Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1886-04-10
'OSTLER JOE.

A sensation was caused recently in
Washington society by the reading of
George r. Sims poem, 'Ostler Joe, by
Mrs. James Brown Potter, at the resi-
dence Of Secretary Whitney. 1t is diff
ficult to understand the distinction at.
tempted to be raised between the poem
which is given below, and many con-
tanned in volumes Of abe leading poets,
which grace the Libraries Of our most
refined homes.
'osTLER JOE. II
stood at eve as the sun went down, bysa
grave where woman lies.
Who lured men ssouls to the shores OF sin
With the light of her wanton eyes;
Who sang the song that the siren sang on the
treacherous Burley height,
Whose face was as fair az a summer day and
whose heart was as black as night.
Yet blossom fain would pluck to-day from
the garden above her dust
Not the lauguorous lily of soulless sin nor
the blood.red rose o. lust;
But q sweet white blossom Of holy love, that
grew In one green spot,
In the arid desert Of Phryne's life. where all
was parched and hot
In the summer, when the meadows were
sglow with blue and red,
Joe, the ostler OF the Magpie, and fair Annie
smith were wed
Plump was Annie, pump and pretty, with Q
cheek az white as suow -;
He was anything but handsome, WAS the
Magpie's ostler. Joe,
But he won the winsome lassie. They'd
cottage and COW,
And her matronhooi sat lightly On the viii
lage beauty's brow;
Sped the months and came a baby-such a
blue-eyed baby boy!
Joe WAS working in the stable when they
tia him Of his Joy,
He was rubbing down the horses, and lie gave
them then and there
All o special feed of clover, just in honor of
the heir
Ii had been his great ambition, and he told
the horsessD,
That the fAtes wOuld send baby who might
bear the lame 4 Joe
Little Joe, the child was christened, aud, like
babies, RreW apscs;
He'd his mothers eys OF szure and his fathers
honest face,
Swift the happy years went over, years OF
blue ana cloudless sky;
Love WAS lOTd OF that small cottage, and the
tempests passed them by.
Passed them by for years. then swiftly burst
IN fury Ger their home.
Down the lane by Annies cottage chanced
gentleman TO roam:
Thrice he came and saw her sitting by the
window with her child;
And he nodded - the baby, and the baby
laughed aud smiled
SO at last 1t grew to know him--little Joe
was neatly four:
He WOnld call The slretfV ngmnliu' ba
passed the open door;
And one day he ran and caught him, aud in
ehud's play pulled him in
And the baby Joe had prayed for brought
about the mothor's sin.
"Twas but the Same old wretched story that
for ages bsrds have sung;
"Twas a woman weak and wAnton and viii
liAn's tempting tongue:
"TwAs q picture deftly painted for 8 silly
creatures eyss
or the Bubylon an wonders and the Joy that
In them lief.
Annie listened and WAS tempted: she was
tempted and she fell.
As the angels fall from heaven to the blacklist
depths of hell:
She was promised wealth and splendor and a
life Of guiltysloth.
Yellow gold for child and husband and the
woman left them both,
Home one eve came Joe. the ostler, with the
CHEEKY cry of "Wife -
Finding that which blurred forever all the
story of his life
She had left silly letter through the cruel
scrAwl he spelt
Then he sought the lonely bedroom, Joined
his horny hands ana knelt,
"Now. o Lord God forgive her for she
nint TO blamel" he cried;
"For owt ia seen her troubles. aud 'Agone
away and died;
Why, . wench like her-Gol bless herl
wasn't likely as herd rest
With that bonny head forever on 'ostler's
ragged vest