Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1857-12-31

w hat tate OF evil or of good
For better or for worse.
Well, down this river, up which the little
girl gazed SO steadfastly, iloatcd "A flatboat
containing "a youth oil nineteen years.
sitting OH his chest, which his mother had
packed for him. She
Within that chest did pack and press
To wit--six coats of black and blue,
dozen vests, of every hue,
Twelve pair of silk and wooden brooches,
Cravats, too, hcmmcd with finest stitches;
OF plain and rufllod shirts, there were
Six dozen, with six dozen pair
OF hos,-of handk crchicfs six dozen,
Marked by very pretty cousin,
As line as ever man put nose in
With other things complete ard handy
For dressing up an arrant dandy.
Slowly the boat did smoothly glide,
And III due course of time and tide
Attained the port, and then was tied
Fast To stump, upon the spot
Where Cincinnati then was-NoT.
A cut of Cincinnati as ii was not,- Is
gwen; AMI next We see young man reading
with horror in his shaggy hair a tremendous
law -book. The practice and lrccept of the
young lawyer is thus portrayed:.
The court his license having granted,
Our youthful Erskinc, nothing dauntcd,
A I" single" buys and nails il fast,
Like banner hammered TO the mast;
Assumes his rights within the bar,
Rides on the circuit near and far,
Minglcs in the forensic war,
Brandishes logic's battlc-axe
Full in the face of law and facts,
With ready wit and BOGUS furv
Badgers the judges ami fools the Jury,
Receives his fees with eager hand,
And all he saves, invests i'll land
Invests IN land, with faith sincere
The town will grow from year to year,
To be Il city rich and grand
As any other in the land.
And thinks twill do him little harm,
In such II case, to own Il farm
Or two, outside the rising village,
Used now for pasturcagc and tillagc,
And hold on tightly for a rise
Perhaps the plan is very wise.
This vcritabc history is full of spicy pas-
sages. We are told how the hero became n
poet and published "prctty vcrsc''-or nj
least there had been printed worse" In
consequence of his poetic genius, "A PARTY was
made for him, ut which IL was expected that
everybody would get drunk. He proposed
TO eyadc this rcquisition 10y pouring HE
liquor into his boots. But he does not an
pear to have been perfectly successful.
Ills plain the young poetic LAWYER
Has run against snag or SAWYER
The fact is also just a. plain
That all precautions were in vain,
For while he kept "a sober HEAD
BY filing both his boots instead,
His foolish FEET had g,lzzled in
| The whole supply of wine and rim.
And therefore tits he sways and reels,
Intoxicated la his heels.
That night he made solemn vow,
(Which he has kept from then till now,)
To drink no spirits, beer or wine,
Excepting as medicine;
That's, To drink il for cholic,
But never on spree or frolic.
The artist has illustrated the intoxicatiot
of the boots 10y representing pair of ia,
article stumbling home, one holding am um
brclla, and the other spilling little of th,
liquor with which they had been filled. Bu
not only In poetry, but in politics, had tn.
hero adyanccdment Ilcwas elected "fcnce
viewer"
80 he was chosen one of two
Officials Who must fences view,
And judge ii they were tight and high
In short, If buildcd lawfully.
Ills colleague in judicial power,
Was large Scotchman named kil,,our.
Well suited to the duty, they
A picture painted in the dav.
Showed kilgour straight and slim and tall,
Severely gazing DER the wall,
! Nhilo t'.al.-, ratitcr--hort and small,
Spicd out the holes where pigs might crawl
Now we find him seeking the field of mill
tary glory. lie appears ON the field of mar
tial muster, armed with corn-stalk, and i
elected corporal and given command of /
squad OF six men and boys Our poet SAYS
And since little never fades,
Until it's merged in higher grades,
His titles are, this very day.
a novice both at drink and play,
In politics, an ok. Fence Viewer"
BY arms, Corporal, TO bc sure.
Our hero meets his future wife at the stu
dio of aa artist,
Among the others happened there
The timd Susan, Young aud fair.
And Nicholas. a little older
Than she, besides good deal bolicr.
II any prophet then had told her
And him. they would, for fifty years.
OF clouds and sunshine, smic- and tears,
/ tsNlrt toFttntf ntath tue sun
In loving union joined as one
lie would have shouted, and she, tainted
A twas they only cot acquainted.
Presently, however. they were engaged,
and young Nicholas returns TO "dcar oil,
Jersey" gets woefully sick by the way, an,
Is saved from death by the tender nursing o
the daughter of his host
The wedding, City years ago, Is thus de
scrihcd:
The guests arc ranged la tuitt'ring rows,
The rear ranks standing on their toes.
Z With solemn step, and heightened f,cc,
The rarson comes and takes his place;
Then slowly march into the room,
A double bride, and double groom;
Two Susans, Nicholas and John,
To take the yoke of marriage on.
Some questions put, and answered "ycs."
Some wosis pronounced with solemn stress
Aud all the four are joined for aye,
To love, and honor, and obey,
Through good and evil, veal or woe.
That night was iity years ago.