Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-10-13

On mooness nights, and we're they wanted.
Careful, on such noctural rummage,
The owner sought not him for damage
And only for such legal jogging,
The boys were called TO take flogging.
Thus endeth part first of my story
One day, absorbed 10 vain self glory,
10 cornheld, on pumpkin sat
Old Roger. Down he put his hat,
Then piled horn OF Holland gin,
Which he had bought--for medicine
And leaning 'ganst tree that grew
Where it coull never damage do,
Composed himself his crops to see,
And fell into revere.
And now the strangest thing of all
Transpired, to which beg to call
Your strict attention
Fearing that in this latter day,
When spirits so fantastic play,
You'll think that what my muse may say
Is pure invention.
Was 1 mistaken, that l heard
A signal whistle when appeared
An army the quaintest things
That e'er employed or legs or wings
So odd they seemed,
That sure am no mortal e'er
Saw beings so grotesque and queer,
Save when he dreamed.
The nearest picture Of their looks
You'll find in ancient story books,
Ofelf and orge, spirit and fairy,
Some winged, some cnwed, some smooth,
some hairy,
Grimaeing, frolicking,
Dancing and roiicking,
Kicking and leaping,
And hopping and creeping
Some turning somersets
Over tall Violets
Some lite joseys 1al
Each Others noses
Pulling, and hiding behind the bright roses.
Brim full of fun
And mischief they run
And scamper like mice, robber pussy to shun
We'll, such a host as this beset
Old Roger, and he'll ne'er forget
The awful way they treated him,
Till feathers sink and lead can swim.
Each seemed with earnest zeal 10 be
The champion of some favorite tree,
Which he with hatred unallowed,
Had ever warred on and DESTROYED.
Each little imp possessed, l weeD,
His own peculiar magazine
Capacious pockets hugely stored
With various fruits, a motley hoard,
a nd, with hearty vim inspired,
Plump right at Rogers target fred.
Here flew peach and there plum,
While fore and aft the cherries come.
Alarmed, he squirmed on every track,
But caught on every side whack
Hard apples bounded from his pate.
And thumped his ribs at shocking rate.
The little torments Knocked his fears,
PlnOCpd a hia auao hio posa HI, oor,
His mouth, his cheeks, his Sides his breast,
Without single moments rest.
Now with mad, spasmodc grasp,
Old Roger sought foe to clasp.
Clutchng round him far and near;
But, with inimtahle leer
OF his intention well aware,
They left his fist fast closed in air;
Then full of glee like hail and rain
They poured their missiles in again.
Perhaps listner might have heard
The pigmy tortures fling a word
Amid :heir sport like this-to wit:
please tell US how those apples fit:
Take that--and that
.. And learn, old rat,
Your war On our domain to quit.
At him, my braves
Till peace he Graves,
No sin his villain blood to sill!
Well pommel him,
Till stars are dim,
. Hes worse than the Nebraska bill
No lack was there of hearts and hands
To execute the said commands
Battered and blind and bruised and dumb,
Old Roger thinks his hour has come
With conscience then fast growing TENDER
An unconditional surrender
He deems it best to make, until
He time may have to write his will.
So with an accent far from bold
He calls-'peccavi 7 quarter hold T
Cease quoth the leader Of tn Ghost
Each Lilliputian at his post
Refrained at once from arms and cries,
But still looked daggers from his eyes.
Then came parley and a truce,
The terms of which l beg excuse
For not repeating, as they are loug,
Unapt for weaving into song.
Their purport may be gathered we'll
From the brief sequel shall tell.
And I'll for Rogers credit say,
He kept them till his dying day.
Long years elapsed, and Rogers home
Had quite different place become!
Fine rows of thrifty shady trees
Lifted their verdure to the breezs
The plum, the apple and the peach,
Aud pear were all within his reach
While nailed to every vacant wall,
His grapes were neither few nor small
In fact, bis nursery was famed
The country DER, for model named,
Still greater crops increase his joys;
He grew 10 wealth and then his boys
Went forth no more O. nights to sim
Their mother knew that they were in.
His neighhors dropped the name old eodger
Twas now respectful Mr.. Roger
His dwelling, too kept pace with all,
With shingles new, and painted wall
His fences straight upright and stought;
His door,yaFds neat and clean throughout.
In fine, whoe'er might Roger scan,
Found him wholly altered man
The little spirits who nightly came
To frolic on some funny game,
Declared he. d met their expectation.
Needing no further visi tation.
And now, my friends, the moral hear,
Then you and are this time clear.
"A e.esiA re- ll1 AokAL- .t.- .tsH Oh
No crops, howe'er gigantic, can
Ofa eurmudgeon make man,
And woDdrons 'tis how raising fruit
oGah eivilise the hunan brute.