Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-11-28
Mary's Little Lamb.
How Mr.. EvARTs CONDENSED THE NURSERY
RHYME INTO PROSE.
From the Detroit Free Press


Few poems have been more generally
admired or paraphrased in the various
tongues of earth than that commencing
with the lines:
Mary Ead a little lamb.
IL fleece WIS white suou.
And everywhere that Mary went
This Lamb was sure 10 go.
We'll. the story Is now current at the
National Capital that the distinguished
Secretary of State. when recently in a
jocular crowd of his friends, was desired
to condonse into prose these immortal
verses. Urgently solicited. Mr. Evarts
yielded and wrote as follows:
Mary, female. judged to be Of the
race OF man, whose family name is I'M
known. whether Of native OF foreign birth,
of lofty or lowly lineage. and whose APP
prarance. manners and mental cultivation
are involved IN the most profound mys-
terry. which probably will never be fully
ascertained unless through the most pro
found researches Of a historian admirably
trained in his profession, who shall de
vote the ablest efforts of his life to the in
vestiGatiOn of the subject. uniniiuenced
10y either passion or prejudice, and hav
ing only in view the sacred truth. ut the
same time being utterly regardless of the
plaudits or censurcs of the world. We are
informed by one who. it has been
stated, at one time while living in that
part Of the United States OF America
known as Massachusetts. whose fishermen
have frequently been involved in Difficult
ties with the authorities of her Majesty,
Queen Victoria. Queen Of Great Britain
and Empress Of Indies. whose domains
I Il. : Il
BILE globe, thereby enlangering the peace
which should sohappily exist between MI
tons Of the same blood and language. had
an infant sheep. Of which There are many
millions Of various STOCKS and qualities
now IN our country. constantly adding
wealth and prosperity to our Re
public, and enabling us to be entirely IN
dependent of all other nations for our
supply Of wool, now ample for the use of
factories already busilv employed, and for
those which ere long viii he constructed
III all parts Of our land, working both by
water and steam power, and IN Whatever
direction the said Mary travelled, this
animal, whose fleece was snow white. even
as the lofty mountaiuregions in the silent
solitules Of eternal winter. rs the ethereal
vapors which oft float over IN autumual
sky, ''darkly, deeply. beautifully blue,
or rs the lactreal fluid, covered withmass-
es of delicate froth found in the pals of
the rosy dairymaid, whether meanderinS
through the meadows of midsummer.
gathering the luscious straw berry, stroll
ing in the woodland paths IN search of
wild flowers, visiting the church with her
uncles, cousins and aunts to listen to the
inspired words which came from the lips
of the minister Of the sanctuary. or when
retiring to her blissful couch to seek rest
and enjoy sweet repose after the cares and
labors of the day in fact, everywhere
that Mary went" this youthful sheep, in
tluenced doubtless by that affection which
is oft So conspicuoUslv manifested by the
lower animals in their association with
human beings. WIS ever observed To ne
company her
1t is stated that when the pause III the
sentence came. the Secretary. who had
read it without amy inspiration, resumed
his stolid diplomatic countenance. and
all mirthfulness had departed from the
faces Of that once happy company