The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-08-31
raE .BUoK-sK1N BREECHEs.
BIZ OLIVE A. wADswoRTH.

By OLIVE A. WAD5WOh1ds
f4raudpapas all were once little boys
Is not that remarkable poser?-
Devoted to toys,
Nonsense and noise,
addicted to jack-stones and similar joys,
Crazy for races with Rover and Tozer,
Yet forced to sit still and cay, "Yes' SIR" ana
And the boys Of all time, experience teaches,
Have their first new balls and their first new
breeches.
seve nteen Hundred and Sex enty-six!
That is the date-like burr 1T STICKS
For grandpapa told it, manys the while,
As he spoke of the past with sigh and smile;
The wondrous year,
TO memory dear,
Which of all his youth rose up most clear,
When his hornespun suit kicked to the rear;
when his father took him DER dale and down,
Three hundred miles TO the Quaker town,
And in bliss that humanity rarely reaches,
He do1ned his first buff buck-skin breeches.
A3randpapa had most notable sire
Brave. the old General and stout and true
Prompted by honor and duteous ire,
He pledged himself with the noble few
Look in the list,
It cannot be missed,
he wrote it himself with his resolute fist;
Among the old signers his name you will see,
Beginning with g William " and ending with " y;
Strong to bear stress ia Church and State,
He wanted his boy to be just as great.
q This lad of mine" said the fervid sire,
so, to foster the feeling, what did he do
But buy him the suit of patriot true;
Waistcoat of buff,
Surcoat of blue,
<QUeer-cornered hat of somber hue,
Buckles of silver shining and new,
Stockings of silk, to the knee each reaches,
And sUmptuGus pair of buck-skin breeches.
There was the happiesr boy in creation!
What cared he for the great Declaration,
The tbroes of a kingdom. the birth of nation
Matters of state,
Little great,
Hearts Of oak that compelled their fate,
Sacredest vows and death-drawn speeches
He'd have sold them all for his buck-skin breeches
But alas for the bliss of the bounding heart
A slip, and the cup and the lip must part;
breath and the sweet becomes smart;
A flash, and the smile has grown tear;
A space, and the boy is crying, " Oh dear!
The hour is near,
The breeches are here,
But I can't get into them, that's quite cleari
can't get in, nor anywhere near!
Cant!" said the General and frowning heard,
While the soldiers pride in his breast stirred.
Never, again, sir, utter that word!
You're freedom man,
That always cG9I
And must and shall perfect his plan
See that your aim be just and right,
Then CleaY3 your way with dauntless might!
Leave can't to towards that fear the fight
g Come, Pomp and Caesar! !" he quickly cried,
S'Catch hold here, both of you, one a side;
Bhe suit is right, but the boy is too wide;
Now firmly take it,
And thoroughly shake it,
and if it won tsbend, why then Wen break it;
Many pillow too plump for the case
Has to be shaken down into its placed"
so the fat little boy was put in at the top,
While the breaches were shaken, fippety-hop;
They tossed hip up with jump and hop,
They settled him down with a sudden pop,
And with every jerk the deeper he'd drop,
Till, finally, word was given to stop.
The boy was in,
AS snug pin;
Pomp aud Caesar were all of grin,
And the brooches fitted as tight as his skin.
All, that the spirit of Seventy-Six!
1t wouldn't confess itself caught in a fix;
If there way, 'twOuldn't find and take it /;
If there wasn't way, 'twould speedily make it;
When laws were vextng, or breeches straight,
1t rarely tarried to ruminate,
But couChed its lance, and conquered fate
Yet happily, still
It's place we can fill
Gan span the deep the river, or breast the hill,
Or leap the abyss with heros THRILL
For golden heart and an iron will
Are the lords of every earthly ill.
st. Nicholas for September.