Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-02-19

" Punch, brothers, punch with care
Punch in the presence OF the pa>seUarc -
A pang shot through me rs said to
myself, " Poor fellow, poor fellow he
has got it now"
did not see Mr.. -- for two or three
days after that. Then, ON Tuesday even
ing, he staggered into my presence and
sank dejcctedly into seat. He was pale,
worn he was u wreck. He lifted hi,
faded eyes to my face and said
"Ah, Mark, it was ruinous invest
mont that made in those heartless
rhymes. They have ridden me like u
night mare, day and night, hour after
hour, to this very moment. Since last
saw You have suffered the tormonts W
the lost. Saturday evening hnd sud.
den call, 10y telegraph, and took the night
train for Boston The occasion was the
death OF II valued old friend, who had ro-
questcd that should preach his funeral
sermon. | took my seat in the cars aud
set myself to framing the discourse. But
neVor got beyond the opening para
graph for then the train started and tho
car-Wheels began their clNcl clack clavk-
clack clack cIHck -clack clack and right
away those odious lines fitted themselves
to that accompaniment. For an hour
sat there and set syllable Of those lines
to every separate and distinct clacA
the cur wheels made. Why, was as
tagged out, then, rs if had been chop.
ping wood all day. My skull was split
that | must go mad il sat there any
longer SO | uudresscd and went to bed.
| stretched myself out in my berth, and
-wcll, you know what the result was.
Tho thing weutu ughtalong, just the same.
tnck clack cINck, a buo trip slip, clncN-
ck-clack, for an eight cent fare chick.
clack clack, tor six cent fare, and 20 on,
SO ON, and SO ON puHch in Che presence
Of the posseujaro! Sleep? not IL single
wink | was almost II lunauc whom /
got to Boston. Don't ask me about tho
funeral, did the best could, hut every
solemn individual sentence wa, me,hod
and tangled and woven in aud out with
Punch, brother, punch with care, punch
in tho presence of the pa.scnjare
Aud the most distressing pau OF tho
thing was that my deitec,Y dropped into
the uuduIUling rythm OF those pulsntng
rhymes, and couldactualy catch absent
minded people noddug tHte to the wing
of IT with their stupid hcads. And Marx,
you may believe it or not, but before
got through the entire Ns-cmbogc was
pacidly bobbing their heads in soloma
unison, mourncrs, undertaken and all.
Tho moment had finished fled to "a
anto room IN state bordering on frenzy.
OF course it would be my luck to find
sorrowing and aged maiden aunt OF tho
deceased there, who had arrived from
Springfield too late to go into the church.
She began to sob, and said
"'Oh, oh, be Is gone, he i. gone, and
didn't SEQ him before hc died :"
"'Yes = said, he Is gone, he Is gone,
he is oh uiU thl, suffering never
cease I"
- lou loved him then Oh, you too.
loved him 7
60 Loved him Loved who"
80 Why, my poor George My poor
nephew =
"'Oh = h,mt Yes-oh, yes, yea.
Certoinly-certainly. Punch punch r.
OH, this misery will Kin me =
"' Bless youl Bless you sir for those
sweet words ! /, too, suffer in this dear
loss. Were you present during his Inst
moments y
- Yes! I-WhoSc last moments p
"' ms. The dear dcparted'-.
"' Yes Oh, yes-ycs -HeSl sup
pose so, | think so, DOME know On,
certainly Iwus there-i was thore =
- Oh, What II piviegel What pre-
cious privilege And bis n,t woid, oh
tell me, tell me his Inst words What
did he say p
- He said he snid oh my lead, my
head, my head lie suId-ho said-ho
never said anything bat punch, punch,
puHch, in the presence Of the passerjarc !
on, leave me, madam Ia the name OF
all that is generous, leave me TO my mud
ne-s, my misery, my despair IA buif
trip slip for II six cont iarc, pink trip
Slip for a three cent faro o-cuduuuce can
no further 60 !-PuScu Ia tho presence
of the passenjlrc =
My friends hopeless eye rested upon
mine II pregnant minute, and then no
said impresslvoly:
MARK, you do not say anything. You
do not offer me any hope. But, ah me,
it is just as well--it is just as we'll. You
could not do me any good. The time has
long gone by when words could comfort
me. Something tells me that my tongue
is doomed to wng forever to the jigger Of
that remorsele5s jingle. There there it
is coming on me again, blue trip slip
for an eight cent fare, Il butf trip slip
forH-"
Thus murmuring faint and fainter, my
friend sank into peaceful trance and for
got his suiIerings in a blessed respite.
How did | finally save him from the
asylum? | took him to ncighboring
university and made him discharge the
burden OF his prosecuting rhymes into
the eager ears Of the poor, uulhlnkIng
students. How is it with them now
The result is too sad to tell. Why did
write this article ? 1t WAS lor worthy,
even noble purpose. II was to warn
you, reader if you should come across
those merciess rhymes, to avoid them--
;1 ,l,,,. - wan ,vnnld n uestileuce-