The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-10-14
A I'osma by !. G.. Hollana.

A POEM by J.. G.. Holland.
The following poem was composed b pr'
|. 9. Holland, % be read ct the HAmpden
lounAy (Mass.l Agricultural Fair. Thoufa
omp00ed Tor thag paftioular o0oasion, i ~
9 much genial Wit in il, = 70 deserve ! widl
REGULATION:
had wish twas very wild, / know 4'
That this might be the greatest Cattle Show,
Known and remembered by the good array
VI those who should surround this board to-day;
Especially that " Reasons Feast" might stun
These mouths until they could not cry enough;
And thst the "how OF soul" might swell, snd
spring
Into freshet Of that sort OF thing.
Therefore tiled basket for the feast
" bread not leavened By the common yeast,
And thought to aid "the fow," by letting on
The spring that rises mold Aslicon.
II our good river had been worth dam,
Such ~ they have ct Holyoke ., or q ram
Such ~ thsy did not hare 81 Hampden Park,
Nor even in the ribs Of Noah,s Ark,
a.should have sought her crystal waters, rather
Than risk worse fare by faring 10 much farther.
say HER crystal waters that perplexess
But know you know she knows what her sex 10,
And just - true as she IL "Ths Connecticut"
She will not rhyme with anything but petticoat.
kissing her banks. which give her close embrace,
leave her, mHrvelling not she hides her face.
kissing her Banks, She'll ind that dangerous
What do you thiak the Governors wife viii say,
Or Il had supposed that it would pour
For two long days In such drenching shower
suenersink, drowning everything below,
Az in the great OH ginal O. tile show
show that landed dry on Ararst,
while we, driven higher still, have nary rat
would have run pipe down on . raftsr
10 feed the waiting fountains Of your laughter
But things like these have como, and come again,
To mar the "the best laid schemes Of mice and
men,"
The show is over, and No all 20 back
10 tread again the same old humdrum track
That We have followed through the lab ring year
Since last our hearty ranks wsre gathered here;
All but the men who came not to the scratch
when came tho moment for the blowing match,
And sought postponemsnt to some dry day,
Which they have prophsaisd will b on Friday.
Our bulls have come, and roarsd ndpasaed away,
Some gone 70 grass, and other some to hay.
We give orr hsartiest sympathies and signs
10 the poor Durhams that have misssd the prize !;
Yet We rejoice that not without reward
Their owners brought them from their native
sward;
For two 80 believing. homeward, where there
came
But one that bore tho nose ring and the name
One With substa initial briskst, head and limb,
And one the owner made by bringing him
AAc pig III kOnoy tuot llb01ary 0IQOd--
So much contemned, 70 little snderstood--
The pigs that like our literary men,
Sleep in tho straw, and live upon the pen
The pigs that through all time perpetuate
That wondro u thingth purchased man his mate,
And pay US for the ruin wrought BY Madam
With the old spare-rib sacrificed BY Adam.
Alas We call them pigs vulgar name
For creatures Of 20 excellent d fame.
These are the sheep of Scotland. These are they
The "Ettrick Shepherd" tended day by day
The sweetest name of all her hills and wales,
Name - immortal ~ his own Hogg' . Tales
Tales, fold on fold. that have ran out and curled
Till they entwins the hearts Of all the world.
Call them not borss, for have they not been tried
With the brave souls of freemsn, side BY sids7
Are they not msmbsrs--full. and fair, and fatty
OF the society Of the Gncinnati7
Call them not bores, oh scapegrace! Such - thou
Have been content to share their husks ere now
o call them sheep-thsir char scter revere
Creatures that cen the devil cannot shesr
Gone are the cows and calves and fatiines back.
The colts-revolversround the half mile track
Gone are the boys, and gone their money. too,
And gone the gingerbread they 'se eaten through!
And all the traps and trinkets in the hall
Bed-quilt and blanket, chemisette and shawl,
Turnip and squash and carrot and potato,
Cabbage and melon, onion and potato,
Guns, pumps and honey, butter, cheese and
tweexsrs,
Louisa BONES and all the bon Louisss--
All will have vanished like q dream away,
Tomorrow about this time Of day.
But We are here, and having good time
With our reports, good speeches and poor rhyme,
And shall not leave without sigh OF sorrow
That this AFFAIR will allbe through to- morrow.
perhaps should except the Secretary,
Whose tolls, Of course, have been extraordin AIRY;
Also the people, though have not met them,
Tho wanted premiums, and did not get them).
But whom No 60, and reach our several houses.
Well call the boy that wears tho longest "trow-
sers,"
And, placing him before us, say-"My lad,
II has rained hard, and that was very bad;
Bat, at the table, your respected dad
Enjoyed the tAllest time he ever had"