The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-10-04
Written for the Free Trader.
DAN TYLER'S VISITOR.

And paught was heard but the Waterman
walk,
AS he paced the street on his lonely beat
On this moonlight hight so clear ana OriSht
No sound heard nc in the lonesome street,
nor saw through the shutters single !iSht'
nan TYLER that night had had big trade
MANY a rlass had been drank To the drcgs
MANY a man who had thitLcrward otraled,
On his homeward way was weak IN the legs,
Dan sat toy the crate, that threw out It's rays
And filled the room with cheerful glow
Ills thoughts wandered back to bygonc days,
Aud the home Of his boShood long ago.
Long sat he thus musing, SILENT alone,
Nearly died away had the hrc IN the Sra'c,
It's faint light making shadows that shone
In all the fancies his mind could create.
.}ut the mirror of sin his thoughts showed him
SO chilled his soul with rcmorse and grlei,
His cup OF misery was full 70 the Drlm,
And to him there seemed no way Tor rellci.
gust then the clock on the shelf struck three,
And at the same instant knock at the door
4 little too heavy for one on spree =
He had never heard such knock before
soon after the knock the door opened vide,
And then in the space Of n second or more,
i being staiked in with Il swinging stride
And a step that echoed on the old oak floor.
Dan furtively glanced DER his shoulder, and,
BY the fires family glimmcring hight,
saw where the stranger had taken his stand,
In front OF the bar; and what sight!
10 viewed his guest by the freight dim,
His hair rose on end and cold sweat stood
all over his face, for thing SO grim
Sheer pasicd his frame and frozc his blood.
At last the silence the stranger broke,
In a voice that sounded hollow and deep
Like thunder after the lightning stroke
II raised Dan Tyler upon his feet.
81 / thought tonight I'd visit your place,
Aad drink with yourself a friendly GIN
For it does me good 10 look in YOU face
They call me Old Nick, Pm the Prince Of Sin
FED. As things were duh in my kingdom below,
Il thou ght I'd take trip to the earth,
And look up few of my servants, you know,
VINO in my realm have already "A berth.
So ill up the glasses with your best old rye
Well drink Il toast to success In trade,
lFor my Journey so long has made ne dry
and want to see what progress you've made. y
Dan rose to his feet, and with shaking knees
.Cravlcd up to the bar, and as he trembling
stood
}7illing the glasses, with horror he secs
Their contents changed that they looked like
blood.
They raised the glasses and drained them dry
As though lie would smile the devil looked
3ut his phiZ soon changed III vas all awry.
and choking, gasping, he yelled, PPM cooked!
If in my kingdom such stun they'd sell,
Why, let me inform you before 90,
IN the middle of hell I'd dig a well
And start n temperance club below.
l3ut,come, for u jaunt about town, what dye sayN'
Out in the bitter cold night they went
The devil ahead and leading the way
And toward the graveyard his way he bent.
Slowly the Devil, opening the gate,
Escorted poor Dan to the land OF the dead
And OH what horror the scene crcatcs;-
he is struck with fear and a namcless dread.
The tombstones rise like sentinel ghosts,
IuardiDg the cold and sOullCss clay,
from which have He'd the immortal hosts
Until the final judgment day.
satan now paIscs GEAR u fresh.dug grave,
Where lies in the narrow, dismal cell
. heart that in life was noble and brave,
But which before the tcmpter finally fell,
and at Tyler's bar to his death had drank,
breaking his poor, aged mothers heart
Who too in the grave soon after sank,
For she could not live from her son apart
Ther turnin. about his eye met u name,
Marking the last rest II one who in life
high upward had climbed on the ladder vi fame
A man among men" in iles battle and strife.
Bat his climbing had stopped he'd ceased toI
look up,
And slipped from hio hands had the ladders
high round,
4at he fell to the ground, slave to the cup,
ind all this great ruin at Dams bar he'd found.
Then turning again he hOrror.struck gazed
ON the grave Of one whom In life he'd known
we'll
lndeed twas his brothers, who once when rum
crazcd
Before Dan, own door mad suicide fell.
Aud ghostly and white in the starlight clear
Close by the grave Of his maniac brother
Marking the last rest Of one he held DEAR
Rose the groye-stonc stark of his poor old
mother.
she bitter anguish that filed his heart
,l..,U No much better imagined than told
lie saw how well he was playing his part,
By sending hclward both young aud old
Gle tried to speak, but his tongue was dumb
And Glove to his mouth "a ty pasep stroke;
sis body was cold and his limbs were numb,
And the air grew thick with sui hurous smoke.
lie raised hi. eyes and looked around;
His heart ceased to beat and frozc was his
blood
r or - place ofthe stone that marked each mound,
The tenant Of each grave had risen and stood.
DropP'Ag his head he looked on the earth,
Hoping the vision from his sight to hide;
But the ground now 10 a new horror gave birth
In the shape Of grave both deep and wide.
The Devil laughed and danced in his gee,
As he waved his black wand to and fro;
ana what was Dams attOnishmcnt to SEE
Three young imps jump from The grave below.
About the grave they cupcrcd aud sang
The most devish song that ever was known
ADd fenrfully distinct their voices rang,
For p6w he knew the grave was his own.
Ghe Devil at length TO Dan Tyler spoke;
"iOu are mine, you see, both body aud soul'
Then he raised his wand, and fire and smoke
From ,he deep, narrow pit began to roll.
9 Oh then was poor Dan flled with speeches. fear
Is Satin and all his dcvilish crew
aid hold Of him, and fcarfSlly near
To the verge Of the grave the poor wretch drew.
" ith satan's band he struggled and fought,
Aud with great effort uttered yell,
cor surely aud positively lie thought
He'd fallen into the jaws Of he'll.
Gtinstcad of leaving this land 50 fair,
tnGugh strange To you, dear reader I may
seen,
re tEerc dropped out of TAI, crraking chair
Aud a. ate from black and horrible dream.
TIMOTHY HAY.