Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1880-12-09
DROPPING INTO POETRY.
An Exchange Editor Does Is Naturally.
Broohlyn Eagle.

+AH DOcS ~
Brooalyn Eagle.
"lf yon please, sir" said the young Ia
dy timidly, MS the exchange editor hand
ed her n chair, 81 have composed a few
verses, or partially composed them, and
L thought you might help mo finish them
and then print them. Ma says they are
real nice as far as they go, and she takes
the Eagle every day."
She was n handsome creature, with
beautiful blue eyes, and crowning glory
asyellow as golden rods. There was an
eXpectant look on her face, hopeless.
ness that appealed to the holicst emo
tions and the exchange editor made up
his mind not to crush the longing OF the
pure heart il he never struck another
lick.
MAY / show you the poetry 2" contin-
ued the ripe red mouth. "You will see
that couldn't get the last lines of the
verses, and if you will please be so kind
us to help me-"
Help her though he had never even
read 4 line Of poetry, the exchange edit
or felt the spirit of the divine ant food
his soul as he yielded to the bewildering
music. Help hcr! Well, he should smile.
"Ihe first verse runs like thls," she
went on, taking courage from his eyes !:
How softly sweet the autumn air.
The dying woodland fills,
And nature turns from restful care"
10 anti-bilious pills, added the ex-
change editor with a jerk. "Jnst the
thing. 1 rYlimes, and it's so. You take
anybody now. Eaif the people you
meet are"
81 suppose you know hest" Interrupt
ted the girl. 81 hadn't thought of it in
that way, but you have a better idea
of such things. Now the second verse is
more like this;
The dove eyed kline upon the moor
Look tender. meek and sad:
While from the valley comes the roar"
'Of the matchless liver-pad!" roared
the exchange editor. There YOU get II
That finishes the second 50 as to match
with the first. 1t combines the fashions
with poetry, and carries the idea right
home to the fireside. If I only had your
ability in starting a verse with my
genius i'll winding 1t up, I'd
quit the shears and open in the poetry
business tomorrow -
"Ihlnk so?" asked the fair young lady.
1T don't strike me as keeping up the
theme"
"You don't want to. You want to
break the theme here and there. The
reader likes it better. 0, yes! Where
you keep up the theme it gets monoto-
nous.''
perhaps that's so,' rejoined the beau
ty, frightening up. III didn't think of
that. Now I'll read the third verse:
"'Sadly droops the dying day.
As night springs from the glen
And muruirr 1vyi iirht sprus n, s,y--,H
"'rhe old mans drunk again would
not do, would it 2" asked the exchange
editor. Somebody else wrote that and
we might be accused of plagiarism. We
must have this thing original. Suppose
did l spout my Ben? 2"
"Is that new?" inquired the sweet rosy
lips. sat least I never heard it before
1 don't know what it MEANS"
"New? Deed it's new. Ben is the Pres
byterlan name for oyercoat and spout
means to hook. Why did 1 spout my
Ben 2 means why did shove my topper:
That's just what twilight would think oi
first, You know. O., don't be afraid
that's just immense!"
well, I'll leave it to you," said the
glorious girl with smile tnat pinned
the exchange editors heart to his spine
"rhis is the fourth verse:
The merry milk maids sombre song
Nc-cchoes from the rocks,
AS silently she trips along"
"With holes in both OF her socks, by
Jove?" cried the delighted editor. "You
see"
30, no, mol" demonstrated the blushine
maiden. "Not that"
Certainly" protested the exchange
editor, warming up. mine to four she's
got 'em; and You get fidelity to fact witt
a wealth of poetical expression. The
worst of poetry generally is., you cam
state things as they are. 1t amt like
prose. But here we have busted all the
established notions. and put up an actua
existence with veil of genuine pottery
over it. think that's the best idea W.
have struck yet
81 don't seem to look at it as you dc
but Of course You are the best Judge. Pr
thought I ought to say,
"'As silently she trips along
In Autumns yellow tracks
"Wouldn't that do?"
"Do! just look at it. Does tracks
rhyme to rocks? Not in the Brooklyn
Eagle it don't Besides, when you sa,
tracks and rocks yon give the impres
sion OF some fellow leaving things to an
other fellow who's scratching for safety
Socks on the other hand, rhymes will
the rocks and beautifes them. while i
touches up the milkmnid, and by describ
ing her condition shows her to be chilt
of the very nature you are showing up
II think you re right" said the swee
angel. "I'll tell pa where he was wrong
This is tho way the fifth verse runs:
And close behind. the farmers boy
Thrills forth his simple tunes,
And slips behind the maiden coy"
"And splits his pantaloonsr Done /
myself; know Just exactly how it is
Why, bless your heart, you"
Snip. snip, snip. Paste, paste, paste
But it is with a saddened heart that Ii
ships and rastes among his exchange
now. The beautiful vision that for
moment dawned upon him has left bu
the recollection in his heart of one sun
beam in his life, quenched by the shove
of tears with which she denounced hin
as a "nasty BRUTE" and went out from
him forever.