Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-10-16

The following lines on Montpelier were
written more than sixty years ago by a
peripatetic Jour" printer, named Levi
Ives, under the pseudonym of "lchabod
Craigg." 'Ives," said the Woodstock
Spiru Of The age, some ten years ago,
worked at his trade in this village, and
when he had about three drinks of New
England rum in him, it was fun for the
boys to hear him "speak his piece" Our
friend, Mr. Lewis Pratt, himself retired
typo from whom we kindly obtained it,
says he has carried it in his pocketbook
more than twenty-five years, and there
can be no doubt of Its antiquity and au-
thentcity Mr.. Pratt knew the writer
well, and has often amused social parties
of Legislators" by reading it to them"
The FREE PRESS is also indebted to Mr..
Pratt for acopy of the verses, which we re-
print below:
Montpelier.
Where rapid rolls Wnooski's foaming tide,
Where barren mountains rise on every side,
Where sullcn winter reigns with stcrnest
sway,
scoop'd from the mountain by mighty
hand,
little shelf ,s found of level land
Secure within this dark scquestered glade
Where nothing but itself can Ger be made,
Montpeiicr's gittering spires with pride arise
And eager seek to pierce the azure skies
Towering they stand beneath the mountains
lea,
As snug and cosy as IA thing can be;
Turn y ur admiring eyes which way you will,
You still will view the same pare headed hill
\ nation saw this charming little ne /,
And Democrats nj Feds hey all confessed
1t was the neatCSt juuntiest little spot
| That in Vermont could anywhere hc got
Whcreon to clap the buildings of the State
In which the radicals might brawl and pirate,
/ Talk loud about their virtue and morality,
| And tell us how they hate rascalty;
TO bling all human things upon level,
! And send the rui," shirt men to the devil.
! Lest legislation from thence should stalk
| Or II flood should come and drown the states
They ievel'd down ledge on the mountain
side
Secure from local change, or flowing tide,
Then chose Il man they thought had skill tt
plan it,
| who piled thereon II mass of solid granite,
/ Gave the whole structure Il touch exquisite,
! To immortalize the place, with a yearly visit
/ of legislators, statesmen. polit jcian's hobbies
And the mingled mass That throng the halls
and lobbcs.
If you've never been to CottriI's or to Mann
/ You can't imagine how the various clans
| of poi ticiaus, with projects all ugug,
Are gr,nning, round their flowing cans O
grOg;
lnventing plans, and battering public places
And trying hard 20 put on honest faces.
None so green but that they'd cheat II broth
err,
And all agreed in cheat ny one another
Some want to revise and alter all the laws
Aud pot guide-bOard on each doubtful
knutty cl use,
So that lawyers can't hunt ont single flaw,
Nor find Il struggling doubt on which u
gnaw,
Some want a lottery to build up publ,
schools.
And see how many people will be fools;
Some want turnp Ike, and some want II fcriy
some want toll bridge, ami they all a. yer,
Anxious for Il bank, where they can borrow
To pay their executions that are out Uo-mOr
row.
There's one, would be justice of the peace,
| Another wants the pickcrel to increase;
| There's some are wanting money ut Yer
gcnncS
To buy the beef, and pork, and cheese, AM
hens,
With which that fertile countrys Grand full
And ali the city wharvcs are jimd full.
Some want to move the arsenal, and say
Experience shows us every single day.
1t should be on road SO round about
The few that find it never can get out
If Il foe should come we can't abide ZEN
And we'd better take our guns and hide EN-
Then if we are beat the foolish noodles
Will get no booty but our boCics.