Hard times come again no more

I was in a supermarket on Friday (2nd October ’09). The man ahead of me in line had purchases which totaled $110. He ran no less than five debit or credit cards through the reader. Each was “maxed out”. He left the market empty handed.

Today (3rd October ’09) at a convenience store/gas station the person in front of me bought $3 worth of gas (purchasing just over an [American] gallon). He paid with $3 worth of dimes.

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I am reminded of Stephen Foster’s (1826-64) song “Hard times come again no more”.

The hard times have come again, and will be with us for many a long year.
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1.Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears,
While we all sup sorrow with the poor;
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears;
Oh Hard times come again no more.

Chorus:
Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard Times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door;
Oh hard times come again no more
.
2. While we seek mirth and beauty and music light and gay,
There are frail forms fainting at the door;
Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say
Oh hard times come again no more.

(Chorus)

3. There's a pale drooping maiden who toils her life away,
With a worn heart whose better days are o'er:
Though her voice would be merry, 'tis sighing all the day,
Oh hard times come again no more.

(Chorus)

4. Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave,
Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore
Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave
Oh hard times come again no more.

(Chorus)