Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-02-07
LAYS OF ANCIENT WASHINGTON, No. l..
Old r. +. Weighs Lament.
By WASHINGTON DACIR,
Pat T1,freUfe Of YLe Hy.o,rIs,.,,

Poet Laureate IF the GroWleyy.
For The Star.l
Come, Cas- ar, bring the flagon that is filed on
FOR my spirit is bewidered with our city's
spangled ways!
Let me curse degeneration, which has gilt the
In the good old stately fashion flowing beakers
tpt with rhymes.
nate TINS innovation on our gloomy syncope,
10 be dragged from ancient shadows into crit
isiI day!
By the crazy roar of commerce to be Weakened
from our snooZe!
Take away your blonde Catawba, fluid fit for
plebian use,
Resurrect the cellared Bourbon to oblitcrate
my blues
Pour me out a deep libation, would drown my
anguished soul!
Now, gods pour down deluge, till its fiery
Ger Potomac's oozy sedges-oozy sIoggy and
antique!
Till they sweep in dire confusion-as the Ro-
man and the Greek.
Fling aba.s the old bsrbsrians the amalga-
mated horde,
The invasion of Improvement, which hath con-
quered meath the Board.
Pour out faster, faster, faster, till my sweltered
senses glide
Like trancist in a coffin on some lotus, crawl
ing tide
sigh for mouldy usage as the bridegroom for
the bride
Alas! Upon the Capitol sought its halls to- day,
climbed its circumbendibus in good cid stage
coach way;
saw,
The defiant innovations, filed me with indig-
nant awe;
looked for things familiar: the tawny Theirs
With all its hoary 6lthiness; looked Tor Rotten
Row,
The ancient home Of rodents, long sacred to the
news,
And-weep ye chronic worshippers of ordure at
the news
My senses were smothered by its mountains OF
refuse!
Where flowed the dear cid avenue, "Father of
Mud and Slush,"
L sew modern boulevard swept CLEAR with
rake and brush
Where e'er my sckened vision turned twas met
with hateful views
or spreading, streets and terraces and shady
The cottage and the mansion, 1 swear, stood
cheek by gowl,
In democratic fashion most CALLING to my
No finely cut distinction of ancient feudal rights
But one as good as tOther-a town of mud sill
whites
With school mans running over and "Niggers
out O. nights!'
Then said in desperation. my fist clinched in
of their gilded ginger city, and its plebian
toothed race,
| paved our public ways,
All our regal desolation, since great Grow
musty's days;
Tho you've hidden unctious sewers and fest ring
And piled your direst vengeance to pull down
our pride of birth,
! know an ancient fortress that has whipt your
modern horde
And turned toward dear SwampoodIe-but
my spirit soon was lowered,
For plaques last sacred stronghold was cap
The ancient suns which sweltered in our streets
OF ruts ana ruins,
When all our DAYS flowed stately into sicklv
afternoons,
Are sitting cold and CHASTITY on our violated
fanes-
But wake, my droNsy spirit, one single hope
Let us seek their plebian Congress, with hu
Ere the dust of ancient usage is perpetually
entombed;
Let us pray, like very commoners, that they
may grant their aid
To the remnant of senility, who are very much
afraid
OF the devas ating armies of the pick AK and
the spade.
vania avenue.
In q late review Of Mr. Tayloe's book of
ancient Washington, it is sfs.ed that nothing
but sici ness prevented Mr.. Randolph from dis
persipg with his pistol some negroes who had
met III liont Vi MS motel after dark Alas, for
the good old times! What would Mr.. Randolph
say If he lived In our degenerate days?
CHoCTAw LEGlsLATIoN.-The Choctaw lin
diam council has just adjourned, after q ses
sion OF three weeks. The result Of their DELHI
erations may be summed mp as follows:-They
passed resolutions protesting against territorial
government and the allotment OF their lande;
protesting against the Chickasaw survey and
allotment, and refusing to entertain . PROPOSE
ton to adopt negroes residing among them.
They appointed q commission Of three persons
to 60 to Washington to effect settlement Of
the boundary line between Arkansas and the
Choctaw nation, and to personally ask Com