Butte record., 1855-02-10
From the Dublin Nation.
DEAN SWIFT AND THE CORDGER

>>e4SN - 0A09&A88
1t happened that the Dean vas one
day passil 6 through Patrick's Close,
when he espied a cobbler hard at work
in his stall. Poor Cri-pin, though half
naked, was singing away like lark,
and hammering at the heel of an old shoe
with an apparent lightness Of heart that
astonished the Dean when he ccntempla-
ted the merry wreiche's obvious misery.
Friend said the Dean, pausing in
his walk at the stall, and addressing him,
you seem to be very poor, but then you
seem to be very merry
'I,'s not ".irth, sir replied the cob
bier I'm singin' for the children in the
cellar below
How is that asked the Dean 81
don't understand you.'
why, s,r,' said the man, whenever
the poor things are hungry and have
nothing to eat, sing droll songs for
them, ii order to make them forget
hunger
What family have YOU
Not many, sir-only twelve Or thir-
teen. or so-but pase God, there's "a
good time comin'-Nelly, sir, has her
5iiis-and, between you and me, is a
valuahie snnject to her Majes y-as for
myself, God help ne, I'm obliged to keep
hammerlng away at the lea her as well
as can-jut as you see me, sir, at the
b. ell of ,his old Shoe
And have you no prospect asked
the Dean, of improving your condition
in life p
If there be such prospect, sir re-
piled the cobbler, : l have not been
able to catch a glimpse of it yet but l
suppose you have heard the proyerb of
our trade, sir-once cobbler, always
cobbler'
The proverb is a bad o.e,' observed
the Dean, and strikes at the very root
of industry
1t doesn't touch me at al events
Tor as far as industry goes, I'm pattern
to the neie hhorhood but, unfortunately.
the harder 1 work, the poorer l get
However, we have one comfort, which is,
that there's better world before us,
and that we are preparing ourselves
for it,
How is that ? asked the Dean.
why, sir, fasting and prayer are the
best means of working out our salvation
It's true. indeed, we haven't time to
pray much, but we make it up in the
fasiin' as for my own part, since l can
not fast and pray, 1 fast and sing
ooh, hop thought the Dean, this is
IA character !; l must try him little fur
ther' What did you mean by saying.
he harder you work the poorer you
g't?'
'Nothing's plainer, sir my family's
growin' up, and the employment goes
down; you may understand me without
dictionary
'Well. thcn,' said the Dean, sup
pose friend were to enable you to lay
in qu u.ntity of leather, and all the
necessary materials for making shoes,
let me ask. could you make them; =
Could Dane Swift write a ballad ,
Ye people of Ireland. both country and city,
Come listen with patience, and hear out my
ditty;
At this time I'll choose to be wiser than witty.
Which nobody can deny
God bless the Dane, at any rate-by
putin down Wood and his halfpence he
saved me from bankruptcy should
have closed my stall only for him. But.
aither all, he d prived me OF good
berth OF it.
What berth = asked the other.
why, sir, the past of Solicitor Gene
raj that had in my eye at the time !;
but faith, he stopped my promotion
However, divi. may care for that l can
hammer the leather still, if the work
wpuld only come in
The halfpence are coming, the nations un-
doing,
There's au end Of your ploughing, your baking
and brewing;
In short. you must all go to wreck and to ruin,
Which nobody can deny
The Dan began to feel more tan
amusement in his chat with the merry
cobbler, and after some further con, er-
sation, he sid -
'WeIl, now, you conlical rogue, do
you know Dean Swift
Not By persrn, sir ; that's pleas
ure that's before me yet but l know
him well by sarracther'