Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-02-24
poftrgp.
OF THE PRINTING OFFICE.

RoeHg.
POETRY OF THE PRINTING OFFICE
1.-THE following is the Poem which was read
before the late Editorial Convention, at Cleve
land, by GEN. S. D. HARRIS.
In compliance with our request, the autho
kindly sends it to US, and in his letter accompa
nying it, says: "You will see that to be appre
ciated, it should be heard with all the peculial
surroundings. be read in peculiar style, and
acted with the variations. As piece to sit dowr
and read by ones self. it is not worth shucks."
We fancy our readers will differ with th'
Genl, in his estimate of its worth:l
Twas a grave mistake in the last Convention,
However redeemed by kind intention.
In naming poet to speak to night,
Thatyourchoice should fall on rough old wight
Whose measures amble in a homely way,
Like a woodpecker's fight on a rainy day.
But more is the pity, since those who preceded.
In former Conventions, have all been conceded
To legitimate rank in the royal line,
As liege and kin Of the Tuneful Nine,
Whose lofty strains, as they rise and roll,
Find glad response in every soul
For the Poets words have the power of God,
And his pen is Ike the Prophets rod,
When he sulote the rock in his hour of woe,
And the answering waters leap and fowl
Gods blessing be on them-the noble Baris
Who have coined their souls into mighty words,
And brought from the heaven of heavens to be
Our mated friends, such an Angel company.
would they were with rs to night. to share
This festive hour, and with ourselves to bear
Tne joyous words that thrill united hearts,
Who bless the "Art preservative Of Arts"
That last was meant in earnest. for It's known
There's shabby tricks in all trades but our own
1t must not be supposed, that while we try
Togive the world tongue, that tongue should lie,
And cheat poor trusting nlortals with its capers,
Who take as gospel. all that's in the papersl
And keep their Sands of Life" in high con-
dition.
By patronizins the "Retired Physician
Or raise their faded charms to mighty powers,
By magic ~Balrs" drawn from Thousand
Flowers
Who laugh grim death to everlasting filters,
With ayers Pectoral" or "Berhaves Holland
s----- BitteIs;'' %
And drive life's pains like phantoms all away,
By Ointment of Professor Holloway
: While damsels frail, are nd of ugly ills,
By English Remedies" or Persian Pills"
or course the press is not whit to blame,
And hungry Editors need take no shame
If such things sometimes take a wicked way
Enough for them to know-theY are first rate payl
The blame must rest upon some other head,
For even yet the fools are not all dead;
Nor yet another class, who scarce exceed them
The fools must be preserved for knaves to bleed
them.
Good friends, don't think mean discourtesy,
These last remarks shall hit, nor you, nor me-
Always except the present company.
The poetry of printing! what a theme
For fustiau eloquence and fancy dream
Ardent outsiders itch to manage papers,
Like silly moths that buzz in twilight tapers,
And ne'er pate SO thick, but sure he can
Get up q better sheet than any other man;
And ne'er Local, fishing bar room news,
But thinks the Editor should give him his shoes,
And when well pas; the freshness of installing,
Finds out how much he did mistake his calling;
And sinks at last, with nothing for his pains,
But empty stomach and exhausted brains.
IT'S bad eminence-the post we hold
Where friends may wheedle us, and foes may
scold.
And striving to please both friends and foes,
We are out at the elbows, and out at the toes;
And trimming our sails twixt the the North and
the South,
We are out of pocket and down in the mouth
Now. friends, take advice from one who has tried
To hoe his own row, and help his own side
Have a will of yourown-strike with bold blow, |
Let the winners and buffers, all of them know,
That rather than suffer their whims to move it, |
You'll see them-heels over head in Tophetl
A1ew such lessons would teach them, guess,
To pay some respect to the rights Of the press,
And when the elections are coming apace,
When candidates gather with summer-like face,
And dozens of such, who never before,
Showed their misery carcasses inside your door,
Nor of their abundance gave ever so little,
To keep up the fire for boiling your kettle.
By coming like men with their dollars to say,
Sir, send me your paper-and here is the pay
But sneak through the year by lOaning or steal
ing,
Like owls in hen rosst-up to to,ol dealing
l say, in such case, as OFT as you find it,
Cut them fat-if they whine, never mind ii
But if they hold close, and refuse to disburse,
To I'll up your larder-Or fatten your purse,
Let them take their rowhway-poor misery elves,
And see how they make it in helping themselves,
And while they're so sharp in saving their dimes,
Never mind if they do get touch of hard times,
And since they'll not pay cent to be carried
Go on foot and alone-like the boy TO be married. /
That comes of a sharp lookout for No. l,
Instead of our being the world-ridden hacks
Who give every sponge free ride on our backs.
There are some who get fat, BY hook or by crook,
Like Greeley or Beecher, from paper or book,
And then set up as travelling scholars,
To lecture the natives, at one hundred dollars,
By saying their pieces so wise or so funny,
The suckers all think they've the worth of their
money,
And feel better paid at such costly mouthing,
Than if home folks like us, should gable for
). nothing,
Albeit our talk may be quite on par
With the costlier stuff you fetch from afar
Thus we've had brother Cookies. and Coggeshall
won't shirk u.s..
While my part is that of the clown in the circus
Or if like old sampson-brought out to make
sport,
To = wondering crowd of the holiday Sort,