GOD BLESS THE SHRINE

My legs were crooked - born that way.  I couldn't move around;
I never stood - or walked, sometimes I'd crawl upon the ground.
The call it "Act of Providence" - which has to be endured, and
anyway ...
The neighbors said, such case can't be cured.
But not my Ma.
She used to say that rich folks found a way to straighten crippled
children's legs - so they could run and play.
"It don't seem fair that there's no hope", she'd say ' "For boys like
mine, who folks are poor".
And one day she heard about the Shrine.
The Shriners doctors saw my legs.  He didn't shake his head like
most folks did.
"We'll fix you up as good as new", he said.
"We're awful poor", said Ma.  "Its' hard to pay for food and rent".
They didn't ask what church we went to, or if any, or if we had
some Shriner kin.
There questions wasn't many ...
They took me in ...
And one day the doctor said, "Well, son, let's try those new
straight legs of yours, and see how well you've done.
I don't know how they did it -
I'm not much on doctor's talk, I only know I used to crawl,
And now,
See,
I can walk.
I wonder why my Mother Cried when I went home so fine and straight,
But through her tears I heard her say,
"God Bless the Shrine".

Author Unknown, but said to be a former patient!