The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-14


That should be sheriff, and keep the Jail,
And that yonder stately old fellow, you
Marching across the yard, ,should be
My prisoner-well, it's a curious tale,
As you'll agree.
For 1t happens, we've been here once before
Together, and served our time-although
Not jnst as you see US now, you know;
When we were younger both, by score
OF years, or so.
Too wild for ever a curb or rein,
Playing my tricks still needn't explain;
got three months at breaking stone,
With ball and chain.
hard,
And work and could never agree,
And the ediscipline-well, in short, you see.
Twas rather a roughish kind OF card
Tnat curried me-.
A stout steel bracelet about my leg,
A cannon shot and chain at my feet,
pounded the stones in the public street,
egg
Is full of meat.
The school-boys jeered at my prison rig,
And me, if moved, they used to call
(For went with jerk, if went at alD
"a gentleman dancing the jail-bird jig
fEa at O county ballr'
But once as I sat in the usual place,
On a heapof stones, AMI hammered away
At the rocks, with heart as hard as they
And cursed Macadam and all his race,
There Glanced that way.
Sir, the loveliest girl! 1 don't mean pretty
But there was that in her II tioubled eye,
In her sweet, sad glance, as she passed nj
by, r11f,5sr
That seemed like an angels gentle pity
For such as 1.
And, sir, to my soul that pure look gave
Such thrill as a summer morning brings
With lts twitter and flutter of songs ant
wings.
To one crouched all night long in cave
OF venomous things.
Down the broad green street she passed from
sight,
But all that day was under spell.
And all that night-I remember we'll
A pair of eyes made q kind of light
That filled nv cell.
Women can do with us what they will;
Twas only village girl, but she,
With the flash of a glance, had shown
The wretch was, and the self I still
Might strive to be.
And IL in my misery began
To feel fresh hope and courage stir
To turn my back upon things that were,
And my face to the future of a man
Twas for her.
| And that Is my story. And as for the lady
/ saw her-Oh, yes-when was free,
And thanked her, nnd-well, come wit
me;
| AS likely as not, when supper is ready,
She'll pour out your tea.
She keeps my house; and keep the Jail;
And the stately old fellow who passe
just now,
And tipped me that very peculiar bow
But that is the wonderful part of the tale,
! AS you'll allow.
For he, you must know, was sheriff the
And he guarded me as guard him!
CThe fetter wore, now fits his linbs9
Just one of your high-fiown, straight-lac
men,
Pompous and grim.
The Great Mogul OF our little town!
But while I was struggling to redeem
My youth, he sank in the worlds estee
My stock went up, while his went down,
Like the ends of a beam.
What fault? Twas not one fault alone
That brought him low, but treachero
train
OF vices, sapping the heart and brain.
Then came his turn al breaking stone,
With Il ball and chain.
1t seemed, l admit, a sort of treason
To clip him, and give him the cap n
ball,
And that 1 was his keeper, seemed VIC
of all!
And now, in word, If you ask the reas
OF this mans fall
Twas a woman again-is my reply,
And SO said, and say it still,
That women can do with us what IL
will;
Strong men they turn with twirl OF an e
For good or i'll.
-[Atlantic Monthl,