The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-01-13
BIG BEN B,LroN.
~ EUGENE ,. HALL

remember big Ben Bolton, AID the little LsontIne.
He could carry Of a mtnstone but she ruled him
He stood feet IN his stockings ss was hardly
three feet high;
But she wound him round her hger, 1d she ruled
him with her eye.
The women used to snieker, and the hs-dy miners
smiled,
To see the brawny giant with tn gentle little child
And the gamblers, mp from 'F.rtco, when they saw
them, used TO swear
That they looked as htly mated as 4 rabbit and a
bear.
he would drop his pick and shovel when she came
They would 60 am,ps the e1il,hes after say and
He would climb the dlzz, ledge.h be would scale the
Bearing her upon his should,-s vhch he called her
he could bend iron ero"sa-. ne sE,-ssst half 4
ne could twist Tsgon-tire. or the barrel OF gun,
With his fingers; but it often used 70 make us laugh
When We saw Leontne lead him as butcher leads
calf.
When the hard days work was over, whea tile
Arose above {he mountain pines we met at " Bloods
saloons
when Ben Tolton used to give US exhibitions Of his
skin
In bending ieon crow-bars or in twisting of drill
one day Ezekiel Parsons sent to Frisco on the sly
And bought bar Of tempered Steel FOR bFawny Ben
The boys Who understood the game came down to
And stood serensly round the bar and waiting for
the sight
Ben Bolton grasped the bar Of STEEL he brought
And like a locomotive puaed the trick he could not
The sweat ran down his honest face upon his hand,
He tugsed and worked with all his might, i, would
not bulge bit.
Ezekiel Parsons shook his Sides the boys al laughed
aloud,
Ben lost his reputation and had to treat the crowd
1t cut him so completely and it made him feel so
he quit the camp next morning with the little Leon
tine.
storm comes up the valley, cloud bursts on the
hills,
The stream becomes river, that sweeps away the
And downward through the hollow the maddensd
Der rocks, through gleus and gulehss, and mining
camps it pours-
A cry comes from the hollow, and rushing down the
The miners see Ben Bolton Ike giant at the bridge
The water settles about him, the bridge rocks 70 and
He holds it with a crow-bar-in minute it must 60
Beneath the narrow ledge near by, with bright dis
They SEQ the little Leontne-her hands are clssped
N prayer.
The structure quakes, the strong man shakes, no
fear is IN his face;
'' Ho save the child he shouts aloud, I'm hold
the bridge IA place
zeke Parsons bounds upon the bridge, the women
vail with fear
Ne Hfts the child in his strong arms the miners
-oudly cheer;
tie leaps upon the trembling logs the waters round
him roar.
He slips, he fails, he ereeps he eravls he springs
upon the shore
The child is saved Ben Bolton, but who viii help you
The erow-bar in your brawny hands breaks Ike
rotten bough,
And down the glen goes bridge and man with broken
That rehd and cash his stalwart form and crush and
break his bones
Adown the hill the miners run, with ogtcries Of
despair:
They md him wedged between the rocks, and hang
ing helpless there.
They bear his mangled form away, without the glen
With words Of pity and Of love, and layhim on the
grass.
The crimson blood runs down his face ie shudders
and he sighs:
His pale lips move, he means, he groans then 70 q
comrade cries:
I've saved the little Leontine, be kind to her.
I'm bent S- and broke, zeks Persons, or I'm ready
nor 20 90 !'
lis head droops limp and Hfeless down, his eyes
grow dull and dim,
lis broad breast heaves, shiver runs through every
then, With a smile upon his lips, he sinks upon
the sod,
md the soul Of brave Ben Bolton is Al peace with
and God.