The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-09-06
Farmer stebbIn. at Ocean Grove.

DEAR BROTHER JoHN;
We got here safe-my worthy wife an me-
An pitcned our tents within grove contigus Il
We've harvested such means Of grace az Rrowec
We've TENDED ali the mornin' talks, we've heard
An oyeryIh hing went pleasantly, until we had q
Ny wife and lone breezy day, to take an ocean
swim.
We wouldn't ha' ventrod ont, think, II Sister
Hadn't urged Us over an ag'In, an said sho knew
AM told how safe an sweet 1t was ain ocean rils
An'"spOrt within the foamlng surf" an "rido the
An so we went along with hor--my tmld wife an
Two inland noodles, for our arst acquaintance with
the sea.
They put me in work-day rig, as usaliy is done
wampus an short overhauls all sewed up into
had 70 phil an fuss an jerk to make the things 20
round
(You are aware my peaceful weight will crowd three
hundred pound)
They took my, wig an LAID it up-to keep 1t safe,
An strapped a straw-stack OF hat on my devoted
head.
They pTt my wife into dress too short by full
Twas some'at in the BloOmer STYLE an looked q
You know she's rather tall an slIm-somewhat nv
opposite
An clothes that not cut for her are likely not to
TT;
But as We was we vent'red ln-my faithful wife an,
me-
An formed our fret acquaintance with the incon-
sistent sea.
Miss snnnyhopes she went ahead. a-Iookin trim an
sweet
She'd had her bathn suit all fixed an trimmed from
head 20 feet:
An Iwent ont an grabbed the rope Just as she told
Anwfe came next, a-lOOkin' scared, scarce knowin'
what to do.
But Sister sunnyhOpss to me smile o. sweetness
An said, "NOw watch your chance, an jump-here
comes n lopslywavel
must ha' jumped, I ruther think, the wrong time
At any rate the lovely wave occurred to me too
It took me solid, with rude an unexpected shock;
II beat the stoutest pair o. horns there is in all my
An then, TO top the circus out, an mako the act
tried to kick the lovely wave, relinquishln' tho
line.
On country fair an 7cton days, in walkin' through
a crowd,
I'm rathsr Arm to ,OstIe gaInst--perhaps 1t makes
But II itdoes, that wave dIscoursod how sureness
An seemed to shout, - How small is man, no odds
It sat on me- 1t jumped on me, in spite OF right or
An whisied an whlrlod me all about as If I'd been
straw.
An then 4 laid me on the beach, right thankfufor
An scrSmblln' up, gave gaze to md my faithful
But she had sort o. cut the wavo with all the edge
An stood a-hOldln' to the rope, uncommon moist
While Sister sunnyhopeS, with smiles, was loOkin'
A-noatin on her dainty back, sOme several rods
away.
She looked 80 newish-pretty there (an' knowed it
The crowd was al admirin' her, an so was my
An while again grasped the line beside my wife
Ny eyes ,OOUid rove to Sister g., her beauty an her
when all at once another wave, tremendous broad
Come smashin' down on wife au' me, an tossed us
in heap.
Head over heels, all in bunch, my wife across o.
Anil on some unlucky folks who happened there
to be;
Ny hat united an nOated of, an left my bald head
bare.
When we got out I'd hA' spoke, it would ha' warmed
We drank good part of the seA-my gas PIN wife
anil
While Sister s., still nOsted soft, again at the
sky.
We voted that we'd got enough, an crawled out of
the way
Before another wave arrived, an bid the sea good
day.
We looked as ike two drownded rats as ever such
was called,
With one OF em mighty fool particularly bald.
But, like woman true, she said-my watchful wife
Ito me,
"we win not mind there's others here that looks
as bad as We"
Now Sister sunnyhopes, by-n-by, came back into
onr tent,
Az sleek or sleeker than BEFORE an asked ns when
We went
Says I, "My dear good Sister s., please do not now
pretend
You did not see our v'yage through, ana mark its
doleful end.
II You would play the mermaid fair, why, such I'd
have you be;
But we're too old 20 take that part-my faithful
wife an me-"
wa Carleton, in Hdrper's Weekly.