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

care you the editor ?" he asked.
"Yes"
"Can you read writing7"
"Of course"
"Read that, then," 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
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-Sam'l III.
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"
~ don't remember it," said the colonel
"Of course you don't, because it went
into the paper under the Infamous title of
'Smearcase Tomorrow
ga stupid blunder of the compositors, 1
suppose"
you about. The way in which that poem
was mutilated was simply scandalous. 1
haven't slept night since. 1t exposed me
to derision. People think I am an ass
Let me show you"
$50 ahead" said the colonel
"The first line, when 1 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
man crazy!"
I'm sorry" said the colonel "but-"
"But lock a-hcrc at the fourth verse"
said the poet. That's worse yet. What
/ said was:
Cast thy pearls before the swine, md lose them
in 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! IIo sets it up in
this fashion. Listen:
Cart thy pills before the sunrise and love them
if they hurt
Now, isn't that d-blooded outrage on a
mans feelings? I'll leave it to you if it
isn't?" -.
cts hard, that's fact" said the colonel
"And then take the fifth verse In the
original manuscript it said, plain rs day
light:
Take away the jinsling money it is only gilt
tering dross !!
A man with only one eye, and cataract
over that, could have read the words cor.
rectly. But your pirate upstairs there, do
you know what he did? lie made it read:
take away the jeering monkeys on n svrely
glandered boss
by George, | felt like Draining him with a
Tis Iifs s. shovel was never 50 sgt, pg ip @y
t.H was natural, too" said the colonel.
"There, for instance, was the sixth verse.
[ wrote:
1 am weary with the tossing of the ocean as it
1t is lovely line, too; but imagine nv
horror and the anguish of my family, when
opened your paper and saw the line trans.
formed into:
/ am wearing out my trousers till they're opcu
at the knees!'
That is little too much That seems TO
me like carrying tho thing an inch or two
too far | think have q constitutional
right to murder that compositor don't
you"
81 think you have"
"lIet me read you one more verse. I
wrote:
Il swell the flying echoes as they roam among
the hills,
And feel my soul awaken to the ecstacy that
thrills
Now, what do you s'poso your miserable
outcast turned that into? Why, into this:
smell the frying shoes as they roast along the
And peel my soul mistaken in the erctary that
whirls..
Gibberish, sir Awful gibberish T must
slay that man. Where is hep"
''Hc is out, just now," said the colonel
Come in tomorrow"
81 will said the poet; "and will come
armed"
Then ne put on his hat, shouldered his
umbrella, and drifted off down stairs.
"Boys," said a south side school teacher
knowledge never comes without seeking.