Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-02-28
Poetry in Illinois.

briskly into the room-"the gentle
man that puts all these lovely pieces
in the paper every Saturday. Don't
you think they're sweet y
The horse reporter nodded acqui-
escence in the saccharine character
of the efforts alluded to.
II would like to see him personal
ly,n continued the young lady, 'be-
cause it would be so nice to talk with
him about Tennyson, and Longfel-
low, and all those other dear old
things, wouldn't it 7"
The personal friend of Maud 5.
again inclined his head.
aYou don't think he'll be in again
this afternoon, do you? I'd like
awfully to see him. But perhaps
you can help me. I'm in an awful
fix
.What's the matter p asked the
horse reporter.
"Why,' continued the young lady,
II live over on the west side, and
we've got literary society, and at
the next meeting / am down to read
a paper on Poetry as an Art, and
as poetry an art ~ asked the horse
reporter. II thought it was an af-
fiction"
aWell, don't know about that
said the young lady; ''but, anyhow,
I've cot to get up this paper, and 1t
occurred to me that perhaps one of
Won editors could assist me. Iwant
TO oct some extracts from the works
of our best known poets to illustrate
what | shall say. Now, there's Mr..
Tennyson, for instance; he's writ
ten some fine poetry, hasn't he y
eyes, ALT has occasionally shot
some pretty fair verses athwart the
literary horizon
"Could you give me specimen OF
his style ?" eagerly asked the young
lady. II never read line OF those
big poets in my life-nothing but
what the Tribune poets write"
eve have got some daisies from
Daisyyille on our staff,' said the
horse reporter, "but if you want
few gems from the old masters |
suppose you can have them. Ten
nyson's May Queen is one OF his
most popular poems. Want some
of that 7"
"Why, yes. I should think two
or three verses would be just the
thing"
"Well," said the horse reporter,
ait goes like this :"
.sYou must wake and call me early, call
me early, mother dear:
TO morrow II be the boss old day for pop
and ginger beer;
And when they strike the pie, mother, PHI
say my little say
For Pm to be Queen OF the May, mother,
Pm to be Queen of the May.
.sThere's many nifty girl, they say, but
none lays Ger me-;
There's Margaret and Mary, ana cross
eyed Lucy Lee:
But vol bet your ife take the cake, and
of biscui, swoop the tray;
So Pm TO be Queen of the May, mother,
I'm 10 be Queen of the May
ADO you think that is enough n
asked the young lady.
'sOh, yes; those verses will give
'em an idea of Alf's gait Variety is
what they want, you know. You
ought to have something from Bry-
ant. His Indian Girls Lament is
pretty well thought of. !"
"Is it? I'm sure / don't know. l
shall leave it all to YOU"
"Well, / can give you chunk OF
it,
"Do, if you please"
"This is the way it starts:
"sAn Indian girl was sitting where
Her lover, Walking-Flca-Patch, lay;
Beside her stood a spawned horse
That sadly chewed some mussy hay,
Upon stump herself she flung,
And then thi, simple lay she sung;
.Pve placed the bottle at your head,
-Flca-Patch, so that when
You strike the town and paint it red
You will not miss your Laughing Hen,
Who. sitting III the .wigwam, will
Adore her node warrior STILL"
"Now, you see," said the horse re-
porter, "those selections cover the
childish glee and loving trustfulness