The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-22


The above shows the kind of fight they
had
Another more humble poet also paid his las
tribute to the fallen warrior in this way: He
wrote on the clean side of turned paper collar
which he hung OH stick at the foot OF the grave
i "Here's where them heroes fought and tit
If Mike was alive they'd be at it yit
The fought and tit
And scratched and bit
And gouged and hit,
And foundered all they could
Until the ground
/ For miles around
To Lyman's mound
Was covered DER with--mud."
"FINIs."
The word fms finished the obituary of the de.
funct alderman, wound up the poetry, and may
yet finish the poet.
Having disposed Of the vanquished chieftan,
we turn to the victor. Having woven a beauti-
full shroud of immortal poetry for the dead, we
weave chapets and wreaths Of ivy with which to
crown the living.
The sun arose quietly on the morning after the
battle, and everything was serene. The
friends of the alderman elect had gathered about
the Court House, each eager to grasp his chief
tain by the hand and cry cipe le conQueror, that
is bully for Hook" But he came not, and they
were sad. 1t was remembered too, that he had
been some twelve hours an alderman elect, and
as yet had not entered upon the discharge of his
duties He must be initiated. There was in front
! of the grand entrance to Cheever's block a nui-
sancc 1t is the duty of aldermen to abate
nuisances. The street to the east Of the Court
House needed cleaning 1t is the duty of an
alderman TO see that the streets are cleaned. lie
should do it. He must do it,
| In countries where the laws are not perfectly
executed or people become impatient Of the
laws delay, vigilance committees are formed,
partly to strike terror into the hearts of lawIcss
men, and partly to wreak vengeance and bring
criminals to sudder justice. The crowd resolved
to become vigilance committee and a serenade
procession combined, Il neat combination of bus
mess with pleasure. II would be their pleasure
to sercnade the new alderman and their business
to make him abatc the nuisance referred to.
Walther was marshal, Dewey wa. musical
director, and Gregg was boss ifst. An abandon
ed dish.pan served as bass drum, and numerous
oyster cans were lmproViSea rs shalr drums
Inc remainder "i the committee armed Them
selves Win broohls' shoNels' noes, Nc'' ana
showed along wheclbarrow. The procession
was formed and the order to march was obey
cd by hundred or more 'eSolute ana bloody
minded citizens. They were terribly in earnest.
The band played medley Of warlke tunes.
Dewey sawed on a violin with two strings por-
l'oh Oh " 'Ntt piece Oh music known as I'M !"
IohS Jo''S' "'c-S ne" away Oh Inc E'il vat
dlcht hFhl- "oN- hII me Inc uruinnlers
Wh"iiSs" ava! On Sucll mary 'u,ic' Us sH'eu
'he nancy " each' me crown could III appear
lhc'' u'St"u"' c"''t"l '1''u''s' he"cH'"- INC
resl'ehcesoi tAe alderman 'hey formed III " hoi'
low circle around that gentleman aoof' "He'e
the band played HIM one OF their HAIR raising
soul agonzng tunes lie came ou' ana looked
at that crowd lie was overcome ana ihNoiph-
tariIy 'JacuIa'eu -. ana men Ne mentioned
certain lake. &c
Mr.. Dewey spoke: Mr.. Hook, you sec before
you few thousand OF your fellow citizens, who
have voluntarily gathered here without regard
to age, sex, politics, religion or anything else
They have come 10 pay You the tribute which Is
due 70 You as one oi the city fathers Look at
these chdren-lAere the speaker pointed mad
vertently TO a crowd OF urchins, among whom
were three little Africans, whose klnky hair dis
closed an indcscnbaolc complication OF woody
snarls, look at these children say you are
their father Here tho. WHITES OF the eyes of the
colored youngsters stuck out with amazement)
You are their father. You are our father. You