Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1883-12-27

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And Yielding toincyitable scenes
He turn him'roTnd and faced the Philistines
With native zeal these Johnnie Rebs proceeded
( To act rs tho they never had seeded.
! They dimed and wined him more than can tel
/ They taught him how 10 give the Rebel yell,
! They pm, him thro' the PAGES OF the show
He saw the elephant score OF times or 50
! And must tell it Jpallid, very limp,
/ They made him sick a-catin picked shrimp
When lol along the throbbing wires flying
/ Was sent the news The President Is dying
Lies whirring wheel in sIanier
stilld its din
And Doctor Bits prepared bulletin.
Now later on where Western wids invite
And specIled trout are nothing 10th 10 bite,
Where canyoned pictures teach TO puny man
The scope stupcndous of daring Natures plan.
Our ARTHUE found quite prolonged retreat
From vexing cares and vulgar Eastern heat
With saddle feats, with sun dance and parade
The Indian sum of reverence was paid.
And when this Father turned him home again
A host of trophies follow'd in histrain.
These Yankee States have earned reputation
For welcoming each AAgiicc sensation.
To OSCAR WILDE and EnglandS scribe ofwar
The massive FoRBEs we open'd wide he door;
Anon, with smile insinuativc. bland.
CAPEL, the priestlv. FASTENED 10 our land
Then lordly CoLERInGE with calm judicial eye,
Surrounded by a suite of smaller Try,
Ostensibly to merely study well
Our institutions Caesar Whata SELL
They size him up, they calculate his treasure,
And. lynx-eyed, take the staring Yankees
measure,
Then nimbly dropping to the lecture game
They coin that wherofor, alone, they came.
And yet while snobs with Yankee wealth
combine
Where can reformers draw the nccdgul line?
If some had said few brief years ago
That Georgia would her STEPHENS honor so,
And tn the BUTLER also would Lecome,
A governor, democratic, dumb
The country would have stood agape
And duly doubted the impending scrapc.
With all his wisdom Aleck was not wise,
A peoples clamor gave him to the skies
While vet the other: Massachusetts Ben
$50 differ the tempcraments Of mem
Still found in all the elements OF strife
The very essence Of lusty life
With Southern spoons he stirr'd poor-house
stew
To find therein pointer and a clue
To future honors. Nay! The one eyed bear
Has iixd his ycarnings on the President chair
Ancnt the Star Route ycrdict-ere | stray
"Chct ARTHUR knew little bit too much
Then let the law those big Defendants touch.
Yet was il politic-moreover something wise
To throw some dust into the peoples eyes
The legal farce was acted with a Will,
The public pocket paid the heavy bill.
Behold Where long its stunted growth com
Contempt and grim satire biavely held
anew il rises, cleaning wOndrOus white,
4 soaring shaft whose final crowning height
Shall dwarf aspiring effort, render small
The loitiest creation Of them all.
I'm close reunions all the summer thrO'
The boys in grey have met them 10 renew
The stored memories of a fallen cause,
Whose banners fell in bloodiest OF wars.
The sovereign rights of each proud Southern
State
They fought at desperate odds to vindicate-
While later on, 81 paliate his blame,
4 frauding President yields in part the claim.
of in the l2-month CARRIED in soldier guse,
Did ex-Confeds with Yankees fraternize:
The brave Fitz Lee and staff hobnobbd together
With York : superb 18Th, in summer weather.
Anon, the Stonewalls-bravest Of brigades,
The m ,n0ry OF whose valor never iades-
The 18th New York It's flag restored
And Joined hands across a shcathed sword
While Charleston Infantry and crack Palmetto
Guards
Have so inspired ITariforls lyric bards
They say he shaking a Palmetto tree in town
Will ever bring a throng of nutmegs down
Where Oak Hill muses. over ghostly dreams
And pendant foliage kiss the gurgling streams,
Was laid to rest. with tardy, loving care
An exile's ashcs-a poet unaware.
He wrote to win an Authors laurel crown
His country gave him only sparse renOwni
u, l. - eff 4
And To- he stumbled on q Poets fame
Let Civil Service tempt my humble rhymes
And prove a worthy topic OF the times.
Whose hath taxes. great or small, 20 pay
Must toe the mark In financial way;
He may be dCncey- read aiall.
To write would floor him Gar beyond recall.
To him is ciphcrng utterly unknown
lie stands perhaps ualcttcrct and alone.
And vet. it don't in anywise appear
That deep examns guagc his fitness here.
Or prving queries dclve into his life
To gather points aaent himself and wife.
The yeriest clod may, uniisturbcd and calm,
Go pay his taxes 20 his Uncle Sam
Nav. If lie dallies-lrcsitaut and shy
4 legal process hits him i'm the eye.
But let the man whose tithes are iiquidatcd-
Whose "a jard j. thus materially abated,
With honest purpose seek an office triiie
To clothe his bairns-their hungry pangs -
stife.
Yea. tho il were the merest mental boon
To swab hall, 10 clean Zig spitto0n;
Hedgd in with queries, impudent, profound
10. Civil Service holds the vantage ground.
Clothed with authority. insOlcnt and big
Sweet Samples of the small official prig-
Examiners sit and, looking very wise,
Their own deficiencies striving 20 disguise,
The mental probe which other minds prepare
Amply unto the stupid" standing there
WHO waivers not. Each question finds reply
Tho twisted turned, his powers ~ DEFY;
And home affairs infinitely sifted tlro'
Unbosomd are in language good and true.
He thus doth gain the wonderful advance
OF stepping down and-waiting on his chance.
What care officials, tho in deep distress
This honest man can scarcely tears repress
Then have the record ygilant and clear.
IfcalVd " confession IL were more sinceTe.)
The man is gruiily told % stand aside
To see. anon. the doors thrown open wide
And Influence a seryiie homage win
While passing protegees unchallengci in.
What more inspiring than The Ori0e?-
Whose living tints were gifted with q soul.
A feast Of color. Respondent in the sun
And swiftly Deepening az day was done
As summer sunstt robes the quiyerng west
And gold and opal fieck is crimson breast
The GORGEOUS picturC. wrapped in mellow haze
OF late September semi-.roPic days.
And glowing pageants. marshald in the night
Athyart whose banners streane1 radiance
bright
Like snow sun-riyen, their lustrc FISHING wide
Electric spIendors pour'd dazzling tide