The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-08-24

feet six inches tall The writer of this is but
ahem!
The poem does not commence i'm the usual
forid style so common among our modern
writers 1t is not introduced to us in any such
high sounding words as
"Yonder comes the powerful king of dav
Rejoicing in the east"
In its composition We find nothing SO roman
tic as this:
Upon rock high up and sheer,
| weary huntsman Of the deer,
Had sat him down to rest"
Nor yet does it run like this:
The boy stood on the burning deck
Eating potatoes by the peck,
And all around his mouth and chin
Was nothing but potato skin.
Nay, it commences with line remarkable
at once for its beauty and simplicity:
Little Bo Peep"
A modern novelist would probably have
said: Dear reader, with your kind permission
| will introduce to your notice Sir William
Frederick Bo Peep, of Bo Peep Manor he sits
by his freside surrounded by his family there
is his well belov-i-ed wife and his sons Charles
and Fitz William, and his youngest boy Au-
gustus, who, on account of his diminutive pro-
portions is called by his friends, Little Bo
Peep"
But in the poem in question there is no such
waste of words. No, the hero is introduced
in few simple words
Who Little Bo Peep was, must forever re-
main shrouded in mystery, perhaps he was a
CO,tnt or Juke, maybe he was an editor, but
what we read in subsequent part of the poem
disproves all these theories.
In historical vagueness he can compare with
the grandfather of Gains wife, and with the in
dividual who invented sleep.
From the monosyllobic division of his name
we might be justified in assuming that he was
Celestial, "Heathen Chinee" But if the
question be squarely put, who was Little Bo
Peep? we can only answer, "give it up"
Having now made us acquainted with the
hero, the authors next step is to make Us
familiar with one Of the important events of
his life. We read:
"He lost his sheep"
Now, We might infer from this that "Bo"
was shepherd, but tits not necessarily so, he |
might have been farmer and lost the animals |
betting on base ball matches portland VS. |
Stroudsburg) Mayhap he gdmboIed on the
green, that supposition is phair-o perchance
he was feeced in that little game (which its
name it is euchre." All these are probable,
but the next line leads us to believe that the
animals wandered away from home, for we
read,
"And didn't know where 10 find them"
Such state of affairs is not uncommon; a
a great many persons have lost things which
have never been found, and vice versa, many
people have found things which have never
been lost.
We would naturally suppose that Mr.. Bo
Peep at once employed an experienced detect
i've and instituted thorough search for the
missing property. 1t is at least fair to sup
pose that he advertised in the newspapers the
loss of the aforesaid property, but he didn't,
and there's where Bo was wrong
"He let them alone"
Astonishing it seems like sheer insanity to
exhibit such indifference, especially when we
ton and the great demand for wool
Notwithstanding our fears for their welfare
and safety, everything turned out all right, all
went as smoothly and satisfactorily as the last
scene in drama, for we are told by the poet.
"They all came home"
1t is to be hoped they all come home before
morning. Whether they came marching home
like the historic Johnny, we cannot tell Not
his apparent indifference, Bo
Peep was doubtless very glad to see them, and
probably killed one or two of them and set out I
free luch for the neighborhood. The man. ,
ler In which the animals returned is shown
N the next line.
"And carried their tails behind them"
Thus is dispelled the idea that they walked
backwards, or carried their tails in their
pockets.
So ends this beautiful little poem, and here
We must remark, the story stands powerful l
argument in support of the assertion that fig
'rative language is not necessary to beauty and
Orce in composition.
Through the varied and eyentful history of
80 Peep as above detailed, not single figure
u rhetoric has been employed, yet, all that is
Intended is grandly expressed thus; "a
Little Bo Peep |
He lost his sheep c
And didn't know where to find them; L
He let them alone,
They all came home,
And carried their tails behind them.
Philadelphia Aug. IA, 1871. la