The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-02-25
HAMDEN's LAUREATE.

is all
HAMDEN'S LAUREATE,
Although our neighboring village OF
Hamden has been steadily advancing In
improvements, and its advantages have
been written up for the newspapers, it
has not hitherto possessed poet, to sing
its praises. But that want is now sup
piled. In this respect, Hamden is far in
advance of Jackson; for although we
have frequently received verses written
by schoolchildren and others desiring to
enter the field of literature, yet we can
not boast real poet, who was born, not
made"
The bard Of Hamden is J. W Wesley Wal
lace, and his theme is "Hamden and vi
cinity" His style is not Homeric, neither
is it Juvenalic, nor yet Byronic. We
should rather guess it to be Gothic. Per
haps he. like Alexander Pope, was poet
from infancy, and when yet child,
Lisped in numbers, for the numbers came.
He does not sing of bloody wars, nor
love-lorn swains, nor beautiful damsels;
but he devotes his poetical genius to the
noble purpose of sounding the praise Of
his native village.
We should be lacking in our duty as
journalist, were we to deprive our read
ers the pleasure of perusing so brilliant
an effort 1t will be seen that, although
our poet shows happy disregard for the
rules of English Grammar, and scorns the
laws of punctuation, a unity of rhyme is
preserved Throughout the poem. Here is
the first stanza:
So Hamden now is in the style,
Sends this paper many mile,
Our town is equal to the ''queen,"
Though many miles doth intervene.
We are inclined to believe that she is
one ahead of the queen, in possessing the
author. Please observe, that our lyrist
does not tell US all he knows, but says,
Ifyou want to learn some more,
Call up stairs at the corner store,
By taking the Leader you'll know
How things in this county doth go.
He does tell US, however, that
The people of town are clever,
As gay and happy as ever;
The country folks come in by scores,
And they visit all the stores,
and saloons.
This is q nice country all around,
And sharp people in it are found;
The farms are good Ior raising grain,
The houses chiefly of fame.
Could any thing be more bewitchingly
simple than the above?
But now we're building some new brick,
And o, they look so nice and slick,
Henry Robbins has new one,
Mr.. Dinner has true one.
Beautiful thought, well worthy of the
thinker! We contemplate taking a
iaunt to Hamden, to view with our own
eyes those nice slick" bricks, and Mr.
Dinners true one"
Here we have @ bit of history:
The Hamden House was first of all,
Has stood for years, yet does not fall,
1t was the first brick house in town,
And it's house of some renown.
Mr. Wallace need have no fears of the
Hamden House falling now His verse:
will hold it up.
following stanza. We will venture tc
suggest that the Leader will be read with
out frown" so long at least, as Mr..
Wesley Wallace contributes to its col
umns
This community round for miles,
Is up with all the latest styles,
1t is because they come to town,
Read the Leader without frown.
The Bard of Hamden evidently doe
not have perfect confidence in the abilit!
of the people to appreciate true poetry
as witness the following:
Some may say that this is hoax,
But don't believe all of the folks,
Just look at the girls of our land,
The boys also are brave band.
lines, for the next stanza is the conclud
ing one of the poem When we have
morsel of choice cake, we always feel sac
when We come to the last bite. Will Mr.
Wallace pardon US, if we liken his poem
to the said cake? We have seen som,
pretty old boys, and others who woulc
never be anything else but boys shoulc
they live to be a thousand years old:
Some of our hoys are rather old.
, Some of the girls are pretty bold,
There are some spinsisters here in town,
; But now I'll bid adieu all round.
But we trust not final adieu, although
it is dangerous to remain where there ar,
so many "spinsisters, particularly if on,
is young, and chances to be good-looking
The light of Mr.. Wallace's genius shoulc
not allow itself to be hid behind
bushel
|
npTcTN or pAPTTFc