Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-09-30
Whole Number s76.
THE oLDoAKEN BUCKET

THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET.
How dear to this heart are the scenes Of nv
- childhood, strs-assr,
Wien fond recollection present them tosieu!
The orchard the meadow, the deep-taagIsd
wildwood, knew;
And every loved spot which my infancy
The wide-spCeading pond, and the mill that
Stood BY it. tell;
The bridge and the rock where the easarset
Ths cot Of my father. the dairy house near it,
Aud cen the rude bucket that hung in the
" well!
The old OAGen bucket, the iron.bound bucket,
The moss-eOvered bucket, that hung in the
well.
The moss s-eovered vessel hail as a Treasure;
For oaen at noon, when returning from the
field,
found it source Of an exquisite pleasure,
The purest and sweetest that nsture can
"a 4 yield.
Hos ardent seized it. with hand, t1at were
glowing, Tfen:
And quick to the white pebbled Sottom it
Then soon with the emblem Of truth overflow
ing. t+t - lwen,
And dripping with eooness, IL rose from the
The old oaken bucket, the iron-bound bucket,
The noss-eoVered bucket, arose from the
"s'N itt ,f8
How sweet from the green mOssy brim to re-
eeiveit. '~ -f -nI
As poised on the curb il inclined 70 my lips!
Not full blushing goblet could tempt me to
leave it, [sips.
Though filed with tbe nectar the tabled god
And now, far removed from the loved situation,
The tear OF regret viii intrnsiseiy swell, -
As fancy reverts to my father's plantation. II
And sigh for the bucket that hangs in the
well; .,Iufaaff i1il'.'tt
The old oaken bucket, the iroa. bound ,hueket.f
The moss covered bucket. which hangs in bis
welf. .uflsc ss1HL 9
This beautiful and popular song or
ballad is said TO have its origin under
the following circumstances which
give it additional interest: y -
Some years ago, when, Wood
worth, the printer, and several other
"Old New Workers. were brother
typos in a printing Office, which was I
situated at the corner OF Chestnut I
street and Chambers, there were I
very lew places in the city -of, New !
York where one could enjoy the I
luxury Of a really 'good drinks I
Among the lew places most worthy I
OF patronage, was an, establishments /
kept by Mallory, on Franklin street,
on or about the same spot where St.
Johns Hall recently stood. Wood
worth, in company with several
particular friends had "dropped in"
at this place one afternoon, for the
purpose Of taking some "brandy and
water" which Mallory was famous
Tor keeping.
The liquor was superexcellent,
and Woodwork seemed inspired by
It; for after taking draught, he laid
his glass upon the table remember,
reader, If you please, that in those
"rare old times" a man rarely met
friend without inviting him TO i'm
bibe.) and smacking his lips, declared
that Mallory's eau de Uie was supe-
rior to any he had ever tasted
"No," said NJ, "you are quite mis-
taken; there was one thing which in
both our estimations, far surpasses
this, 10 the way of drinking."-
"What was thatl" asked Wood.
worth, obviously. "The draught of
pure. fresh spring water that We
used to drink from the old odkeR
bucket that hung in the we'll, after
our return from the laboTs OF tho
field on a sultry day in summer.
The lear-drop glistened for a mo-
ment in Woodworth's eye. "True!
truer' he replied, and soon after
quilted the place. He returned to
the office, grasped the pen, and in
half an hour "The Old Oaken
Bucket" one Of the most delightful
compositions in our language, was
ready, in manuscript, TO De em-
balmed in the memories of succeed
ing generations.