The Red Cloud chief., 1879-05-29
rHE EIdHTNIyG.RoD DISPENSER
A Farm Ballad.

II the weary world Is willing, I've a little
word 10 say
o a lightning rod dispenser that dropped
down on me one day.
with a poem in his motions. with a sermon
In his mien,
With hands as white as lilies, and a face un-
common clean
No wrinkle hac hts vcstments, and his linen
giisfened white,
And his reconstructed neck-tie was an In
teresting sight:
Which almost wish bis razor had made red
that white-skined throat,
And the new constructed neck tie had com
posed "a h8n2man's knot,
Ere he brought his sleek trimmed CARCASS
for my women folks to see,
Anc Ms rp-saw tongue a buzzin' for 70 gouge
Il cash in me.
But ! couldn't help but Ike him-as I always
The gold OF my own doctrines In a fellow
heap of dust
When ] fired my own opinions at this person,
round bv round,
They drew an answering voli.y. of a very
similar sound
j touched him on religion, and the hopes my
heart had known
He said he'd had experiences quite similar OF
his own.
told INN of the doubtin's that made dark
my early years
lie had laid awake till morning with that
same Old breed of feais.
i told him OF The rough path ] hoped TO
lie was on tnst very ladder. only just Il
round below.
Itoid him of my visions of the s~infulness of
gain I;
He had seen the self same pic,crs, though
not quite so clear and plain.
Our politics was different, and at first he
CALLED and WINGED
But ] arg'ed him so able, he was very soon
convinced.
And twas getting toward the middle of a
hungry suInmer day .
There was dinner on the table, and i asked
IfDa x.aalA 10 %
And he sat down among US, everlasting trim
and neat,
And asked a short. crisp blessing. almost
good enough to eat
Then he fired up on the IN ercies Of our Great
r ernal Friend,
And gave tie Lord Almighty a good. first
class recommend
And for full an hour we listened to the sugar
coated scamp,
Talking like a blessed a~ngel-eating like a
blasted tramp.
My wife, she liked the stranger. smiling on
him warm and sweet
Ut always fiatJers women, when their guests
are ON the eat,t
And he limited that some ladies never lose
their carly charms,
AndAissed her latest baby, and received 1t in
his arms.
My sons and daughters liked him. for he had
progressive Views,
And chewed the qnid of fancy. and gave
down the latest news
And l cou dn't help but like him, as fear l
"a ttiNl
The gold of my own doctrines, in a fellow
heap of dust.
He was spreading desolation through a
piece of apple pie,
When he paused and looked upon us with a
tear in his off eye,
And said; 80, happy family your blessings
make me sad
You call to mind the dear ones that in hap
pier days | had
and falr
little girl with ringlets, like that one over
there.
i worshiped them too blindIy I-my eyes
with love were dim
God took them to- his own heart, and now i
worship him.
But had 4 not neglected the means within my
way,
Then they might still be living. and loving
me to-day.
one night there came a tempest ; the thun-
der peals were dire
The clouds that tTamped above us were
shooting bolts of fire
In my own house. 1, lying, was thinking, to
my blame,
How little i had guarded against those shafts
When, crash through roof and ceiling the
Ceadly lightning cleft,
And killed my wife and children, and only i
was LETT.
"Since that dread time I've wandered, and
nought for lite have cared,
Save To save others loved ones, whose lives
have Vet been spared
Since then. IT IS my mission, where'er by sor-
row tossed,
To sell the yiitnouS people good lightning
rods-at cost.
With sure and strong protection Ill clothe
Twill cost you fifty dollars Operhaps a trifie
more)
What little else it comes to at lowest price
you signing this agreement to pay so much
per foot.)"
] signed il, while my family all approving
stood about
And dropped a tear upon it-(but it didn't
That very day with wagons came some men,
both great and small .
They climbed upon my buildings just as if
they owned 'em all
They hacked 'en, and they hewed 'em, much
against my loud desires
They trimmed 'em up with gewgaws, and
they bound 'em down with wires
They trimmed 'em and they wired EN-, and
they trimmed an wired 'em still,
And every precious minute kept a%-running
up the bin.
My soft-spoke guest a-sceking, did 1 rave and
rush and run
He was supping with a neighbor. just a three
do You think" i fercely shouted, that 81
want a mile O. wire
To save each separate hay-cOck out O.
heavens consumin' fire
DO you think, 10 keep my buildin's safe from
some uncertain harm,
I'm goin' 10 deed you over all the balance OF
my farm 2"
He looked up quite astonished, with a face
devoid of guile,
And he pointed TO the contract with a reas-
surfing smile
1t was the first occasion that he disagreed
with me
But he held me to that paper with a firmness
sad TO see
And for that thunderstorm, ere the rascal
finally went,
i paid two hundred dollars, if j paid q single
And if any lightnin' -rodder wants q dinner
dialogue
With the restaurant department of an enter
prising dog.
Let him set his mill a%-runnin' just inside my
outside gate,
And III bet two hundred dollars that he
won't have long TO wait.
Chicago Formers Reriesr.