Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-02-09
hour as customary, sung with a loud voice
and perfect distinctness

All you VINO sign, anu groan and fret,
Hopeless beneath your load of debt,
Pray, that the Lord, before you wake
May you n finance Minister make:
For bare ofcash, i, King and Land,
Because he holds it in his hand
That is enough to make one faint" cried
the Minister'S lady, who had at the moment,
come to the window. Who is the sanderous
villain who presumes to sing such words as
those ?"
Frau Excellency" cried Julian III a
feigned voice, and in the Jewish dialect. Il
merely wished to give you little pleasure,
but | beg your pardon, AIN only the Court
Jew Abraham Levi your cxccllency knows
me very we'll"
Insolent !" cried a voice above the win
dow, I" Dishonorable rogue, how cans't ,hou
be Abraham Levi? Am not Abraham Levi
myself? Thou art an imposter."
Call the watch" cried the Frau Minis
term. :" Let the man be arrested"
At these words al the guests rapidly left
the window The Prince also staid no longer,
but made his way in double quick time,
through several little cross streets, out of the
vicinity. A host of servants, accompanied
by II few secretaries of finance. darted out of
the palace and hunted in all directions, for
the calumtrator.' Suddenly some called out,
" We have got him I" the others hastencd to
the spot. They had truly captured the reg
ular watcllman of the beat, who was going
about his business in all innocence. He was
surrounded overpowcred and notwithstnnd-
ing all his efforts, dragged away to the watch
house to answer for his sarcastic expressions.
The officer of the watch shook his head with
astonishment, and said, " They have already
brought in watchman, who had caused
fatal aflray in the streets between officers and
citizens. by singing some verses about the
maidens of the Residence"
The newly captured prisoner would confess
nothing, but asserted loudly, that number
Of young people, who probably had been drink
ing too much, had fallen upon him while in
the peaceful discharge of his regular duty
But one of the finance secretaries repeated to
to him the entire verse, which had excited the
just anger of the Minister'S wife, and of all
her guests, all the soldiers broke out in a fit
of rrepressiblc laughter; but the honest
watchman swore with tears, that no IDEAS of
the sort had ever entered his head
While they were yet busy with this nves-
tigation, the watchman asserting his inno-
ccncc, and threatening the young gentlemen
to hold them responsible for all the consc-
quence Of their conduct, and while in fact,
the finance secretaries were beginning to doubt
whether they had caught the right man, the
sentry without, cried; Turn out watch, in
arms" The soldiers sprang up, and turned
out. While the Secretaries continued to
overwhem the poor watchman with storm
of questions, the Field Marshal of the army
entered the room, accompanied by the Captain
of the watch.
Have that fellow there locked up safely"
cried the Marshall, with his finger behind
him. Two officers came in leading dis
armed watchman by the arm.
Have the watchmen all gone mad then 2"
cried the captain of the guard, in perfect as
constituent
II will pay the scoundrel for bis verses to-
morrow, roared the Marshal
Your excsllency." replied the last cap
turcd watchman, "Heaven knows made no
verses. / never made a verse in my life y
Silence villain !" Numbered the marshal
in terrible voice. will have you to prison
or the gallows; and if thou contradicts me
again in single word l will hcw thee to
pieces on the spot
Gentlemen" said the Marshal to the ac-
companyiEg officers - As the scoundrel will
positively not confess that he sung the verse,
try to recollect the pasquinade he sung, be-
fore it escapes your memory. Write it down
We will bring him to confession Tomorrow
l will lose no more time but return to the
ball. Which of you can repeat it p
The officers deliberatcd. One helped the
other. The Captain of the guard wrote, and
the following came out:
" In plumcd hat, on empty head,
In stiff pcrukes and brains of lead,
With belly in and chest thrown out -
Consists our army's strength no doubt.
For skill in dance, and song and play
Will make Marshal any day"
wilt thos deny, rascal" said the Field
Marshal with redoublcd fury to the poor
frightened man. "Wit thou deny singing
those words, before my house, as came out
the door 2"
Whoever sung them know nothing about
it," answered the watchman.
"Why did'st thou run then, as thou sawcst
me approaching thee? ?" inquired the Marshal
Il did not run"
WHAT" cried the two officers, "Thou
did'st not run? How happened it then that
thou vert out of breath, when we, at last,
overlook thee p
Yes. was beside myself with fright
when the gentlemen attacked me so violently.
| tremble still in every limb"
clock up the stiff neckcd scoundrel close.