The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-08

BILL J0NEs: 4 SlILORS ST0RE

And harm will happah, IN sore afraid, ~
Ere we reach our journeys end" ~ "
And what have the ravens with US 70 doY
Does their sight then bOde us eYil
"Why 10 find one raven Is lucky, us uue
Bnt ifis certain destruction to light upon two,
And meeting with three Is the dew, ,Ig
I've known full three score yeaB go by,
And only twice before
I've seen three ravens near me N.Y.
And twice good cause to wish had
That ne'er might see them more.
HThe erst time was wrecked at sea-;
The second time, by hre
I LOST nv wife and children three
THAT selfsame night; and woe isme
That did not then expirel
"still do hear their screams for aid,
Which to give was past mans power;
l saw in earth their collins laid
Well, my heart of marble must be made,
Since II did not break that hourP .
"Poor soul your tale Of many woes
Brings tears into my eyes:
But think you that your lbs arose
Because you saw your fancied foes,
Three ravens, near you riser
"No doubt, since this fantastic fear
Has thus possessed your head,
You firmly believe that ghosts appear
And that dead men rise from their blood-staln'
To haunt the murderers bed"
believe Il, master well | may 4.
Now mark what relate;
For Gospel.true are the words say,
When swear, that during three weeks and q IA
A GHOST was my own shipmate. OBJ
"Ny cash run loW--no beef, no flip, .
And the times were hard to Live 10. Yf.
So cen resolved TO make trip ..,...
For slaves on board of Guinea ship,
Which crime may God forgive
"Oh, twas sad. sad thing to hear ''....
The negroes scream and groan, uI '.
And curse the billOWs which bore them near }
To the tyrant white mans land Of fear,
And far, far away from their oWnl g.tI
But soon the sailor found his. part lay,
Scarce better than the slaves
For our captain had a tigers heart,
And he plagued his crew with such barbardus ar
We all wished us In our graves
1--WE scarce were two days sail from port
Ere many back was hayed;
He lOgged us Oft In Want0n SPORT
His heart was of stone, not hesh-in short,
He was lt for such trade.
Though each In turn was treated Ill,
MOngst all the crew alone
Bill Jones opposed our tyrants VIII
For Bill Jones was cross and old, and still
Did give him back his own.
"And many brutal harsh command
Old Bill has grumbled at;
Till once he was ordered sail 10 hand,
When Bill was so weak he scarce could stand,
But the captain scofed at that.
For lazy old brute, poor Bill he abused,
And forced him aloft 10 go:
But their duty to do his limbs refused,
And at length from the ropes his hands Bill lOOsed
And he fell on the deck below
Towards him straight the captain few,
CRYING Dog dUst serve me sOY
And with deyilish spite his sword he drew
And ran Bill Jones quite through and through
And the blow was mortal blow.
At the point Of death poor Bill now lies,
And stains the deck with gore;
And fixing his own on his murderers eyes,
Captain alive or dead he cries
| neer will leave you mOreF
"'You wontT says the captain time win show
If you keep your word or not
For now In the negro kettle below,
Old dog your scoundrel limbs I'll throw,
And TIL see what fat you've gotP
$50 he caused the cook make the water hot, /
And the corse, both flesh and bones,
ITO see what fat Bill Jones had g0t)
The captain boiled In the negro pOt;-
But there was not much fat In Jones.
"If well his word the captain kept,
Bill Jones kept his as well;
For just at midnight all who slept,
With one consent, from their hammocks leapt,
Reused by dreadful yell. ..
"Neyer was heard more terrible sound;
Fast 10 the deck We HE'D
And there, by the mOonbeam's light, we found .
The murdered man, IN spite of his wound,
Sitting close TO the steersman's side.
"And from that hour, among the rest,
Bill served, nor LEFT Us more;
With bloody trousers, bloody vest, u ..HUt /.
And bloody shirt, and bloody breast, sN, /
Still he stood our eyes before
"And he'd clean the deck, and 1ll the pail,
Or he'd work with right good will
To stop leak, or drive a nail
But whenever the business was handing sail,
Then specially ready was Bill.
And to share in all things with the crew; !
Did the spectre never miss; .r.
And when to the cook for his portion due,
Each sailor went Bill Jones went too,
And rendered his platter for his, 1l (
" he "a L. IL
His footsteps fell sOStil, ,.
That 70 hear their souiid you'd Yainly seek,
And 10 none Of the crew did Bill e'er speak,
And none Of US spoke to Bill 100
J" But when three weeks had orept away,
As you Just now have heard,
The captain came upon deck one day,
And quoth he My lads, I've something to say
Bill Jones Is as good as his word. g.t
"' He never leaves me day nor night ''
He haunts me-hauuts me still; nj. t-FI
By the midnight lamp see the sprite, f, %, |
And when at morn the sky grows light
The firt sunbeam shows me Bill .
AT meals his pale lips speak the grace, 7
His cold hand gives me wine:
AZ every hour, in every place,
To whatever side turn my face, .f-
Bills eyes arc fixed on mine.
Now lads, my resolutions made, fs
One means will set me free,
And Bills pursuit for ever eyade-
He cOmes-he comes: then away he said
And plunged into the sea.
None moved joint the wretch 10 save,
All stood with staring eyes
zach elaspd his hand grOan each gave
Hhen 10 on sudden, above the wave,
Once more did the captain rise.
Fixed and fearful was his eve
And pale as corse his brow. rI
And we saw him clasp his hand on high.
And We heard him scream with terrible cry
'BillsWith me, with me nowF IiV
Then down he sunk through the foamine foo
To he'll, that worst Of hayensl f7TII
Now, heaven preserve you master good
Prom perilOus rage and innocent blood.
And from meeting with thFee raVensP'
Selert. Misrrllanp
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