The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-04-02
THE POET AND THE WHALE
An Interesting Visitor Pays his Respects to
the Levinthnn OF Wall Street.

A small, wiry man, with aQuilnc logs,
planted well apart o tippet Of gray whiskers
under his chin wearing a heavy pair of cavalry
boots. bottlo-green pea Jacket. and n chid's
hat slightly on one side Of his head approached
the gentleman who snaps the ends Of bundle
OF pasteboard tickets ut the entrance to the
bridge leading to the float which supports the
whale. yesterday. and somewhat excitedly in
quired Is she gomez"
Is who gone 2" replied the gentleman.
The whale" explained the small man. look
Ing eagerly ut the gentleman with the tickets.
No." no replied she amt gone"
I'm glad Of that" said the small man. I've
been to Egypt and Palestine. and Roosh-a. but
| never saw IA whale. l thought mebbe I'd like
to write something about it."
Reporter" said the gentleman with the
tickets; walk right in"
No" explained the small man. laughing
and softly, scratching his head with one finger
! S'pOSn I'm sort of u poet"
=. Same thing - responded tho gentleman with
the tickets; Walk right in"
white striped tent. The whale. surrounded by
q low fence; lay inside. II was the size of
rescmblednn asphalt sidewalk or an old fash
Toned, lustreless gum oyershoe. Thrust into
the spout holes y, Of the monster: and waving
american, colors, printed on cotton cloth.
Wooden signs nailed r%2on the carcass At differ;
This is the Whales ear" &c The mouth
ing a nno SGT Of whacbone and. con
whale OF this sex, u tongue which was made
fast at the end. The mouth was illuminated by
n locomotive headlight attached to a post. and
looseness made the head Of the whale resemble
one Of those monster derrick coal scuttles
which are used in the unloading of ships. and
which are capable of dropping all apart in the
most astonishing and alarming manner Square
into the whale at divers points. but would hard
ly. be noticed by casual observer.
the whale I? Why he continued. pursuing his
eye Of u whale is let in behind his fifth rib I
wonder If he can look forward. or il he doesn't
care what ls in front OF him. and only CON
either side. Why do they say on that sign that
ing anywhere near that sign except n smooth
unbroken eNpanse of whale.
That the whale has any ear"
4 young man climbed to the top Of n step
ladder just south Of the whale and claimed the
attention of the spectators who numbered one
hundred or more. He wore a snuil-colored
lIayard street and tho Bowory voice. lie said i:
Ladies and gentlemen. have to present to
served up to n civilized community before. /
refer to IA whale. There are three sorts OF
whale, tho right whale. tho sperm whale, and
another sort. This is n right whale. Can
a9ybody ask me why, he is a right
weather beaten old man who looked as though
with the assistance of few BRASS headed " :, :
he could readily be converted into a Very crcd-
table sole-lcather trunk is tho rL;-,Ier and
boss of this whale11Capt. nam Edwards.
i was difficult task. L-rSe ms the mouth OF
inns whale -. MS ,.r6at is SO small that no
you'd real M smoked bya good sized herring.
Owlre to thts fact good many do not believe
p.at 2 wnale swallowed Jonah; but for my part
! believe that the Lord made the whale, and
| that He could make whale swallow anything
| He saw Mt Pieces OF this whale and books
telling all about whales are for sale in this tent.
| The money goes for the benefit OF n widow and
| nm orphqn. Tho orphan is Capt. Edwards, tho
boss of this whale, and the widow is his wife w
| at New London
The poet said that he was much pleased with
| the whale, That is sort of puHZliug," no re-
marked, about Jonah but this young man
| may be mistaken. | believe that whale If he
| was alive could swallow mo II he tried. Looks
| to mo S II it stands 10 reason, s'poSo they'll
| want 10 hear all about 1t up at the Farmers
| Club next week"