River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-02-24
Sheriff Thornc--.Or What Two Women
Did,

By ,. T. TRoNBbIDGE.
That should be sheriff and keep the a.
And that yonder stately old fellow, You sec
Marching across The yard, should be-
NV prisoner-well, it's a curious tale,
As you'll agree.
For it happens, we've been here once before
Together, and served our ml.-althoueb
Not just as you see Us now, you know;
When we were younger both by score
OF years, or so.
When was a wild colt tgo-ihrds grown
loo wild for ever a curb or rem,
Playing ny tricks TILL needn't explain
got three months breaking stOne
With ball and chain.
! he fodder was mean and the Woik was hard.
And work and | could never agree,
-. And the discipime-wcll, m short, you see,
twas rather rouRhsh kind 0i card
That carried me.
stout steel bracelet about my log,
cannon shot and chain at ms feet
pounded the stones in the public street,
with heart crammed full OF hate as an egg
Is full of meat
The school boys jeered at my prison rig,
Aud me, il | moved, they used to call
tFor went with jerk IL j went at ALL
"A gentleman dancing the jail.bird jig
Az country ball'
But once, az | sat in the usual place.
On heap OF stones, and hammered away
Az the rocks with heart az hard as they,
And cursed Macadam aud al his race,
There CHANGED that way,
Sir. the lovelest grrI don't mean pretty,
But there was that III her troubled eye,
In her sweet, sad glance, aa she passed me by
That seemed Ike an Angels gentle pity
For such as l.
And, sir, to my soul that pure look gave
Such thrill as a summer morning brings,
With twitter and huttcr OF songs and wins !,
To one crouched all night long m a cave
OF venomous things.
Down the broad street she passe from sighr,
But all THAI day / was under a spell,
And all that night remember we'll
a pair OF ewes made kind OF light
That filed my cell
Women can do with us what they will
Twas only village gIl, but sue,
With the flash Of a glance, had shown to me
The wretch was, ana the self / still
Might trive to be.
Aud il in my misery began
To feel fresh hope ard courage STIR
TO turn my back upon things that were,
And my face to the future of Il man,
Twas all tor her.
And that is my story. Aud as for the lady?
| saw her-oh, yes--When | was free,
And thanked her, and come with me ;
As likely as not, when supper is ready,
She'll pour Tour tea
She keeps my house and l keep the jail
And the stately old fellow VINO passed just
now
And tipp, me that very peculiar bow
But that is the wonderful part Of the tale,
As youll allow.
For he, you must know, was sheriff then,
And he guarded me as | guard him
(The tCtter | wore now its his limb y
Just one Of your hish-ilown, straght-laced
men,
Pompous and grim,-
The Great Mogu of our little town.
But while ] was struggling to redeem
My youth, he sank IN the worlus esteem
My stock Went mp, White his went down,
Like the ends OF a beam.
What fault2 Twas not one fault alone
That brought him low, but treachcrouS
OF vices, sappipg the heart aud brain.
Then came his turn at breaking stone,
With ball and cham.
1t seemed 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 ROW, IN word, If YOU ask the reason
OF this mans iaii,
Twas a woman again rs my reply.
Aud so | said ald ( say it still,
That women can DO with us what they will
Strong mon they turn with the tWirl OF m eye,
For good or ID.
- 1HdHtic