Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-02-06
Selected Miscellany.
SHERIFF THORNE.


BY j. T. TRowBRrDGE.
That / should be sheriff and keep the Jail,
And that yonder stately old fellow, you see
Marching across the yard, should be
Ny prisOner-well, 'tis curious tale,
AS you'll agree
For il happens, we've been here once before
Together, and served our time-9lthough
Not just as you see us now, you know;
When we were younger both by score
OF years, or so.
When was wild colt two-thirds grown
Too wild for ever curb or rein,
Playing my tricks till needn't explain;
got three months at breaking stone,
With ball and chain.
The fodder was mean and the work was hard,
And work and | could never agree;
And the discipine-well in snort, you see'
Twas rather roguish kind OF card
That cnrried mel
A stout steel bracelet about my leg,
Ac4nnon- shot and chain at my feet,
/ pounded the stones in the public street,
With heart crammed full of hate as an egg
-ts- Is full of meat
The school-boys eered at my prison rig,
And me, if l moved, they used to.call
(For | went with jerk If went at alp
"a gentleman dancing the jail-bird jig
Az a county BALL"
But once as sat in the usual place,
On a heap Of stones, and 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! don't mean pretty,
But there was that in her troubled eye,
In her sweet sad glance, as she passed me by,
That seemed like an angels gentle pity
For such as /.
And, sir, to my soul that poor look gave
Such thrill as a summer morning brings.
With it's twitter aud futter of songs and 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 remember we'll
pair of eyes made kind of light
That filed my cell.
Women can do with us what they will;
Twas only village girl, but she,
With the flash of glance had shown to me
The wretch | was, and the self still
Might strive to be-
And if in my misery began
10 feel fresh hope and courage stir,
To turn my back upon things that were,
And my face to the future of q man,
Twas all for her.
And that,is my story And as for the lady?
| saw her--oh, yes-when was free.
And thanked her, and-well, come with me;
As likely as not, when supper is ready,
She'll pour your tea.
She keeps my house. and keep the jail;
And the stately old fellow who passed 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 then,
And he guarded me as guard himl
(The fetter / wore now fits his limbO
just one of your high-hown, straight-laced men,
Pompous and grim,
The Great Mogul of our little townl
But while was struggling to redeem
MY youth. he sank in the worlds esteem;
Ny Steel~ ~sant mn while his went down
Like TIC ends VI q Deain.
What fault? Twas not one fault alone
That brought him low, but treachersus train
Of vices sapping the heart and BRAIN
Then came his turn at breaking stone,
With ball and chain.
1t seemed, I admit, a sort of treason,
To clip him, and give him the cap and ball.
And that was his keeper seemed worst OF all
And now, in a word, If you ask the reason
OF this mans fall
Twas woman again-is my reply.
And so l sad and say 1t still,
That women can do with us what they will:
Strong men they turn with the twirl of an eye,
For good or i'll.
Atlantic Motthly.