Growin' Gray

Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray,     An' it beats ole Ned to see the way     'At the crow's feet's a-getherin' aroun' yore eyes;     Tho' it ought n't to cause me no su'prise,     Fur there 's many a sun 'at you 've seen rise     An' many a one you 've seen go down     Sence yore step was light an' yore hair was brown,     An' storms an' snows have had their way--     Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray.     Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray,     An' the youthful pranks 'at you used to play     Are dreams of a far past long ago     That lie in a heart where the fires burn low--     That has lost the flame though it kept the glow,     An' spite of drivin' snow an' storm,     Beats bravely on forever warm.     December holds the place of May--     Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray.     Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray--     Who cares what the carpin' youngsters say?     For, after all, when the tale is told,     Love proves if a man is young or old!     Old age can't make the heart grow cold     When it does the will of an honest mind;     When it beats with love fur all mankind;     Then the night but leads to a fairer day--     Hello, ole man, you 're a-gittin' gray!