The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-05-20
TWO STORIES OF LAMB.

Lamb was invited to meet somewhat
mixed company. One was Mr.. D.
a retired cheese-monger, who had beer
for years in some commission connected
with the poor laws. He was pompous
man, with grand affectation of having
been born to the exalted position. A
one time in the course Of the dinner
| opinions ran at variance as to the proper
methods of dealing with pauperdom, and
Mr.. D-assumed very high manner.
Gentleman, he said, thrusting his
thumbs into the arm-holes of his vest
| lying back in his chair, and initiating his
lungs to their utmost capacity gentle,
man, should know what / am speaking
of, with all my years in the public ser,
vice, and with my opportunities for
studying the dispositions of these miser-
able and troublesome paupers. Gentle
men, they are as worthless and migrate
| full as they are and have been improvident!
| The time has been, gentleman, when /
had some of the milk of human kindness
IL my breast for these wretches; but
now" and he paused for moment in
order to let the conclusion come in more
overwhelmingly "N-now," broke in
Lamb. with his poor, thin face all child
ish innocence-''n-now, Mr.. D.,
| suppose that m-milk is all made up
| into ch-ch-cheesel" Lamb receives an
invitation on 4 certain evening to be
present at a breakfast at Rogers's the
following morning, to meet a young
author, whose first volume of poetry left
the press that day. He went tritie
early and reached the waiting room while
it was vacant, Rogers not having come
down, and none of the other guests hav-
ing arrived. On a table lay a copy of
the young poets new book. Lamb pick
ed it up, ran through it, saw that it con-
tanned nothing of any special mark, and
then, in few minutes yet remaining,
amused himself by committing to memory
three or four Of the short poems it con-
tained. The guests sarrived-amongt them
the young aspirant for honors. Some Of
the leading men of the London world of
letters were among the number. Rogers
descended, the young man was introduc-
ed, and the breakfast was served. Some
literary matters came under discussion,
pending the after introduction of the
young poets book. With the grayest Of
faces, after few moments, Lamb sal / ::
Il ddon-t think, g-gentleman, that h.
have ever r-repeated to you one of my b.
best poems. What s-say will you h-haye
it," Nobody quite understood WHIST WAS
coming, but ali could Iead the mlschley-
Gus fash in the eye that was usually so
kindly; and the demand for the poem
was general. Lamb quietly repeated,
word for word, one of the poems from
the young mans book. The key was
furnished to the rest, when they saw the
young poet pale, then redden, and then
ldll UdCh III liIo tAStOIlLoACNA uo II
thunderstruck, and as helpless rs if par
alyzed. Loud cheers, clapping of hands,
and demands for more. Lamb bowed
his thanks, pretended not to remember
anything else that he had latay written,
and then, under urging, repeated another,
and yet anOther,-of the poems from the
young mans book-the budding poet
manifesting symptoms Of doubt whether
he had really written the poems that up
to that time he had believed that he had
until he heard man declaimiug them
and claiming them for his own; man
who could not even have seen his unpub-
lished book Louder cheers, and still
louder demands for yet another. The
fun, with all the ''old uns' now thorough
ly instructed, began to grow ''fast and
furious" Lamb, who had previously
retained his position, now rose, and said
"G.gentleman, have only been giving
you ssome little bits OF m-my p poetry.
But 1 h-have one p-poem that L am a
little p-proud Of. l wrwrote it a good
m-many years ago. This is h-how it
begins
'''Of m-man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden t-tree, whose mortal t-taste :
Brought death into the world with all orr VOC
The recitation was doomed to go no
further. For the previous few minutes
the young poet, crazed with wonder. and
| vet aware that in some unaccountable
manner he was being robbed-had simp-
| ly been tearing his hair. But at this
| iuncture he could restrain himself no
longer. He sprang to his feet, his face
ablaze, aud burst out
Gentlemen, This ia too muchl / haye
sat here, gentleman, and heard that man
repeat poem after poem OF mine, claiming
them for his own, and I have borne it
But when l hear him attempt to claim
the opening lines of Milton's Paradise
| Lost
That address, too, was doomed to be
cut short like the recitation. Rogers
averred that never, beneath his root,
with all the merry madness that tha
breakfast table knew, had such storm
of laughter and applause gone over it, q!
finished that speech END sent the young
man to his chair, for the time little les:
than an absolute maniac, under tbe pres
sure of Lambs crowning atroeity.
"OH! mister, said an old lady after q
lsirvrle had passed her. ssiust now T saaf