New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-25


Ard bade them never ut yer, to return.
Alone he lived sole gus rdian Of his wealth
Dark, praspng, grinding, grow lng HeIry BOOK.
Tosave his gold he grudged the crust ne are
And wore a be rgar's garb. While see ming poor,
He chutkled at the thong ht that he was rich
BIC her than any guessed. msndleant
That u ct him oft ieered at Books shabby ciothe
And asked h IN what he d give to boot for MIS-
s.Nothippn said Bock; ~ with my own conten
And high 81 & my det ervnss When l came
Into his fretfal world I'd not rag
Upon my carcass; now We rags enough
TO cover me all oveI.'
With cold
And bit ter mel rimeI the mendicant
Exclaim ed, II give you 10y! Cling to your rags
Be pro nd Of their increase and when you Ole
Take tn en-, with all your ragged righteousness,
Down to the hi II IL waits you
Fool" said Book.
sFear frames the My hell. have no fear,
And, Their efore dread no hell. Nor have time
so hs III r 1t 10 with fools; &C. quit my sight
OF TO- Sir Knave," sniwe red the me ndcant.
tBut be " u sure our ay Of fl ar will come.
Sou may be infdel to all that's good
srhe ad will find you out, and press you c.o-e
with t he keen psngs of O rrow snd d. spair;
then, Ii ke helps prince, you'll ttmbingly b:
heve."
An old blick house. that ses mt 10 court decay;
Was Henry Books Riato Ali around
was fes tered by it's presence In its shade
There glowed NO healthy life. az peaIed no sign
OF honest industry or trades increase;
set ock grew rich While all al ourd grew poor.
He had his customers, but knew no friends;
he lent and bsrtertd and he bought and sold,
But his was ell the sain-the tlessed gain
o. how be gloatt d Ger his 1rea sured goods,
And ounttd up his profits, coin by coin.
Here were his bends, there we've his notes o.
hand,
And there again, bis Diamonds and his cash.
Row very, very happy should he be
'whs held possession CT such Midas stores
And marked their constant growth! What unit,
him
Were all the soIrovs ott er people felt:
srhey troubled not his heat. nor touched his
purse.
Snd if, to be Iich, he haltstarved himself
Whose business was it He his master was,
And il he bowed down to the golden calf.
His soul til fond idolatry approved.
adde from view, tehlnd an inner wall.
'The miser had his treasure room, vault
AL iron ined, . darkeOme solemn place,
Proof gainst the fies rage and burglar skill.
The holy of his holes was his safe
HIS heart remained in it and worshipsd there
Where 'er his fancy wandered Well, one day,
When a storm ragged without and trade was dull,
Sock said unto himself, Il must increase
The number of my shelves within the vault,
For ack space in which to store my goods"
Then, cl osng we'll his shutters and his doors.
He took lamp and opening the safe.
Proc eeded with his work. No speedy task
he GU nd it, for, in moving this and that
He oft en- stopped to count their value DER
Smpell ed still by his ardent avarice.
AT. Ter 9Th, when the shelves were al complete
And Book was busy, striving to ar ange
His priz effects, each in it's fitting place,
Sonnet hing undr dreamed of grasped him from behind.
GA thi ef," was his first thought Trembling he
sprang,
And he did the door closed with groau,
While through its springs the aut ,matic luck
Fast ened it firm with rigid bolts and barA
o Thus B ock beet me prisoner with his wealth
victi M to the eafety that he sought.
The inner knob upon the iron door.
1t seems, had seized upon his gaping rags
And when, as from thief he sprang away
The door closed after him and held him fast.
9, serseless Book what now avails Thy wealth?
lonely Book, what fellowship hast thou
With engs like thystlf! Thou still art rich
But none so poor exist as would accept
Thy riches with thy fate.
The lamp still give
Its ample CLEAN within the .misers vault
And Knocked him as he ragged. His cries for hep
haor 4
Than were the faintest beatip - CT his pulse
The Vt orm was heard, the tramp Of hurrying feet
The Jest within the dramshop DER the way,
But Books loud cry though couched in tones Of
dread,
AMI shrill with agony DO echo stirred
Beyound the vault, prison and tomb.
Worn out with vain endeav0r. Book at length
Sank down into the sadness of dispair.
He counted up his gains and found them loss.
The fear confro nted him, " hch told Of hell
And all t he dread hereafter-that same fear
Which he go late despised. The hours wore on
Weaving the web Of doom. He watched the lamp,
And as he feeber grew for lack Of air
The il ght grew feebler also. Oxygen
Was the great vital need of both the lamps
The la mp he watched and his poor lamp of life
Foul a nd more poisonous the air became
Till his luDgs lOsthed it. and the light expired
Leavi poor Eock in dark ness and despair
Then throbbed his brain with agony intense
And madness seized ON him. he tired to think
But all his thoughts were vsg, ant fantasies.
His motht CANT; he crushed her to the earth:
His sis ter, and be killed her with Q blow.
Men came to him with gems Of pricelets worth;
He slew them and then claimed the gems as his
Blood was the price he paid for every thing; |
Blood was h minister his vengeance, blood |
The darkness ft d away before his gaze,
Leaving the sT ace all red. Even his gold |
Aud diamonds changed their hues for one OF b!osd
& aiming new values through tn ensapguined /
change,
But when all blood could do to make him great
Had been accomplish d. then. with sane disgust
He sickened at the 8 sht. He knew that Death
Had ceme to claim him; that tn INDY ing worm
" alt<d for it's dread feast. Through the red maze
That once had given him delight, now. pain
he saw tn ic formal flames In which the damned
"rithe In eternal torture. He should be
one OF their number soon. and then lis hght
would be with tends and all TIE cursed crew
He had been taught 10 dread while yet a child
Thus living, ling ring, fear;ng-fancyins
Things that are not as part of things that are
The wretcLed miser died. His golden tree
Had borne him OILY bitter, bitter fruit.
Ere life had ceased, his punishment commenced.
&c lay down with his wealth. and hts souls winxs |
We're weighted with the load. He oped his eyes, !
But they were filmed all DER wit yellow dust.
10 lie could see no single star in heav'n.