Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-06-26
ARTHUR JELLEMAN.

Mr.. Arthur JcllCman had written
poor verses for obscure publications
until he had gained the uncnviable
name of poet. Whenever he visited Il
ncighboring village the local publica-
ton spoke of him as the poet The
rude stones in ncighboring grave
yards bore much Of his literary work
mortal addresses to immortality. In
early boyhood he was apprcnticcd TO Il
shoemaker, but shortly afterwards
having met the bright-cycd little
dughtcr of the tin smith, the jingling
feet of measured words instead of the
feet of the human family claimed his
attention. His first production was
scribblcd in spraddling letters on an
old slate, one side of which was covered
with the names of "tough customers
When the supplemented shoemaker
spelled the words and ar
rived at an understanding of their i'm
port, he turned to the boy and said:
"Arthur, if | was in your place, |
wouldn't hump myself over old shoes.
You are poet. 1t is said that poets
are born, and after rcadin' this here
articklc, hanged if haven't come TO
the conclusion that You must have
been born"
81 was BORN replied the boy with
enthusiasm. 81 was born out at the
old Rainc's place"
"That SOP exclaimed the shocmak-
cr, as though the boy, having proved
that he was born, verified his own as
scrtion. After rejecting for Il moment,
the shoemaker slowly shook his head,
and taking piece of leather from n
tub of water, began to pound ii and 10
whistle in that tunclcss way character
istic of the profession. Then, taking
up IN old boot, he pressed it on his
knee with leather strap which he
passed over the boot and under his
foot "Wouldn't kctch me whittlin'
luther if | could write po'try. My
brother was u poet, an if he hadn't
died, he would have been
"Livin' yct?n suggested the boy.
what did tell you?' the shoe.
maker exclaimed, Nobody but t
poet would have thought of sayin
that. There's money an good cl0thc.
waitin' for you in this world
Il hope they won't wait very long.
They won't if you only act in time
Don't YOU rccollcct what Shakespear,
said about takin' the bull by thC
horns? forget the exact words, bu
have heard my brother git EN- OF
4 many u time. Let me see: There il
, fortune in the affairs of man when h,
takes the bull by the horns That il
fine piece of writin an don't doub
in the least that you can say some
thin Just as good after awhile.
II have u notion to stop shoc-mak
y ing" sail the boy, half muSng, fear
: full that any outburst on his par
0 would bcspcak Il lack of wcll-balancc,
: Judgement.
"Of course you have
But couldn't make poetry pay Il
u the start, you know. | must stud
: and ut the same time do something t
+ support myself" "
q "Ycs, know that, but it must nc
be shocmakin'. Shoemakcrs get to b
big politicians but they dontr run muc
q to poetry, so, if you want to keep on
of politics, you must let shoemaker
alone. Why, sir, 1t is as much as | ca
IL do to keep from going out on til
ii street and making speech. | hay
L tuck it inter my head to 90 TO II nigh
school and learn how TO read in carr
est"
g probably you may become Il poet,
t. said the boy.
i mo, that'll never be. | can max
20 cat an hat rhyme, but nobody wan
~ that sort Of poetry. Lemmc tell yo
Tx what to do. Old man Boyd, VIII
lives out ON the turnpike amt got l
children. Now if you wustcr stril
III him, he might take Il fancy to you II
'p send you to college. S'pozen you
3. rite out there an see him?"
in "My father might not like ii"
,o "Hc wouldn't care, for | told hi
o M the other day that you ought to be
w school but he said that he couldn't 4
nj ford to let you so, He meant that
couldn't support you. Now you
out and see old man Boyd"
IT, an 60" the boy exclaimed, arisil
at and throwing his apron aside. Il
ly tell him that | want TO be poet and
n may open his heart.