The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-08-05
sOLD CAMBRIDGE"
A Poem Read by Or. Oliver Wendell Holmes. at
Memorial Hall Dinner, Cambridge University,
fIASS,, July 5, 1876.


Which makes 80 fine show.
For one of Rip Van Wrinkles race?
And is it really so9
Who wants an old, receipted bill?
Who fishes in the frog-pond still 7
Who digs last years potato-hlll?
That's what he'd like to know
And were il any spot on earth
Save this dear home that gave him birth
Some scores of years ago.
He had moi come to spoil your mirth
And chill your festive glow;
But round his baby-nest he strays.
With fearful eye the scene surveys,
His heart unchanged by changing days;
That's what he'd have you know.
Can you whose eyes not yet are dim
Live DER tie burned past with him,
Ard see the roses blow
When white.haired men were Joe and Jim,
Untouched by Winters snow?
Or roll the years back one gy'one.
AS JudaE's monarch backed the sun,
And see the century just begun?
That's what he'd like to know
/ came but as the swallow dipe,
just touching with her feathef-tipe
The shining wave below,
To sit with pleasure murmuring lips,
Aud listen pg to the How
OF Elmwood's sparkling Rippocrene-
To tread once more my native green.
To Sigh unheard. to smile unseen
That's what I'd have you know.
But since the common lot I've shared
eve all are sitting ''unpreparad"
Like culprits Ia row,
Whose heads are down whose necks are baret
To wait the headsman's blow,
I'd like to shiIt my task to you,
BY asking just thing or two
About the good old times knew;
Here's what want to know:
The yellow meet'n-house- you tell
just where it stood before it fell
Prey CT the leveling foe?-
Our dear Old temple, loved so well,
By ruthlesc hands laid low,
Where, tell ME, was the Deacon's pewp
Whose hair was braided in qEeueS
Cor there were pig tails not a few)-
That's what I'd like 10 know.
The bell-caE you recall its claag?
And how the seats would slam and bang?
The yiol and its bow2
The basse's Trump before he sang?
And sweetvoiced Nat. MonroeY
Where was it old Judge Winthrop satS
Who wore the last thrcecornered hat?
Was Israel Porter lean or fat?
That's what I'd like to know.
Tell where the market saed to be
That stood beside the murdered treeP
Whose dog to church would go?
Ga Marcus Reemie, who was he2
Who were the brothers Snow9
Does not your memory slightly fail
About that great September gale
Whereof one told a moving tale?
AS Cambridge boys should know.
When Cambridge was simple town
Say just where Deacon William Brown
(Look round in yonder ROW.
For honest silver counted down
His groceries would bestow?-
For those were days when money meant
Some thing that jiug,ed as you went
No hybrid like the nickel cent.
I'd have you ALI to know.
But quarter, ninepence, pistareen.
And fourpence HAPPENINGS in between,
All metal fit to show.
Instead ofrags in stagn out green,
The scum of debts we owe.
How sad TO think such stuff should be
Our Wendel's cure-all remedy
Not Wendell H., but Wendell p
The one you all must know
question, bat you answer not
Dear me and have quite forgot
how fve-scOre years ago,
just on this very blessed spot,
The summer leaves below,
Before his honespun ranks arrayed
In green New Englands elm-bough shade.
The great EirginiaI drew the blade
King George full soon should know
o George the Third! you found it true
Our George was more than double you,
For nature made him so.
Not much a jeweled cap can do
If brains are scant and slow.
All, not like that his laurel crown,
Whose presence gilded with renown
Our brave old Academic town,
AS all her children know
n
To-day we meet with loud acclaim
To tell mankind that here we came,
With hearts that tarohand glow;
Ours isA portion of his fame,
Our trumpets needs must bfowl
On yondef hill the Lion fell,
But here was Clipped the Eagles shell
That little Ratchet did 1t WE'LL
We mean the world shall knowi