Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-16
'0STLER JOE.

'0STLER JOE.
His Story Brings Much Notoriety to a
Society Woman.
The recent stir in Washington society
caused by the reading, by Mrs. James
Brown Potter. of George r. Sims poem
'ostler Joe, at a private entertainment
given at the residence of Secretary Whit
ney, is familiar to our readers. 1t is diff
cult to understand the distinction attempted
to be raised between the poem, which is
given below, and many contained in vol
umes of the leading poets, which grace the
libraries of our best regulated homes.
'osTLER JOE.
stood at eve, as the sun went down, by grave
where woman lies,
Who lured mems souls to the shores of sin with
the light of her wanton eyes;
Who sang the song that the siren sang on the
tTeacheroUs Lurley hight,
Whose face was as fair as Il summer day and
whose heart was as black as night.
Yet a blossom I fain would pluck to-day from
the garden above her dust
Not the languOrous lily of sOulless sin nor the
blood-red rose of lust;
But sweet white blossom of holy love, that
IN the arid desert of Phryne's life, where all
was parched and hot.
In the summer, when the meadows were aglow
with blue and red,
Joe, Il Q ostler of the Maggie, and fair Annie
smith were wed;
Plump. was Annie, plump and pretty, with a
cheek as white as snow
He WIS anything but handsome, was the Mag
pes 'ostler, Joe.
But he won the winsome lassie They'd a cot
tage and cow
And her matronhood sat lightly ON the village
beauty's brow:
eyed baby boyl
Joe vas working in the stables when they told
him of his JOY.
He was rubbing down the horses, and he gave
Them then and there
All Especial feed of clover just in honor of the
Sheir.
II hal been his great ambition, and he :old the
horses so,
That the Fates would send a baby who might
bear the name of Joe.
Little Joe, the child was christened, and, like
babies, grew. apace
He his mothers eyes of azure and his fathers
honest face.
Swiff the happy years went over years of blue
and cloudless sky;
Loye was lord of that small cottage and the
tempests passed them by.
Pa sed them by for years, then swiftly burst in
fury o er their home.
Down the lane by Annie'S cottage CHANGED a
gentleman TO roam;
Tlnce lie came, and saw her sitting by the win
dow with her child,
And he nodded to the baby. and the baby
laughed and smiled.
50 at last 1t grew to know him-little Joe was
nearly four;
He would call the pretty gemplin" as he
passed the open door:
And one day he ran and caught him, and in
childs play pulled him in
And the baby Joe had prayed for brought about
the mothers sin.
Twas but the same old wretched story that for
ages bards have sung,
Twas a woman weak and wanton and vii
lain's tempting tongue;
Twas picture deity painted for silly crea-
lures eyes,
OF the Babylonian wonders and the joy that in
them lies.
Annie listened and was tempted; she was
tempted and she fell,
As the angels fell from heaven to the blacklist
depths of hell;
She was promised wealth and splendor and
life of guilty sloth,
Yellow gold for child and husband and the
woman left them both.
Home one eve came Joe, the 'ostler, with the
CHEEKY cry of "WifeP p
Finding that which blurred forever all the
She had left a silly letter-through the cruel
scrawl he spelt:
Then he sought the lonely bedroom, joined his
horny hands and knelt
d" Now, o Lord, o God, forgive her. for she amt
to blamer' he cried;
&" For owt Ia seen her troubles, and agone
away and died.
Why, wench like her-God bless her 'twasn't
likely as here rest
With that bonny head forever on Il 'ostlers
ragged vest.
" 1t was kind o her to bear me all this long and
happy time,
So for my sake please to bless her, though you
count her deed crime
If so be don't pray proper Lord, forgive me,
can talk all right to 'osses, but I am nervous
like with Thee
Ne er line came to the cottage from the woman
who had flown:
Joe, the baby, died that winter. and the man
Neer bitter word he uttered but in silence
kissed the rod.
Saving what he told the horses saving what he
told his God.
Far away in mighty London, rose the woman
into fame,
For her beauty won mems homage and she
prospered in her shame;
Quick from lord to lord she fitted higher still
each prize she won.
And her rivals paled beside her as the stars be-
side the sun.
Next she made the stage her market, and she
dragged arts temple down
To the level of show place for the olItcasts of
the town.
And the kisses she had given to poor 'Ostler Joe
for nought.
With their gold and costly jewels rich and titled
lovers bought.
Went the years with flying footsteps while the
star was AT its hight:
Then the darkness came on swiftly, and the
cleaning turned to night
Shattered strength and faded beauty tore her
laurels from her brow;
Of the thousands who had worshiped never one
came near her now.
Broken down in health and fortune. men for
got her very name,
Till the news that she was dying woke the
echoes of her fame:
And the papers in their gossip, mentioned how
an actress lay
Sick to death in humble lodgings. growing
weaker every day.
One there Was who read the story in far-off
country place,
And that night the dying woman woke and
looked upon his face.
Once again the strong arms clasped her that
had clasped her long age,
And the weary head lay pillowed on the breast
of Ostler Joe.
He had found her sick and lonely, and his wife
he now could claim.
Since the grand folks who had known her one
and all mad skunk away
He could clasp his long-los: darling, and no man
would say him nay.
In his arms death found her lying in his arms
her spirit fed
And the tears came down in torrents as he knelt
beside her dead
Never once his love had ALTERED through her
base, uuhallowed life:
And the stone above her ashes bears the hon
ored name of wife.
nal me blossom / fain would pluck to-day |
rom the garden above her dust:
MOI the ianguorous lily of soulless sin nor the |
blcod-red rose of lust
But sweet white blossom of holy love that |
grew in the one green spot
IN the ara desert OF Phryne's life, where all |