The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-01-27
Mrs. NJ. may have received "commis-


not to write poetry. Her "pome" enti-
tied, "Do they think of US, Say ?" is a
most beautifully appropriate response to
the, "Do they think of us, Saya" of the
Hon. 81. L. GORDON. They, are match
pieces, and it would be hard to decide on
their relative merit. Mr.. GORDON inquiries,
in his way of poetzing: @''' N,>
Do they think of us, say, in the far distant
West? ..-..'
On the prairies of peace in the valleys of rest?
Are our names on their tongue, and our COM
When they Kneel to Jehovah and offer
prayer?
The "prairies of peace, located Gin the
valleys of rest I" in the above is good it is
probable pisce of that peace and rest
purchased with dollars and dimes at so
much per acre to which he refers. Mrs.
NJ arises from her contemplation of the
dakota War Whoop," and replies in
verse equally meritorious:
Do we think of you? Ask of the mother who
At the nightfall to slumber her sweet angel
babe!
Till she shall forget both her duty and her care.
Shall We of the West cease to think of you
there!
saw one copy of the above in country
paper whose version of the second line
was rendered quite spirited by substituting
"slabber for slumber. .--.r,..l 4:g
| MISS NINRTrA MAiNR. 3.
In the poems of Miss NINErTA MAINE,
We distinguish many good points, while
the error of hasty composition, although
apparent, is not more so than in the poems
of all the other writer's in this volume, even
the best It is the error of the whole
corps of Minnesota poets. A fine poem,
after its is blocked out by inspiration, needs
many touches, softening its harsher ex-
pressions, and strengthening the effect of
others. Hurry is an American vice; it is
a national failing. Everybody is in hurry.
If you sea two men walking along the
street talking, they walk as if on time,
painting and putting as if out Of breath. If
a customer comes into. a store, be fdgets
around, selects his goods in haste as if the
stage-coach was waiting for him at the door.
The store-keeper, if asked for goods, flies
for them with ayidity, and jerks them
down on the counter as if his time was as
precious as the last hours Of repentance al
lowed criminal. If q doctor is sent for,
he flies into your room, without ringing the
bell, feels your pulse, looks at your tongue,
scrawls off prescription, and is off before
you have an opportunity 70 ask him ques-
| tisn and the lawyer jerks your statements
from you as he would brief from q dusty
Ipigeon-hole, and cuts you short in your
statements as if you were, being timed for
each sentence. If man. goes to write a
letter of business or friendship, he dashes
it off as if it was an irkseme task be was
anxious to have done with, and forgets half
he intended to say. And it is no wonder
that the American carries this fault
into his literary efforts as well as into his
dining room. In the latter he gulps down
huge masses of unmasticated tough beef,
as if he begrudged the lime of necessity
allotted to taking food for the nourishment
of the body, and rolls half the night in
4 dyspeptic pain, and becomes prematurely
bilious hypochondriac. 9 If be reads or
writes, he often digests his subject no bet
ter than he does his beef and we thus find
the best efforts of those who really evince
genius marred by the prevailing vice of
haste 1t would be much better all around
the board, if all would learn to take things
coolly and leisurely not only is more re-
ally accomplished in this. way, but it is
done better, and the individual lasts longer
to enjoy it. al 49,, les. ,s..:a s..y. 80 20.
Among Miss MAINRs best poems, note
/" The Long Ago." "The Sea- and .'A
Picture of the War" -,s.:.D
IL sat by the sea, the musical sea;
I The glorious day was dead, ~ Z
The pale cold moon looked down on me-
And the sky was bright o'erhead. @"
2. And said, "Give back. o sorrowfui sea,
The dead who sleep in thy caves;
Thou hast stolen one who was dear to me,
Give him back, o restless waves"
| But the relentless sea replies to her pas
sionate entreaties that she asks not treas
ures Of rubies and gold, but only the loved
one:-
6. He sleeps in a niche of the beauteous sea,
| With pearls and with diamonds inlaid;
The wave which is dashing its spray over
thee Pa -ss = -0t-'
Just now with his dark ringlets played.
T. So cry no more to the mighty sea,
But oft when It's wild pillows roar
say, "Will he never come back to me?"
And the proud wave answers, No more.
HON. ". HoLLRY.
The Hon. H. W. Ho1LEY, though more
successful in his poetical. efforts than
the other honorable gentlemen whom we
have noticed, has succeeded in expressing
"more truth than poetry Tin his pieces
"To a sisters portrait" is really good,
and "pennies " is not 30 bad after all, if
| it was written by an Honorable. Iextract
the following from the first named:
1. cit alone and fondly retrace
The faithful type OF thy giriish fhce;
The deep black eyes are upon me bent,
As of old brim-full of merriment
2. A busting crowd in the street below
My window are passing to and fro,
But fail quite with eye or ear,
To catch one look or o sound to hear;
For back to the past has memory flown
To those pleasant hours by Us once known,
And many q Joy of that sweet time,
When our lives and loves were in their
prime.