Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-15
BIG BEN BOLTON.
BY EUGENE ]. HALL.

BY EUGENE j. HALL.
remember big Ben Bolton, and the little Ltontine
He could carry off a milestone, but she ruled him
like Queen.
He stood seven feet in his stockings she as hardly
three feet high;
But she wound him round her finger, and she ruled
him with her eye.
The women used to smoker. and the hardy miners
smiled,
To see tie brawny giant with the gentle little child.
ana tae gamblers, up from Frisco, when they saw
them, used to swear
That they looked as fifty mated as rabbit and a
bear
He would drop his pick and shovel when she came
in working hours:
1hey would go among the gulches after gay and
He would climb the dizzy lodges, he would scale the
mountain-side,
Bearing her upon his shoulders, which he called her
- little bride"
He could bend an iron crowbar, he could lift half
ton,
lie could twist wagon-tire, or the barrel of gum
With his fingers but 1t often used to make us laugh
When we saw Leontine lead him butcher leads
calf.
When the hard days work was over, when the
crescent silver moon
Arose above the mountain pines, we met at Bloods
BsloOn,"
When Ben Bolton used to give US exhibitions of his
skill
In bending iron crow-bsrs or in twisting off drill.
One day Ezekiel Parsons sent to Frisco on the sIv
And bought bar Of tempered steel, for brawny Ben
TO try.
The boys who understood the game came down to
Bloods one night,
And stood serenely round the bar and waiting for
the sight.
Ben Bolton grasped the bar of steel, he brought i
to his knee
And like locomotive pulled, the trick he could not
The sweat down his honest face, upon his hands
he spit,
lie tugged and worked with all his might, it would
not bulge bit.
Ezekiel Parsons shook his Sides the boys all laughed
aloud,
Ben lost his reputation and had to treat the crowd.
1t cut him so completely, and it made him feel SO
mean,
lie quit the camp next morning with the little Leon
tine.
storm comes up the valley, cloud bursts on the
The stream becomes river, that sweeps away the
mills.
Ger rocks through glens and gulches, and mining
camps 1t pours.
A cry comes from the hollow, and rushing down the
ridge
The miners see Ben Bolton like giant at the bridge,
liz "'OSA SCtOS 1tOOO6 bIC DAINBC IOCAS W d-lu
He holds it with crow-bar-in minute it must 60
Beneath the narrow ledge near by with bright dis
heveled hair,
They see the little Leontine-her hands are casped
in prayer.
The structure quakes, the strong man shakes no
fear is in his face;
''Ho save the child" he shouts aloud, a." I'll hold
the bridge in place"
Leke Parsons bounds upon the bridge, the women
wall with fear;
He lifts the child in his strong arms, the miners
He leaps upon the trembling logs, the waters round
him roar
He slips, he falls he creeps he crawls he springs
upon the shore.
The child is saved, Ben Bolton but who will help you
now?
The crow-bar in your brawny hands breaks Ike a
rotten Dough,
And down the glen goes bridge and man. with broken
logs and stones
That rend and cash his stawart form and crush and
break his bones.
Adown the hill the miners run, with outcries Of
despair;
They find him wedged between the rocks, and hang
ing helpless there.
They bear his mangled form away, without the glen
they pass
With words of pity and of love, and lay him on the
grass.
The crimson blood runs down bis face, he shudders
and he signs;
His pale lips move, he means, he groans, then to
Comrade cries:
"Ive saved the little Leontine, be kind to her,
dear Joe,
Tan bent and broke, Zete Parsons, for Tn ready
31Op TO 60"
His head droops limp and Hfeless down, his eyes
grow dull and dim,
His broad breast heaves, SILVER runs through every
broken limb.
Then, with smile upon his lips, he sinks upon
the sod,
And the soul OF brave Ben Bolton is at peace with
and God.