The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-12-17
ouT-HoRATIusISG HoRATIu

But Rutherford's brow was sad,
And his lips were pnrsed into pout,
And he turned and told his Cabinet,
"My Message mustn't get out;
1t mustn't be- anywhere printed
Until in Congress it's read,
Ifit is-what no there, Rodgers.-
Ii it is, off goeth your head
Then out spake brave young Rodgers,
The + rivate Secretary
ITO every man upon this earth
Death cometh certain, very; elaa 1f
# And how can man die better
p p Than in seeing to it surely Eaf
That your annual Message, sire,
Comes out not prematurely.
''Give me the Message, sire,
With all the speed ye may
q L, with two more to succor me, slaa
Will hold the press at bay;
The press of all America
May well be watched by three
Now who will stand on either hand
And the Message guard with me?''
Then out spake William Evarts,
ed lawyer keen was he's aeHl
so, will stand at thy right hand
And the Message guard with thee
And out sIake John de Sherman,
OF Ohio blood was he:-
'sLo, L will stand at thy left hand
And the Message guard with thee" ea
Keen listened Hayes unto them, si aair
And pensive was his eye.
And when they had finished speaking
He heaved heavy sigh:
Then slow from his inside pocket ~.
His annual Message he took,
And he passed it over to Rodgers
With such an anxious look.
: igulsi Issi1 8i4ff 5''Iae 7ff
''Brave warrior,n said the President,
Beware all artful dodgers;n- f
And straight the Message safe to guard
Went forth the .dauntless Rodgers;
Spared neither nights nor Cays
Nor pens nor ink, nor wax nor stamps,
IN tne brave times OF hayes!
W
ana now 70 aIi postal masters
Snrewed hoogers qroppetn a line.
ne T., wrItes % .neni nVtu gu iast 70 the message
I'LL j1l telegrapn on tne sign;
Iake 1ns COPIES mere enclose you,
& Let no mortal eyes peruse them.
untu IL IN congress IS READ. 90 -ial1
.aafi1Iafo. .f'
Inc Fostmasters LOOK the copies, af4 a
All over this widespread nation,
IN tneit stoutest saIes tney locKed them.
And hld the combination!
ana iT aigns g IN ironc oL tne saie doors
A guard drawn up with pistols
Ana Win dogs OIL tne Dioodnound breed.
,na
ana Wnen any newspaper gentry
Ana the Postmasters came together,
Inc iatter were dumoer tnan oysters
Except on the state OF the weather.
y z, : ~ 80 ~ ., ~ Ivy So-oina o@ii
Spa .ioill.oA uiS.l.e noA uays
In the brave times Of Hayes.
But there was one exception:-
A5 One luckless postal-master q" -
Came very near to bringing lQf
The Message to disaster. W u
Two days before in Congress
The document they read, ..-isli .i
o. sacrilecious deed, .'A 1oI-.a s
&
The Volksblatt editor took it:-1,ffT rnrli is.I
Thrice thought he of the chance ~ -. e. ~
TO SCOOP all his fellow papers @
And the Volksblatt's fortunes advance:
Thrice turned he a handspring lightly
For ioy at his lucky position ,li- q EH7
With a million extra edition. 80
Such thoughts were his but a moment
Then the Volksblatt editor smiled.
And said .sBy the shades of Franklip.
will not be wrongly beeuiled
will do the thing that is manly
That is manly and square and all that
So you devil, there, give me nv hat,
To the Post-offiee quickly he hastened,
And he said to the Postmaster there:-
$40, here is the Presidents Message;
To keep it would hardly be fair.
came by it honest, this morning;
1t was part of my regular mail
But would not my honor assail''
They gave him OF the Patent Office Reports,
Which was the pubic right,
As mucn as Two Irelgnt engines
Cou!d uraw from morn 10 mght;
Ana they nao MS photoSrapn taken,