Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-27
The Poet and the Pig.

The Rochester Democrat publishes Q
humorous article on hogs and trichin@,
by James G. Clark, the poet-vocalist,
from which we copy the following life-like
portrait of piggie at breakfast:
! have watched the swine, frequently
from early pig-hood up to old hog.
to find single redeeming phase in his
character, aud all in vain. When boy,
l could make pet of any animal but
hog | once tried my powers, OF fasci-
nation in that direction, and endeavored
to establish relationship closer than
that of mere passing acquaintance. be-
tween myself and as fine a young frac.
ton of the hog race as ever Investigated
with appreciated rsnoot the green How
cry dells of my fathers farm, We were
both young (piggie and -, ! being ten
years of age and piggie nine years short
of that figure IL was on the 18th day
(my birthday Of the "leafy month OF
June" and I~had just moved into my
clean town pants and coat. combed the
last reef out Of my hair-t had no.red
whiskers then-and crowned it with a
new palm leaf hat, purchased the day
previous by my father for my birthday
present, when was startled by the sharp,
authoritative voice Of my older brother
Melvin, exclaiming "Jamesl have you
fed the pig?r responded briefly and
forcibly out of the abundance OF my
swelling heart, No; blast the pig
Then | remembered that i had ,predesti-
mated to deal ont ratons TO piggie during
the months of May and June, and with,
out further hesitation filled my "swiH
pail" and at the suggestion of my good
sister Eliza holding i carefully aloof
from my "clean pants, travelled slowly
to the hog pasture Piggie saw me from
afar of, and came down the slope like
white streak, tuttering, as he ran, q long,
eloquent squeal, which descended the
chromatic Scale something after the
manner of a baritone singer in the mod
ern church music, and ending in an
abrupt grput and swash, when his two
fore feet and mouth met in the trough.
When the piggie had finished the boun-
tiful repast-which ought to have salts
fed any animal except man or a hog
he backed out of the remains, placed
his fore feet once more upon the ground,
and giving shert, halfsatisfed Grunt
eyed the swill pail in a manner which
seemed to say, that's good enough,
what there is of it; but why didn't you
bring me more )" The implied acknowl-
edgement, and question, together with
the animals grunt, and attitude, formed
a picture in my mind so strikingly simi-
lar to what had frequently witnessed In
human hogs who were the recipients OF
gratuitous favors and blessings from
higher source, that felt myself drawn
toward him, and determined to search
| for those elements which frequently ele-
yate dogs, horses, cattle, cats and birds
into friends and pets of human beings
So, stopping in front of the empty swil
nail, my entire face beaming with ap-
probation of my birthday present, and a
broad charity and love for all living
things, said Good piggie, the ami
NAL did not look up at the comph-
ment, but indorsed it with grunt
Taking new courage at this condescen-
sion on his part, / laid my hand gently
on his head near W here the organ OF ap,,
probativeness ought to be located, and
said, sweet piggie. He responded to
this by thrusting his muddy shoulders
against my clean pants, for the ex-
pected scratch" This was more than
could endure, and seeing my complii,,
ments wasted, changed my policy,
and snatched up my pail struck him a
blow across the finely chiseled nose,
and in a clear tenor voice, exclaimed,
"Whee you dirty Satan
At this piggie remarked, GOSH, drew
back a step, looked at me devilishly
through his twinkling, halfshut eyes,
and apparently constituting my sudden
change of address into a second invita-
ton to eat, made rush for the swill
pail, the path to which lay directly be,
tween the legs of my " clean pants.
The next instant was astride OF the
mig. with my face turned to that portion
which Noah cursed, my left hand hold
ing fast to the tin pail, into which pig
pie had thrust his long nose, while my
right hand was glued to that member OF
the brute's body which old fogies pro-
nounce totally depraved, so far as re-
CARDS its conversion into a hrst-class
whistle. ,
In this way we "rode asd we ran.
like the Scottish chiefs who chased
Lord Lochinvar, until the bail OF the
swill pail gave out, and my charger,
slipping from under his load, LETT me
with a sudden change Of base to the
muddiest corner of the pasture. :,
When | arose, my clean pants ana
birthday hat were so demoralized that my
own sister did not know them. But l
had the proud satisfaction of wringIng
the worldly ambition out of that pigs
tail forever. Previous to its use as
bride rein in that desperate cavalry
raid" it had always been characterized
by a vain. double-and-twisted ungodly
"kink," resembling the old-fashioned
beau-catcher, which has since been
washed out of existence by the enormous,
uneompromising waterfall Ever al
terwards tended earthward iifeless, un-
aspiring as limited extract of wet dish