Learning much the careless reader and the critic ne'er divines!
You have seen the author's purpose was to tell the simple truth,
As a tribute to the prisoner and a warning to our youth.
You have seen mistakes and errors that less haste would quickly mend,
Yet, with all its imperfections, it may prove a useful friend.
And in future I may publish one with less of hasty thought
That may be--God knows the future--with undying issues fraught.
All tried means have proved abortive yet, my friend, there is a plan
That _will_ lift each erring brother _to the standard of a man_!
If I can but live to publish what I _know_ and long to tell,
You _will_ read it and believe it; so, dear reader, _fare-thee-well_!
_CONCLUSION._
Go, little book, thy destined course pursue!
Collect memorials of the just and true;
And beg of every one who comes thou near
Some token of their friendship and good cheer.
And if by chance some true friends thou should find,
Attach them to thee with both soul and mind;
And if they prove good, faithful friends and true,
To them thou sticketh, as if they loved you--
Adieu! Adieu!
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
-Fixed plain print and interpunctuation errors.
-Italic text is denoted by _underscores_.