The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-02-05
A BALLAD OF TIE BOSTON TEA.
PARTY.


By OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
No: never such draucht was poured
Since Hebe served with nectar
The bright Olympians and their Lord,
Her overland protector
Since Father Noah squeezed the grape
And took to such behaving
AS would have shamed our grandsire ape
Before the days of shaving
Mo- ne'er was mingled such q drauSht
u palace. hall. or arbor.
As freemcn brewed and tyrants quaffed
That night in Boston harbor!
1t kept King George - long awake
His poor old brain got added.
II made the nerves OF Britain shake,
With seven score millions saddled;
Before lkat bitter cup was drained,
Amid the roar Of cannon,
The Western war-cloud's crimson stained
The Thames. the Clyde, the Shannon;
Full many a six-foot grenadier
The tiat.cn,d grass had measured,
And many mother many year
Her fearful memories treasured;
Fast spread the tempest's darkening pal!.
The mighty realms were troubled.
The storm broke loose. bat first Of all
The Boston teapot bubbledi
An evening party-only that.
No formal invitation,
No sold-laced coat. no stiff cravat,
Nofeast in expectation,
No silk-robed DANES. no fiddling band.
No nowers. no songs. no dancing
4 trib. of Red men. AK in hand
Behold the guests advancing!
now fast the stragslers join the throng.
From stall aud workshop gathered:
The lively barb skips along
And leaves u chin half lsthered:
The smith has flung his hammer down
The horseshoe s'ill Is glowing:
The truant tapster al The Crown
ia 1sff h.,nr b ~
The cooper's boys have dropped the adze
And trot behind their ma.rer:
Up run the larry ship yard lads
The crowd is hurrying faster
Out from the Millpond's parlieus gush
The streams Of white faced miilers,
And down their slippery alleys rush
The lusty young Fort Killers:
The rope-waik lends its 'preniiced crew
The tories seize the omen:
Ay. boys! you'll soon have work to do
FOR highlands 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 ride!
And nov their ranks are forming
A rush. and up the Dartmouth's side
The Mohawk band is swarming!
Sc" the fierce natives. What u glimpse
OF paint and fur and feather.
A. a at onc, the full grown imps
Light ON the deck together!
\ scarf the p. gtairs secret keeps.
A blanket hides the breeches---
And out the cursed cargo leaps
And overheard it pitchesI
. woman. at the evening board
So gracious. sweet. and purring,
So happy while the tea is poured,
So blest while spoons are SURFING,
What martyr can compare with thee.
The IN ,ther, wife. or daughter,
That night, instead Of best bohai
Condemned to milk and watC:4
Ah. little dreams the quiet dame
VINO plies with rock and spindle
The patient flax, how great a flame,
Ion little spark shall kiudle!
The lurid morning shall reveal
A fire no king can smother
Where British flint and Boston steel
Have ciashcd against each other!
Old charters >hrivel in its track, \
His Worship's Bench has crumbled,
II Climbs and clasps the Union Jack
Its hazoned pomp Is humbled.
The flags go down on land and sea
Like corn before the reapers;-
So hlaAtd the fire that bsewed the tea
That Boston served her keepers.
The waves that wrought century's wreck
nave roicO o er wing ana Tory
The Mohawks On he Ddrtmouth'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
Sill taste Hyson flavor;
And Freedoms teacup still O'erhows
With ever fresh libat;Ons.
To cheat Of slumber all her foes
And cheer the Weakening nations!
atlantic Monthly.