, 1880-08-08
THE GROG-SELLER'S DREAM.

~ know the way tho thing is }oncl
Twice ttye are ten, and anothcrV V.
Make twenty-tour for a nv wsi!ssflsd s1sd rs:
On the whole IT 8 Il guod nights job.
no Me tools 9a6 daye x fn1R r M 1y olsky and iae:
There is Drown-whata jolly dog is hci
And he sprecs II tho wny like TO see:
Let him sp awhile ut this reckless rate,
Aud his furm IL mine as sure rs fate
Dropped ln ny pocxet from time to tiuacs
I've mortgage now on Tompkins' lot:
Whnt u foo! he wNS to become sot.
l3nt rs luck to me. and in IL month or so
| | shall fortcluse, and the scump must Ko.
Zounds! won't bis wife huve u "taking on
Wnen she finds their ht use and lot are gonel
How she vii! blubber. mud sob, and Sigh! =.
! But business Is business. md what care +?
Why. he was drunk fool here yesterday,
His jug; but the fool va would bnse @ his lis viii. viii
And ~ folks blame ne nc me-: Why curse their eyesi
| I've II right to engage III lawful trutle,
and tnke my chAnce where cash Is to be mades
A.. And II men get drunk a. and 50 home to turn
| but hate to have the women ct'mng here
Mith their silly complaints aud mandln tears;
And their speeches learned from temperance
With their lean, pale chlldren-whImpertue
Why don't they send them to the public schoolsr
have license to sell brandy and wing;
Why don't our lawmakers declare it sin2
| Il pay license have right To sell,
| Though 1t dep0pulntes Earth and peoples Hell.
4 selling Is lawful, and fools viii drink,
The josSe is OIL them. not on me. l think;
| And will turn no customer away
! Who is willing to buy and nhle to pay"
| And be softly chuckled lilo! ho!! be! he!l'
And be rubbed his hands in quiet g:ee,
| "Ho! ho!! he! heI!''-it wus nm echo sound;
Amazed the rum-scllcr locked around;
This side, and that, through the smoke peered
| u
"Ho! ho!! he! he::"-ltwas cultural note,
! and bis knees gan to quake and bis hnir to
And he opened his mouth and strained his eyes;
| And 10! there, in q corner dark and dim, !,
| Stood IN nncouth form, with vtsaye grim;
| From tho mingled cufis Of bis shaggy hair
| While rcdly bis scowling brows below,
Like sulphurous flames, did his small eyes gloHs
DARK was bis forehead. and rugged Scared.
And bis lbs were curfed ius in siaIsier % smile.
And smoke helched forth from his mouth thu
His feet we're shaped like bullocks' hoofs,
And the boots he wore were esinric prouf:
Small clothes he wore. OF an ambt'r hue,
From tho rcnr of which Il tail pccped through
In his hnnd he hold-t huud it wus
Whose fingers rescmoled t. ytlturc's claws
a m thsee-.tn fork and It's ts tines 80 d. dnl!
Slowly. ike soeptre, he waved it to and fro,
III
And alt the while were bis eyes, that burned
Like sulphnrous flames, On the Rrog- seller
But whose tongue was stiG u a billet Of wood.
DESPAIR and horrnr were in his look.
But the aetld laughed on. He! hc!! ho! hol!'
And cyor the skull waved to and fro;
od a4 The he Of bis ,.a:
You surely huve nothing from u.e to dread;
We have known euch other SO long and well,
And love you more thMn Gun tell;
Yet it seems to me but II welcome cold
You give tn friend so true and old.
Who has been tyr years in your employ,
Running about like an crraAnd-boy.
Perhups you don't know me, or you'd be more
In the place where live 1'm called the D-L"
" saf5c % Yon me sa
...And, il you wish for tho proof.
Jus. tvig my horns, my ta, and my hoof;
And, having come from warmer cline below
70 chnt with friend for an hour or 80,
And the night being somewhat cold, think
You might ask IN old fellow to take a drink.
Come, now. let it be of tho clenr,, pure stun.
Swcetcned With brtnstone-a quart Is enough
And put the mess in UNI iron cup:
Aud hcnt by the tire Until 1t bubbles up"
As the Devil babe, tho 9rog-sellcr did,
An ank kse akGn t Soe 1t fa aa e tasped ,as lei oer
Tho fiery drnuxht to his guest he bore.
Old Nick ut II swallow the liquor did quar-
And thanked his host with IL gutturli laugh.
That On the rum sellers face were seen.
For mortal fear was on him then.
And 10 thought the ways Of other men
Hc should tread no more-thar his hour had
And his muster. too, to take him home:
An! s5risks were heard On tic tbe wintry oass, ss
And gliding before HIM. pale and dim.
We're unceuth forms and spectrea grim:
And there, amid that CHASTITY tr1tn.
He sAw the murdered wife Of Thomas Balm,
And he shivered and shook in every limb,
As II MI :lguc-tit bud hold Of him.
But the ilend in,lXhcd On. Ho: holt he'll heiI~
And l1e switched his tail In quiet glee.
- Do you think hnye come f'ry.,u Never fear:
You can't be spared for long while here.
There arc henrts to brcuk, uno souls to win
From the ways of peace to the paths OF sim;
There nrc homes to be rendered desolate;
There are hands TINT murder must crimson red:
There are hopes TO be crushed-bltghts to Be
shed
Der the young, md the pure, and the fatr,
Till their hearts are broken by the tend Despair;
And the hand tint should shield The wife frotn III.
In It's drunken wrath must be raised tn kill
q this Ia the work you have done 20 well,
Cuvsing the Eurth and peopling Hell:
Qucnchtng the light on the inner shrine
OF the heart. until Fou make IT mtuc
Wunt and sorrnw, diseuee and shame.
Ana crimes that even shtdder t. name,
Dance and howl in their hellish glce
Around the spirits you uAve marked Tor me.
Q the selling q rum = $ ss good device
where or shull roll That fiery dood.
It il swollen with tears, It's stained With blood.
And the tips that erewhle we're heart" In prayer
with ,nuEtered curses stir the air.
Huid on your cfurse-yon are filling up
with the vino OF the wr1th Of God your cup:
And the heuds exult in their homes below
As YOU deepen tho pan9s OF human wo.
Long shall it be, II have my way,
Ere the night OF de1.th shall darkon your day;
For. to pumpcr your lust for the gtittertug pe{f.
You rival In mischief the Devil himself;
And in the cnurts bold in my place below,
Your plea that you are licensed will be No 1p's
No more said tho flent. but clear and high
Rang On the air the watchmau's cry:
I" Past twn O'Clock. and a cloudy sky" :
The Krog-seller awoke with o half.foFmed
scrrum-
He invoke. aud behold! it was all dream.
His grizzly guest With bis horns had flown
His lamp was out~ his firo was gone: =,
And sad and silent his bed he st,ught, ~
= nd long Ut that woud1oua vision thouaAk