Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-22
BIG BEN BOLTON.
By EUGENE >. HALL.

remember big Ben Bolton, and the little Llontlne
He could carry off milestone, but she ruled him
like Queen.
He stood seven feet in his stockings she was hardI,
three feet high;
But she wound hum round her finger, and she ruled
ann with her eye.
The women used to smoker, and the hardy miner,
To zee the brawny giant with the gentle little child
And the gamblers, up from Frisco, whom they saw
them, used to swear
That they looked as fifty mated as q rabbit and .
bear.
He would drop his pick and shovel when she cam,
IN working hours
They would 60 among the gulches after gay and
He would climb the dizzy lodges, he would scale ths
luountAin-side,
Bearing her upon his shoulders, which be called he,
little bride"
He could bend an iron erowbar he could lift half
He could twist wagon-tire, or the barrel Of a gun
with his fingers; but Il often used to make us lsupb
"heh we saw beontine lead him 8 butcher leads
a calf.
When the hard days work was over, when tn.
crescent silver moon
Arose above the mountain pines We met at Rlood,,
saloon
When Ben Bolton used to give us exhibitions Of his
skill
In bending iron crow-ba or in twisting of drin
one day Ezekiel Parsons sent to Frisco on the sv
ANA bought bar Of tempered steel, for brswny Ben
70 try.
The boys who understood the game came down b
Bloods one nigh,
And stood serenely round the bar and waiting for
tho sight
Ben Bolton grasped the bar Of steel, he brought
And Ike locomotive pulled. the trick he couId moi
The sweat down his honest face, upon his hand,
he spit,
He tugged and worked with all his might, 1t would
not bulge . bit,
izckie Parsons shook his Sides the boys all laughed
Ben lost his reputation and had to treat the crowd
1t cut him 40 completely, and it made him feel SC
mean,
He quit the camp next morning with the little Leon
tine.
hills,
The stream becomes a river, that sweeps away til.
mills.
And downward through the hollow the maddened
torrent roars,
Der rocks, through glens and gulches, and minins
camps it pOurs.
cry comes from the holo Y, and rushing down til,
ridge ~
The miners see Ben Bolton like giant at the brid0s
The water settles about him, the bridge rocks to and
fro;
nc NOUS II WIN croW-bar-in minute it must 90.
Beneath the ledge near by, with bright dis
heveed hair,
Trey the little Ieontine-her hands sre clasped
in prayer.
The structure quakes, the strong man shakes, nc
fear is in his face;
"Ho save the child re shouts aloud, "Iu hold
the bridge in place"
zeke Parsons bounds upon the bridge, the women
vail with fear;
He lifts the child in his strong arms the miner,
-oudy cheer;
He leaps upon the trembling logs, the waters round
him roar;
He alps, he falls he creeps he orawls he spring,
upon the shore.
The child s saved, Ben Bolton, but who viii help you
The crow-bar in your brawny hands breaks ike
rotten bough,
And down the glen goes bridge and man. with broken
That rend ard ga-h his stalwArt form and crush and
break his bones.
Adown the hill tho miners run. with ontcries O,
d, spair;
They I'm him wedged between the rocks, and hang.
ing helpless there.
They bear his mangled form away, without tho glen
they pRss
With words Of pity and of love- and lay him on tn,
grass.
The crimson blood runs down his face he shudder,
and ne sighs;
His pale lip, move, he means, he groans then to
courade cries:
Tive so'ed the little Leontine, be kind to her
dear Joe.
I'm ben, apd broke, Zete Parsons, JOr I'm reads
noe % 90 -
His head droops limp and lifee's down, his eyet
grow dul and DIM,
His broad breast hoaves, SILVER runs through every
broken limb.
Then, with smile upon his lips, no sinks upor
the sod,
And the soul Of brave Ben Bottom is at peace with
man ald Ct