry: In the April 11, 1877 edition of the Washington Standard, t
he following note appears: "The demand for the new song written by Mr. (Francis)
Henry, 'The Old Settler' has been so general that we publish it in this issue o
f the Standard. Its first public rendition was at a recent entertainment given b
y the Choral Society, where it was received with enthusiastic applause."
In Reminiscences of Washington Territory, by Charles Prosch (Seattle, 1904), the
author prints a sequel to the "Old Settler", which Mr. Henry wrote some 20 year
s after the original. Seems that protest songs were just as popular in Washingto
n's early days as they are now and the themes sound quite familiar!

filename[ ACRECLA2
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