The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-01-29
A Ballad of the Boston Tea Party.

BY OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.
No! never such draught 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 slammed our grandsire ape
Before the days Of shaving
No. nc'cr was mingled such lraught
In palace, hall or arbOr,
As lreemen brcwed and tyrants quailed
That night in Boston Harbor!
1t kept King George so long awake
His poor old brain got added,
it made the nerves OF Britain shake,
With seven score millions saddlcd;
Before that bitter cup was drained,
Amid the roar of cannon.
The Western war clouds crimson stained
The Thames, the Clyde, the shannon;
Full many 4 siX-fo0t grenadier
Inc fiattened grass had measured.
And many mother many year
Her fearful memories treasured:
Fast spread the tempeSt's darkenin9 Pail,
The mighty realms We're troubled
The storm broke loose, but first of all
The Boston teapot bubbied
An evening party-only thar,
No formal invitation.
No gold-laced coat, no still craYat.
NO feast in expectation.
No Sllk-robed DANES, no tiddling band,
No flowers, no songs, no dancing
y tribe of Redmen, axe in hand
Behold the guests advancing!
How fast the Stragglers Join the thron9,
From stall and workshop gathered
The lively barber skips along
And leaves a G. in half lathered;
The smith hcs t1Dpu his hammer down
The horseshoe still is glowing;
The traunt tapster nj the Crown
Has left beer cask flowing:
The cooper'S boys have dropped the adZr
And trot behind their master:
Up run the tarry ship-yar9 lads
The crowd is hurrying faster-
Oul from the Millpond's purlieus gu-h
The streams of white-faced millers,
And down their slippery alley rush
The luStX young FERTILIZERS
The ropewalk lends its prentice crew
The tories seize the omen;
"Ay, boys. You'll soon have work to ito
For England'> rebel toemen,
King Hancock Adams, and their gang,
hat 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 now their ranks are forming
y rush, and up the Dartmoutl's side
The NoWhaWk band is sWarming'
See the fierce natives, What @limp-e
OF paint and fur and feather,
As all at once the tull-groWn imps
Light on the deck together,
\ scarf the pigtail's secret keeps.
\ blanket hides the breecheS--
And out the cursed cargo leaps,
And overheard il pitches,
Q woman. at the evening board
50 gracious, sweet and purring
80 happy while the tea is poured.
So bleSt while spoons are stirring.
W hat martyr can compare with thee.
The mother, wife or daughter,
That night, instead OF best Bohca.
condemned to milk and water.
Al, little dreams the quiet dame
Who plies with rock ana spindle
The patient tiaN how great flame
lon little spark shall kindle.
The lurid morning shall reveal
fire no king can smother
Where British flint and Boston steel
Have FLASHED against each other
Old charters ShriYel in It's track.
Ills Worship'S bench has crumbled
1t climbs and clasps the Union Jack
Its 5lazoned pOmp is humbled
The flag 60 down ON land and sea
Like corn before the reapers:
80 blazed the fire that brewed the tea
That Boston served her keepers,
The waves that wrought Il century'S wrer
Have rolled DER whig and tory
The MohaWks on the Dartmouth'4 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
still taste Il Hyson flavor;
And freedom's teacup still o'ertloW~
With ever fresh lbatons,
10 cheat Of slumber all her foes
And cheer the waking nation~,
December Is. 1873.