The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-02-14
POETRY.
A BALLAD OF THE BOSTON TEA
PARTY.
BY O. W. HOLMES.

BY 0. W, HOLMES.
MOI never such draught was poured
Since Hebe served with nectar
The bright 0lympians and their Lord,
Her overland protector
Since Father Noah squeezed the grape
And took TO such behaving
AS would have shamed our grandsfre ape
Before the days of shaving
MOI ne'er was mingled such draught
In palace, hall, or arboT,
As ffeemen brewed and tyrants quaffed
That night in Boston harbor!
1t kept King George SO long awake
HIS poor old brain got added,
It made the nerves OF Britain shake,
With seven score millions saddled;
Before that bitter cup was drained,
Anlld the roar of cannon,
The western war-cloud's crimson stained
The Thamet, the Clyde, the Shannon;
Full many a SX-foot grenadier
The flattened grass had measured,
And many mother many year
Her fearful memories treasured
Fast spread the tempests darkening pail,
The mighty realms were troubled,
The Storm broke loose, but first of all
The Boston teapot bubbled!
An evening party-only that,
No formal invitation,
No go5d-laced coat, no stiff crayat
No feast in expectation,
No silk-robed DANES, no fiddlIng band,
NO uoWers, no songs, no dancing
tribe of Red men, axe in hand
Behold the guests advancing!
How tast the stragglers join the throng,
From stall and workshop gathered!
The lively barber skips along
AnG leaves chin half lathered;
Inc smith has flung his hammer down
TheihorSe-shoe still is glowing;
The tfuant tapster at The Crown
Has left beer-cask flowing;
Ihe c9oper's boys have dropped the adze
And trot behind their master;
Up rua the tsrry ship yard lads
The croa d is hurfying faster
Out from the Millpond's s purlieus gtlsh
Ihetstreams of white-faced millers,
And Gown their slippery alleys rush
The lusty young Fort-Hillers:
The r6pe-walk lends its prentice crew
Theltories seize the omen:
''Ay, b2ysl you'll soon have work to do
For England S rebel foemen
King Hancock, Adams, and their gang,
THAT fire the mob with treason
When these we shoot and those we hang
The town Will come to reason
On-on to where the tea-ships ridel
AnG now their ranks are forming
A rush, and up the Dartmou, his side
The Mohawk band is swarming!
See the fierce natives I@ What Il glimpse
or paint and fur and feather,
AS at once the full-grown imps
Light on the deck together!
A scarf the pigtail secret keeps,
A blanket hides the breeches-
And out the cursed cargo leaps
And overheard it pitches!
y WoTnan, at the evening board
so geaclouS, sweet, and purring
So happy while the tea is poured,
so baest while spoons are stirring,
What martyr can compare with thee,
The mother, wife, or daughter,
That right, instead of best bohea,
ConGemed to milk and water!
All, LITTLE dreams the quiet dame
Whe plies with rock and spindle
The pa fjent flax, how great flame,
Yon3little spark shall kindle
The lufid morning shall reveal
fite no king can smother
Where British flint and Boston steel
Have clashed against each otherl
Old charters shrivel In its track,
His WorshIp's Bench has crumbled,
1t climbs and clasps the Union Jack
It's baazoned pomp is humbled,
The 1f9gs go down on land and sea
Like: corn before the reapers;-
So bla1ed the fire that brewed the tea
That Boston served her keepersi
The waves that wrought century s wreck
Havs rolled o'er whig and tory
The MI hawks on The DARTMOUTH s deck
Still live in song and story,
The waters in the Rebel Bay
Have kept the tea leaf SAVIOR
Our old North Enders in their spray
Stlll taste Hyson flavor;
And Freedoms teacup still o'erfoWs
With ever fresh libations,
To cheat of @nmber all her foes
And cheer the weakening nations!
December Is, 1873.
Atlantic for February.