Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-23
NI|SCELLANY
From the Dublin Natien.l
Dean Swift and the Cobbler.

1t happened that the Dean was ono day
passing through Patrick s Close, when he es-
pied cobbler hard Mt work in his STALL
Poor Crispn, though half naked, was singing
away like lark, and hammering at the heel
of an old shoe with an apparent lightness of
heart that astonshed the Dean when he con-
templated the merry wretch's obvious mis-
cry.
Friend said tho 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
Its not mirth, sir, replied the cobbler-
I'm singin' for the children in the cellar be-
low
'IIow is that . asked the Dean 4 don't
understand you
sWhy, sir, said the man, whenever the
poor things are hungry and have nothing to
eat sing droll songs for them, in order to
make them forget the hunger
What family have youp
Not many, sir-only twelve or thirteen,
or so-but phase God, there's good time
comin'-Ncly, sir, has her giits-and, be-
tween you and me, is valuable subject to
her Mijesty-as for myself God help me,
am Obliged to keep hammering away at the
leather as well as | can-,iust as you see me,
sir at the heel Of this old shoe
! And have you no prospect asked the
! bShh' VI ihl'io'''S y'"i S'''ie'o' ~ '''N
! 'll there be such II prospect, sir, replied
the cobbler, Il have not been able to .catch n
glimpse of it yet but suppose you have
heard the proverb of our trade, sir-once
cobbler, always II cobbler.'
The proverb is u bad one observed the
Dean, and strikes ut the very root of indus
try
1T doesn't touch me at oil events-for rs
far as industry goes I'm pattern to the
! II hut tnl, ba b,,r rI-
er | work, the poorer ! get. However, we
have one comfort, which is. that there's a
better world before us, and that we are pre-
pairing ourselves for it..
How is thatr asked the Dean.
why, sir, fasting and prayer are tho best
means of working out our salvation. 1t s
true, indeed, we haven't time to pray much
but we make it up in the fastin'-as for my
own part, since cannot fast and pray, fast
and sing.
.Oh, no = thought the Dean this is a char
actcr | must try him little further. What
did you mean by saying, the harder you work
the poorer you get =
Nothing palmer sir Iny family is CROWN
mp. and the employment goes down; you may
understand me without dictionary
"Well, thcn,' said the Dean, suppose {
friend were to enable you to lay in a quaint
ty of leather, and all the necessary materials
for making shoes, let me ask, could you mak'
r. them !
, Gould 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 III choose to be wiser than witty,
Which nobody can deny
\ God bless tho Dane, at any rate-by put
n tin down Wood and his halfpence he save
&c me from bankruptcy; should have close
pt my stall only for him. But afther all, h
4 ma nf A pnn1 h.rtb of il
What berth = asked the other,
why, sir, tho post Of Solicitor Genera
that | had in my eye at the time but faitf
he stopped my promotion. However, div
may care for that | can hammer the leathC
Y still if the work would only come in,
The halfpence coming, the nations undoing
There's an end of your ploughing, your baking al
brewing;
In short, you must all go to wreck and to ruin,
Which nobody deny
The Dean began to ieel more than anus
mont in his chat with the merry cobbler, ar
after some further conversation, he said
- We'll, now, you comical rogue, do yC
know Dean Swift
Not by person, sir that'sa pleasure tn
is before me yet but know him well
character
What do you know about him = asked Il
m Dean.
why, that he's true friend to Irelai
in and her people, and an enemy to all opprC
sOrs.'
- Both high men and low men, and thick men a
tall men,
n Aud rich mon, and poor men, and free men, a
- thTsll men,
4"' VIII suffer and this man. aud that man, and
81; men,
en Which nobody can deny
eu eto Faith, he added, If he wanted a carr'
ther, and came to me for one, he would ha
no reason to complain of it,
We'll, now said the Dean, you seem
be merry honest fellow, and think il y
were assisted to improve your condition, Il
the assistance would not lie thrown away u
On you
'Wcll, | think not, replied the cobbier
I'm good deal of that notion myself. ll'
cEs esty, industry, and good-humor runs in G
family but, somehow OF other, poverty
sists ON being a relative rs well as the othe
I. and sticks to us like wax
Suppose, now said the Dean, that