Maryland free press., 1863-02-27
Stewards Dream.

Mr.. Seward La said to be a sociable man, and
good lawyer,-but as statesman he il evidentl,
a mere dreamer of ofdresms.--LondOn Times.
The night was dark the hour was lato,
The fire was now in the parlor grate;
CEouched up in his cosy chair OF State
Bat Seward, fast ssloep-
Bis friends had gone-hed done his best
with wit and wine to please each gusst,--
And now he was taking little rest,
Aud snoring loud and deep.
0hlwho shall say lfsome rebei freak
Had made his digestive organs weak,
Or bis stomach was hurt by some foreign bliyus
vi an international theme:
Or, whether 1t was the wine was rough,
'or he'd taken little moro than enough.
Or whether the steak uncommuhlv tough
Bat he dreamed q horrible dIeani -.
Released from the statesraen's iren chain,
As was back to his Auburn home again,
With JOY he gaxed through the window psns
On the grounds he loved to roam
Around him were youth and womauly grace,
And many bright and eherub iace,
Aud he felt like statesman out OF plaGS
Enjoying ths charms Of home.
When suddenly camo an Internal din
As II the walls and roof were tunlblipg In;
An awful oath and devilsh g.ip,
And two hcRds bsstrode the 1cor.
The women shrieked with sore alright,
the children cried with all their might,
Aha all That could, get out OF sight
wherever they found door.
And Seward "hacked" and kept aloof,
For his legal mind saw positively proef,
Ia the curious tad and divided hoot,
u the errand on WhilL they cG.ne.
s.il one--"l'm Provost Maishal: IL here, re-
C1mMissioned from the luwer IF here
Bd.<a. Ii my nsmlj"
81 arrest youj Sewardp what 70. ?" said S.
"Hhat--whats ths chargeS | canuot ;Yvss
Bat you IL nst bs cold 10 that summer d. obi;
Wont yon have some toady--hotH
There's andy, and watsr, and ugar; some, mix"
All light, said the Provost but Blly, your tick.
"sAt Get yon out of this ugly iix;
VIII driIk--thsn o1 wx'u {. ot."
There's something wrong, said s.--.hA.s plain;
II could only ahcsring gain,
Suspicious facts could explain,
Aud truth be el.acly sesA."
Then Slward asked to see the w,lt,
And notice tho Expressed in it,
Hat n tns devils went into alaughing 1t,
Anu calico the stateSmaa ''R.gen."
Seward was glum and tbs Provost was glad
And queer sardonic laugh he had,
Sat / N bound to say mien as bad
SIdss round u every day:
Fer be looked Ike Kennedy much in the fscc,--
Although to ba juat to ths demon lace,
ls certainly had superior Z scu,
taf more courteous Tpji
Mover, said he, do wo answer why,
And Shord rogue unwarily try,
word or nots with paSscr-by,
We double his load Of pai1--
Va arc aevsr by ptSas or nalioo backed
lYou know We must take dJmon'F word :orFset,)
BSt should prisoner stubDognly act
lie never Gaes hocs again.
Chi tight and hard ~as the P.oyost's grip
As hs bads ths pliscaer close his Ii P
F.. he'd got to take th, downward tip
Down 70 IL. shaass e.low!
When Seward fslt little uLwgll.
F9r ha guessed by tha strong sulyhareou'
Thay were taking him of direct to HI,
Whore hs didn't want to 60!
What hs endured you may understand
l!yoa have Dante's famous woik on hand
Bor I've no adequate words at command
To make the suh jSot clear.
Bat there he stayed year and a. day,
When hia goaler appeared all prim aud gay.
Said he--''rve something COED to say
bfingyo Wo:us VI eaaaE
E'osr Provost made q slight mistake,
You are not the man he was told to take:
I've got your release lrsm the isry Lake.
Ga paying the goalsr's fccs;
II was ono Bill .StsHdrf--a wicked wight,
Who murdered hs iathsr and mother outright,
Aud throttlod two babes in the dead Of nighi,
The Provost was told to seize"
1t was raining hard, and thunder stroke
The nightmare dream Of the atatesman broke,
In wonder aud fear Bill Seward awCkv--
WOKE up in terrible sweat
And he thought of the pangs Of tho innocent,
In prisons, and vaults, and dungeons pert
Or 4Absas Corpus dnfaced aud rent
Cf Warren s.Id Lafayette,