Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-06-10
Vol. XVI. Whole Ne. 1924. No. "a
The Troubles of a Poet.
By MAX ADELER.

While Colonel Bangs, editor Of the argus,
was sitting in his office one day. man
whose brow was clothed with thunder en-
tered. Fiereely seiring a chair. he slammed
his hat on the table, hurled his umbrella on
the floor and sat down.
| Are YOU the editor ?" he asked.
| YES"
Can you Rad writinge"
"Of course"
| "Read that. then.' he said, thrusting at
the colonel an envelope, with an inscription
/ upon il.
B. said the colonel, trying to spell
That's not b. It's an s." said the
man.
IS; o yes, see Well, the words look
little like Salt for dinner" or "Souls of
sinners said the colonel
mo sir, replied the man, nothing of
the kind, That's my name-Samuel H.
Brunner. | knew you couldn't read.
called to see you about that poem of mine
YOU printed the other day, on the 'Siurcease
of Sorrow.
Il don't remember il" said the colonel
"Of course yeu don't because it went into
the paper under the infamous title of
"Smearcase Tomorrow"
"A stupid bunder of the oompositors, l
suppose"
Yes. sir, and that's what | want to see
YOU about The way in which that poem
was mutilated was simply scandalous.
haven't slept night since. 1t exposed ME
to derision. People think am an ass. Let
me show you"
Go ahead" said the colonel
The first line. when | 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
II read this way:
Lying 10 weeping widow, TO induce her To
/ eiopc.'
Weeping c,ioc, mind YOU 4 widow o
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 ye,. What | said
/ was
/ Cast; thy pearls before the swine, and lose
them in the dirt
| | wrote that out clearly and distinctly. in
a PLAIN, round hand. Now. what does
1 Your compositor do , Does he catch the
sense of that beautiful sentiment Does il
sink into his soul No, sir He sets it up
IN this fashion Listen
| Cart Thy pin. before the sunrise and love them
II they hurt
Now isn't tina, cold-bIooded outrage on
man, feelings I'll leave it to You If it
| isn't
lis hard. that'1 fact" said the colonel
And then take the fifth verse In the
original manuscript it said, plain as day
/ light
Take away the Jinsling money; 1t is only gilt
teunS lro'1
\ man with only one eve, and a cataract
over that, could have read the words cor
rcctly. But YOUR pirate UP stairs there, do
YOU know what he did He made it read
Take away thy jcerins monkeys on sor ely
gIandered hoss =
By George, felt like Draining him with
fre-Sho'el' was never so cut up in my
life"
"Itwas natural, too, said the colonel.
There, for instance, was the sixth verse.
wrote
L am weary OF the tossing Of the ocean a, 1t
heaNcs
1t Is a lovely line. too but imagine nv hor-
rar and the anguish OF nv family when |
opened your paper and the line trans
formed into
i am wearing out my trouser, till they're
open At the knees"
fha, is a little too much That seems 10
me like carving the thing an inch or two
too far. | think | have constitutional
rlshi To murder that compos.tor don: you2"
Il think YOU have"
Let me read YOU one more verse.
wrote
4 swell the fying echoe, As they roam among
the hills.
And feel nav soul awakening 10 the ec,iacy
that thrills
Now. Wha, do YOU ,pose Your miserable
uutcast turned that into WHY. into this,
i smell the frying shoes a. they coast along
ths bulls.
And | peel my sale mistaken in the erctary
that wAirl..'
Gibherish sir Awful gibherish' mus,
,lA, the man. Where Is he p
lie : out, just nov, said the colonel.
Come in tomorrow"
Il will said the poet ''and will come
armed"
Then he pat On hi. bat. ,houldered his
umbrella, and irified of down stairs.