It takes all sorts to make the world, an' the same to make a crew;
It takes the good an' middlin' an' the rotten bad uns too;
The same's there are on land (says Bill) you'll find 'em all at sea--
The freaks an' fads an' crooks an' cads an' ornery chaps like me.
It takes a man for all the jobs--the skippers and the mates,
A chap to give the orders an' a chap to chip the plates;
It takes the brass-bound 'prentices--an' ruddy plagues they be--
An' chaps as shirk an' chaps as work--just ornery chaps like me.
It takes the stiffs an' deadbeats an' the decent shell-backs too,
The chaps as always pull their weight an' them as never do;
The sort the Lord 'as made 'em knows what bloomin' use they be,
An' crazy folks an' musical blokes an' ornery chaps like me.
It takes a deal o' fancy breeds--the Dagoes an' the Dutch,
The Lascars an' calashees an' the seedy boys an' such;
It takes the greasers an' the Chinks, the Jap and Portugee,
The blacks an' yellers an' half-bred fellers and ornery folk like me.
It takes all sorts to make the world an' the same to make a crew,
It takes more kinds o' people than there's creeters in the Zoo;
You meet 'em all ashore (says Bill) an' you find 'em all at sea--
But do me proud if most o' the crowd ain't ornery chaps like me!
C.F.S.
* * * * *
"---- UNITED FREE CHURCH.
Evening--Monthly Sermon for Young Men and Women.
'Love, Courtship, and Marriage.'