The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-06-20
The Troubles of q Poet.

While Colonel Bangs was sitting in
his Office one day, man, whose brow
was clothed in thunder. entered
Fiercely seizing chair. he slammed
his hat on the table, hurled his um-
brells on ths hoor, and sat down.
''Are yon the editorr" he asked.
Yes
Can you read writing
OF courie.'
Read that. then, he said, thrusting
at the colonel an Envelope with an in
scription on IT,
b said the colonel, trying to spell
il.
That's not b. It's an g. said the
man
y; oh, yes | see Well. the words
look little like Salt for Dinner or
Souls of Sinners, said the colonel.
No, cir. replied the man, nothing
of the kind That's my name, Samuel
II. Brunner. knew you couldn't
read. called 10 see you about that
poem of mine you printed the other
lay. on the 'Surceasc of Sorrow
Il don't remember it. SAID the colo.
mel.
of course you dou't. because it went
into the paper under tho title of
'Smearcase To- morrow
"A stupid blunder of the compositor's,
| suppose
Yes, sir; aud that's what I want to
see you about. The way in which
that poem was mutilatsd was simply
scandalous. l haven't slept q night
since. II exposed me to derision.
People think me an ass. Let me show
you.
Go ahead. said the colonel.
The first line, when I wrote it, read
in this way,
Lying By weeping willow. underneath . gentle
slope.
This is beautiful, poetic, affecting.
Nov. how did your vile sheet present
il to the public? There it is. Look
ut that Made it read this way
Lyingto q weeping widow. TO induce her to
elope.
Weeping eiiow. mind you, A
widow .. thunder and lightning!
This is too much It's enough to
drive . man crazy
I'm sorry said the colonel: but
But look a-here. at the fourth verse
said the poet. That's worse yet.
What | said was
Cast thy pearls before the swine. and lose them
iD the dirt
Il wordcd that out clearly aud dis
ia "a plain. round hand. Now,
what does your compositor do '? Does
he catch the sense of that beautiful
sentiment Does il sink into the
soul No. sir lie set il up in
this fashion. Listen
Cart my pills before the ssnris. and love them IL
they hurt.
Now. isn't that a void d-Lloocicd e..,
rage OH mans feelings I'll leave
it TO you if it isn't hard
It's hard, that's fact. said the
And then take the fifth verse In
the original manuscript is said. plain as
daylight;
Take away the jingiins money. 4; 10 only gilt
tering dross.
"A man with only one eye, and an
over that. could have read the
words correctly. But your pirate up
stairs tbere-do you know what he
did, He made it read
Take away the iesring monkeys on . sorsly CLAN.
dered hoes.
by George | feel like Draining
him with tire-shovel! l was never so
cut up in my life
1t was natural. too. said the colonel
There. for instance. was the sixth
verse wrote:
! am weary Of the tossing of the ocean a. 1.
hesvss.
It's . lovely line. too; but imagine
my horror. aud the anguish of my
family. when opened your paper and
saw the line transformed into;
! Am wearing out my trowssrs ,ili theysr open
st the knees
That's o little too much ! That
seems To me like carrying the thing an
inch or two too far. think | have u
right to murder that
don't you.
i think you have
Let me read you one more verse.
| wrote;
swell the frying echoes as they room among the
hills.
And feel my soul awaken TO the ecst.cy ,Aa,
thrills.
Now. what do you 'spose your mis-
srsble outcast turned that into :
Why into this
smell the dying shoes - they coast along the
bulls.
And peel my soul mistaken to the srcrssry shrt
whiris.
.Gibberish, sir Awful gibberish ! /
must slay that man. Where is he'
He is out. just now, said the colonel. /
Come tomorrow.
Il will. said the poet; and | will
,ome armed.
Then he Put on his hat, shouldered !
his umbrella. and driited Oh down
stairs
MAX ADLER