The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-06-21
THE TROUBLE oF A POET.

med his hat on the table, hurled his um-
brela on the faor and sat down.
care you the editor p he asked.
eyes"
"Can you read writing 2"
"Of course"
'Read that, thcn," he said, thrustirg at
the colonel an envelope with an inscription
on it.
"B--," said the colonel, trying to spell
"That's not B. It's an S." said the
man.
as; o yes; see Well, the words look
a little like Salt for Dinner or Souls Of
Sinners" said the colonel
"No, sir" replied the man, "nothing of
the kind! That's my name-Saml II.
Brunner. knew you couldn't read l
called to see you about that poem of mine
you printed the other day, on the 'Surcease
of Sorrow"
81 don't remember it," said the colonel.
"Of course you don't, because it went
! into the paper under the infamous title of
'Smcarcase Tomorrow
ga stupid blunder of the compositors,
suppose"
"Yes, sir, and that's what 1 want to sec
you about. The way in which that poem
was mutiated was simply scandalous. l
haven't slept night since. 1t exposed me
to derision. People think l am an ass
Let me show you"
'Go ahead" said the colonel
"The first line, when wrote it, read in
this way.
Lying by weeping willow, underneath gentle
slope.
That is beautiful, poetic, affecting. Now
how did your vile sheet present it to the
public? There it is Look at that Made
it read this way:
Lying to a weeping widow to induce her to
clope.
Weeping widow, mind you A widow
This is too much It's enough to drive a
man crazy.'
I'm sorry" said the colonel; "but-"
''But lock ahcrc at the fourth verse"
said the poet. That's worse yet. What
[ said was:
Cast thy pearls before the swine, md lose them
III the dirt
wrote that out clearly and distinctly, in a
plain, round hand. Now, what does your
compositor doS Does he catch the sense
Of that beautiful sentiment ? Does it sink
into his soul? No, sir! He sets it up in
this fashion. Listen: \
Cart thy pills before the sunrise and love them
if they hurt
Now, isn't that Il cold bloodcd outrage on a
mans feelings? I'll leave it to you if it
isn't"
cts hard, that's n fact" said the colonel.
"And then take the fifth verse In the
original manuscript it said, plain as day
light:
Take away the jinnsling money it is only gilt,
tering dross
over that, could have read the words cor.
rcctly. But your pirate upstairs there, do
you know what he did? lie made it read:
Take away the jeerng monkeys on n sU-cly
glandered boss!
by George, felt like Draining him with a
His lifs5 shovel ! was 's''F 50 sgt " ip g 81
cit was natural, too," said the colonel.
"Therc, for instance, was the sixth verse.
[ wrote:
; I am weary with the tossing of tho ocean as ii
hcaves.'
1t is q lovely line, too; but imagine my
horror and the anguish of my family, when
l opened your paper and saw the line trans
formed into:
| am wearing out my trousers till they're open
at the knees!
That is little too much That seems &c
me like carrying tho thing an inch or two
too far. think | have a constitutional
right to murder that compositor; don't
you? 2"
Il think you have"
''l.ct me read you one more verse. |
wrote:
Il swell the flying echoes as they roam among
the hills,
And feel my soul awaken to the ccstacy that
thrills
Now, what do you s'poso your miserable
outcast turned that into? Why, into this:
Il smell the frying shoes as they roast along the
| bulls,
And peel my soul mistaken in the erctary that
| whirls..
Gibborish, sir. Awful gibbcrish must
slay that man. Where is he ?"
''llc is out, just now," said the colonel.
Come in Tomorrow"
81 will, said the poet "and will come
armed"
| Then he put on his hat. shoul1crcd his