Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-03-24
MONTPELIER.

[The following lines on Montpelier,
written more than fifty years ago by a
peripatetic 'jour' printer, named Levi
Ives, under the pseudonym of 'Icha-
bod Craigg," have historical facts and
good hits in them, if the steed pegas.
us did give the rider an occasional
tumble over his neck. Ives worked
at his trade in this village, and when
he had about "three drinks of New
England" in him, it was fun for the
boys to hear him speak his piece
Our friend Mr.. Lewis Pratt, himself
retired typo, from whom we kindly
obtained it, says he has carried it in
his pocket book more than twenty
five years, and there can be no doubt
Of its antiquity and authenticity. Mr..
Pratt knew the writer well, and has
often amused social parties Of ''lcgis,
lators" by reading it to them, so we
send it on its travels again in the
Spirit eft -Age.]
Where rapid rolls Wnooslus foaming tide,
Where barren mountains rise on every side,
Where sulen winter reigns with sterny sway,
And shapcless rocks shut out onc-half the day,
Scoopd from the mountain by a mighty hand,
4 little shelf is found of level land
Secure within this dark sequestered glade
Where nothing but itself can Ger be made,
Montpelier's glittering spires with pride arise
And eager seek to pierce the azure skies.
Towering they stand beneath the mountains
lea,
Az snug and cosy as thing can be;
Turn your admiring eyes which way You WILL
You still will view the same bare headed hill.
nation saw this charming little nest.
And democrats and feds they all confessed
1t was tho neatest, jonticst little spot,
That in Vermont could anywhere be got,
Whereon to clap the buildings Of the state
In which the radicals might brawl and pirate,
Talk loud about their virtue and morality.
And tell us how they hate rascaity;
10 bring all human things upon level
And send the ruflle-shiIt men to the devil.
Lest legislation from thence should stalk
about,
men out
They leveld down ledge on the mountain
side
Secure from local change, or flowing tide,
Then chose man they thought had skill to
plan it,
Who piled thereon 4 mass of solid granite,
Gave the whole structure touch exquisite
TO immortalize the place, with yearly visit
or legislators, statesmen politicians hobbies.
And the mingled mass that throng the halls
and Hobbies.
II you've never been to Cottrills or to Manus
You cant imagine how the various clans
OF politicians, with projects all agog,
Are grinning, round their flowing cans of
srog;
lnyenting plans, and bartering public places,
And trying hard to put On honest faces.
None so green but that they'd cheat a brother
And all agreed in cheating one another.
Some want to revise and alter all the laws
And put a guile-boari on each doubtful
knotty clause,
So that lawyers can't hunt out . single flaw,
Nor find struggling doubt on which to gnaw
Some want lottery to build up public schools.
And see how many people will be fools;
Some want turnpike, and some want a ferry
Some want toll bridge, and they all are very
Anxious for bank, where they can borrow
10 pay their executions that are out tomorrow.
There's one, would be justice of the peace,
Another wants the pickerel to increase;
There's some are wanting money at Vergennes
TO buy the beef, and pork, and cheese, and
hens,
With which that fertile country's Grand full,
And all the city wharyes are jam'd full.
Some want 10 move the arsenal, and say
Experience shows us every single day,
1t should be on road so round about
The few that find it never can get out
l. 1 foe should come we can't abide 'em
And we'd better take our guns and hide EN-;
Then ii we are beat the foolish noodles
viii get no booty but our bodies.