Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-15

DEDICATED 10 the NJ dern Heroic School Of Writer'S
HON. foNpERous PoLYLoouENr. LOoUrruR
That reminds me. dear sir. of little occurrence
which haWTp san ,.s
All, LET NE replenisa your glass, sir And if you,,
shall be very glad
To recount it to you for venture tn hat:er myself
tis other than bad.
You observs at the side table there that majestic
Wen. that sir. is Bean.
The hero hero who made himself famous upon that occa.
long time ago.
Way back in Virginia-lets see. If my memory
In the year twenty-fo'.
Twas in !, Albemarle County. Virginia my father
Till the day that be died,
Well of in fine horses, and nisge 8. and arabia
And fam lily pride:
J homas Jetierson's friend las horseman, swords
Was he known, far and wide.
This DEPRESSION pray pardon. Twas there that he
raised us together
old Beau there and me-
InouRh Beau was niger, and was the son of his
owner,
Mt little cared We:
We We're simply two boys-we were friends-we
were constant com paniOns
In work or on spree.
Well. cousin Of mine. James Tottett. from Wash
tame over one year
10 Pay me vista priggish young blue bloc and
With an arrogant sheer
For our primitive customs. and Blasting his
wondrous achievements
In tobacco and beer.
From the fifst Bean concsiTed dislike to James
Which be sought no. to hide:
Willie James was accustomed to make him che bait
% 4''S '''. And frequently tried
To goad him by taunts to quarrel. to which th:
~ Very seldom replied.
One Sabbath We went. with lot OF the neiglboring
Inclusive of Beau
And OF James-to the river near by, Our ultm .te
A-swimming to go.
Walking thither James rdiculed Beau more severe
IF he could have done so)
Now Beau was wondrous musician on whistles
Which he made with his Knife
ana mem 5ne Gn' 1; las. teceding my father had
marvellous fife,
10 perform upon which, to his friends and his own
Was the pride of his life.
~ In view of us all.
Was snatched at by James. Then they cEinched, In
the tussle ensuing
Beau was rather too small;
in has pocket,
Thus concluding tho brawl.
We continued our journey until we arrived at the
Our p ime destination;
Cur ADDITIONS performed. our habiliments donncd.
That. for more recreation.
We proceed up the stream to the door of the
Devil. which motion
Received Apr obatiOn.
This Door of the Devil was then notorious feature
n he hari Inv
Where the water dashed swirling beneath the steep
With q sough and sigh;
And never again had ausht swallowed down by its
Been perceived by mans eye
Arrived. we were gazing with woader down at the
And with some superstition,
"hen. attempting to cast al un"eiidly proiectile
James lost his position
Ealing 1n-ln a trice sucked from sight-WhiIe We
stood stark as statues,
In our helpless condition.
Great God! Not an atom of hope Yet some oae
In response to which call
and my father
(Bean after the brawl
Having sulked in thu rear)-and despair and sick
ening horror
Filled the faces of all
No hope; for the Door of the Devil never yields up
And none is 30 rash
AS to forfeit his life IN futile endeavor to rescue
nor HOld!-Eke fash
figure darts through us-leaps over the bank--in
al IL stanI
Disappears with splash
1t was Beau! There's breeze of a mlrlnur, and
then dead silence. ~
He cau Ter re- appear:
his we know, even though he is one of the finest
OF div ers
To be found far or near
iAus We wait tul mlnuto-another--tiyo hea5s
aboUe ,0dter!
And from us hoarse cheer
There's a fearful s'lspense-a grand struggle-and
Beau, with his burden,
At last is ashore;
And the men rear him, dripping and bleeding a,oft
Oh theic shonlsers,
With thurderous rolr.
Aud my father for once le profane, as he Sears
'By JehO- all,
He is FREE. evermoie."
wren James had recovered. he walked up to Beau.
and he thshked him,
And assured him James Tottett
Was his friend from that FORTH and he offered his
haEd, but Beau scjrned it,
And muttered, 'tDod rot it.
Do you think it war YOU war after." CHS hand on
his pocket
'"Twar my ffs. and got it,"
Z. n. ROBERTSON.
-ED1ToR's DRAWER, in Harper's Magazine for
EeDfN0rU.