The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-16
HY. a. WATKINS WOOlNG.
AFTER LoNGFELLow.

Tn tool bepch in his shoe-shop
Sat the ancient foOtgear maker,
In the land of West st. Louis.
Where dwelt the tribe o. Big Ears,
Build ng CATERS, boots and slippers
Out of paste board and split leather.
at S: de in made-up beauty
Sat the dudine, Minnie HathOrn,
Sat his daughter. Soda Water,
Mending pants seats with round patches:
OF b 6 trade the Old mans thoughts were.
And the maiden of her lover.
He was thinking. as he sat there,
OF the days when double prices
He had cburgcd all thro those war times
For his spongy, half-pegged brOgans;
Stood in with the quariermasters;
Got some huuky army contracts;
Thinking of the furloughed soldiers
Who came home and cusSed his poor Worl
said that he WAS ION the sw.nGle."
All, no more so green a Govern
MeDt viii e'er be found rs it was!
Oncie Sam now hands his suffers,
And they do not dare to 'divy.D
She was thinking of mower
From the land Of North Chicago,
Wherein dwcit the tribe of Sp.ay-Feet,
Young ana slim and very tony,
Who. one morning the spring time,
Came to buy some buniOn piastcrs
And sat down IN her pa slore-front;
Lingeredfhere and smoked Il sc gar,
Looking back as be departed,
She had heard her father mock him.
Mock his: "Aw, a pair of tOOth-picks
Yaw calm make ne fIw thiX dOlYers,
II yaw u have EN- done byChcwsday.
Would lie come aga Il for cOrn-salVe
To the counters OF her parent?
As she paused to thread needle,
And her ewes grew very dreamT.
On the pave she heard foOtstep,
Heard cane 60 gently tapping;
And with London limp affected,
With Norfolk Jacket dressed in,
suddenly. feminist the entrance.
Hy. a. Watkins stood before them.
Stra ght the gray y-haired half sole artist
Looked up s-rHvey from labor,
laid aside the calf SIX upper,
Bada him shut thR door CmDlatfc.
Saying, as he rose to meet III:
cs, your box toes they are finished"
In the LAP Of soda Water
Hy. A. Watkins Ia q the package
Of the caramcls he'd brought her;
ana the ma den looked uD at him,
Looked up from her reinforcing
OF the bGSgm-iacEi inG trousers.
an Ani remarked with gentle accent:
y ourc no siOucn. oh. Hy. 4. WatknS!"
Very spacious was the floor there,
With lounge 10 try the It's on
'Gainst the side OF that emporium;
But so long ana broad his pcdGls.
Hy. a. Watkins knocked the couch DER;
Also kicked ont half window
IN the rear part Of the Eathorn
Place OF business. as he walked back.
Inen uprOSe IA 7 Soda Water,
AtiGS Miss Hinn @ Hat horn.
Put away the wOoleu brccches
Fetched out Die and sat before them.
Water brought them from the hydrant,
Warmed up hash left o er from dinner
Gave them patent paper napkins,
).
Listened as her fathers Jaw wagged,
Listened with her clcphGntne
Ears waving with excitement.
But not once her grnb-trap opened,
Not single WORD sac uttered
Yes. there in 4 trance she listened
To the hr'Cs of Hy. \. Watkins,
Nho was taking his vGcat. on.
as he talked of how al Lehnann's
lie had charge of Lace II ribbon,
AT a sal. of 70 teen weekly
And am Sho 20 lie prOmOIcd' -
And how me n the bouk-keCpah
Go out every eve amaShin''
And that ''Shee cawg S the dandy
burg 10 hang up during life IN %
AFTER many years OF cross tires,
ana nooSpaper foot and ear taunTs,
Let s have peace between Sent LOOy
And its rival town, SheecawgeF"
Thus continued Hy. A. Walk MS
And then added. speaking slowly:
Ihat this truce may last fOreyah.
And our ears and feet NAV Smallah
Seem to be to one anothah.
Give me as my br de this 'chromo'
Minnie HathOrn, Soda Watah
Suntower of MissoOry women!"
And the ancient cowhide sttchcr
TOOK some hne-cut ere conSent.ng
Watched his daughter then in silence,
Whose auricularS were tapping
GaZed at Hy. a. Watkins stopas
y lumber ;0's by the tape line
And made answer very br etiY:
y aas, eff Min is on the marry;
Shoot yer mouth Off Sodey Water"
And the fan cared Minnie Hathorn
Seemed Just scrumptlOus as she started
Over TO clubfOoted Watkins
Sat down on h s hoOf majestic,
Winked and giggled and then tongued il:
I'm yer Oyster-0et the IiceIIse!!''
This was Hy. A Watkins wooinp,
stopped the strife, and peace cemented
'Twixt the Mound and Garden cities,
In the Lake and River regions.
-"Jcf JOslyn," in Graphic Ncus.