The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-03-15
RAW MEAT.
Iopie P. Read, in Texas Siftings.

MeQuirter is a peculiar fellow" said Tom BoIes the other day, leaning back and gaping until it seemed as if his en- tire head would become yawning cavity. l was going 10 say that slept with him last night, but hang him, didn't sleep. 1 went to his room, having accepted an invitation to eat oysters and sleep at his expense. Mack, you know, is sort of literary man. He writes poetry on the death of friends, and it seems to me that he is always glad when valued friend drops of, for Ii gives his grim muse chance to come out of its box. Well, after we had eaten the oyAers and settled down to the comforts arising from briar- root and tobacco, Mack looked up suddenly and said
 ''' Tom. l am going to write poem.
 ''' Who's going to die 7 asked.
 ''' Hang il all, you fellows think can only write when somebody dies. You take my muse for ali undertaken, don't you have written many poems on live topics, let me tell you. Do you know what kind of poetry takes bes, :?
 '' The light and breezy kind, should thing
 "' That's where you're wrong. It's the terrible verse that captures the people. Fine drawn sentiment only appeals 10 4 few refined people, whereas we'll versl- ned description of jim jams IS understood by the masses. Take, for instance. the Maniac Don't you remember 1t. Stay, Jaller. stay. am not mad, and so on. Had that been love scene 1t would have been forgotten years ago. Do you know how that was produced No. We'll. I'll tell you. Raw meat.
 .'' Raw meat.' l repeated, looking up in as,onishmen,.
 " Raw meat, pulling vigorously al his pipe. One night the author of that tragic poem went home as hungry as wolf. He could find nothing to eat but some raw ham. He didn't take time to cook II, but devoured d quantity of II dry 50, as the country people say. That night ne had vivid dreams of startling terror, and the next morning he wrote the poem. That's tue. and you needn't grin with such a broad mouth of ln- oredulity. This sci me to thinking. and upon investigation 1 ind that Byron. Milton. and even the great Shakes2 2eare himself dte raw meat to induce startling dreams, for. from the lurid scenes thus flashed 4th.art ,heIr minds, they upon awakening, could draw wild pictures from recollection. Noirouble at all you see Only have to spin II off, and then watch the pubic stare al 1t. Now I'm going to cal lot of raw meat, and tomorrow morning. fresh from scenes that stIil hang before me m wild glare, shall count of the thrilling numbers. See here.. going io the wood-box and taking out an enor- nous ham -" bought Il for this occasion Ah - brushing the dust from it" there Is more inspiration Tn this than there Is Tn all your hours of hard work. Coleridse did not believe in ,he ham theory, taking up knife and cutting into the baooned muse - declared tha, he was not ham latter. Took opium and other stuff to make hlm sleep m dactylc oat-naps, but Shakespeare snoted in pentametef. Won't you have some :" depositing i've or slN large slices on the table. No {. You are not literary. Of course Il Is making reputation |, the expense of the stomach. but he who would no, make sacrifices to advance noble calling should not be recognized by men who have gained ennnence
 He finished his raw repast in silence. Alter awile he said
 Suppose We turn in, Believe can sleep like a top. That mea, falls so naturally into the grip of good digestion. that have some doubts of lts producing the desired effect
 - We went to bed, and lay for . time talking about the grocery business my calling and onions sets, cotton and live issues, until Mack dropped oil into d sound sleep. couldn't sleep, and light ing my pipe. lay there smoking. Pretty soon Mack began to multer. Whoa. there. he cried out. go, no more sense than 10 nun over fellow. Get back there. you blamed fool Whoa. tell you He was talking to horse-a nightmare doubtless. Didn't tell you to whoa he yelled. and reaching over, he grabbed my pipe, snatched II ou, oi my mouth, and dropped II into the gap ing bosom of his nigh h,-shiIi.
 "' You blamed seoundrel he howled. squlrming like a worm. tried 60 get the pipe but he tough, me of. Whoa. he yelled a, the top ofhis voice Head him - and he sprang ou, on the floor. iel! over Ike wood box and howled pite- ously. Now he was thoroughly awake and was losing no time. In a moment his shir,-bosom had withered into no,h- ing. How in thunder did that happen : he asked, going ;o the water bucket and delusing himself. l explained. Though, was m a narros lane. ne continued.
 and that horse was trying to run owe, me. He finally knocked me down. and trampled on my breast. Geminl I'm burning up.
 - Didn't dream in heroic measure | suggested.
 " Look here. don, ,wi, me; when a literary man takes you into his confidence don't abuse the trust The glea.es, favor that can be conferred on peIson IS for a literary man to tell him hos things were written. Look at Dickens Look al Thaekerav
 e" ietook down bottle of fswee, oil and ar.aeal h,e iNx.,-,