The Funny Little Fellow

'Twas a Funny Little Fellow      Of the very purest type,     For he had a heart as mellow      As an apple over-ripe;     And the brightest little twinkle      When a funny thing occurred,     And the lightest little tinkle      Of a laugh you ever heard!     His smile was like the glitter      Of the sun in tropic lands,     And his talk a sweeter twitter      Than the swallow understands;     Hear him sing - and tell a story -      Snap a joke - ignite a pun, -     'Twas a capture - rapture - glory,      And explosion - all in one!     Though he hadn't any money -      That condiment which tends     To make a fellow "honey"      For the palate of his friends; -     Sweet simples he compounded -      Sovereign antidotes for sin     Or taint, - a faith unbounded      That his friends were genuine.     He wasn't honored, may be -      For his songs of praise were slim, -     Yet I never knew a baby      That wouldn't crow for him;     I never knew a mother      But urged a kindly claim     Upon him as a brother,      At the mention of his name.     The sick have ceased their sighing      And have even found the grace     Of a smile when they were dying      As they looked upon his face;     And I've seen his eyes of laughter      Melt in tears that only ran     As though, swift dancing after,      Came the Funny Little Man.     He laughed away the sorrow,      And he laughed away the gloom     We are all so prone to borrow      From the darkness of the tomb;     And he laughed across the ocean      Of a happy life, and passed,     With a laugh of glad emotion,      Into Paradise at last.     And I think the Angels knew him,      And had gathered to await     His coming, and run to him      Through the widely-opened Gate -     With their faces gleaming sunny      For his laughter-loving sake,     And thinking, "What a funny      Little Angel he will make!"