Wichita eagle., 1888-08-19
For the Eagle
FAREWELL, BROTHER BOTKIN.

read Of one Watkins who, in takin.
his leave
OF his church and his people, SO graphic
ally tells
How they one and all gave him thei
prayerful farewells.
How the old and the young, with tears anC
with signs,
Listened to his last sermon in grief ant
surprise;
How the housemaids in sadness, as he rode
| down the street,
Waved adieus with their brooms as eacl
he did meet.
How even the fishes, the bees, and birds
too,
The dogs and the cows, set up boohoo;
How sad was his heart, how heavy hi:
load,
As he sat on his mare and Travelled the
road.
How gloomy his thoughts as he ambled
along
A sigh would escape him, though he tried
to be strong.
While thus full OF sorrow, at turn in the
woods
The old mare stampeded and he and his
goods,
There alone Oh the ground, in the distance
the man
Waved farewell to old Watkins, with her
tail in the air.
When thus far had read, l most certainly
slept,
And dreamed an odd dream, which thus
far have kept.
I heard as l slept, the church going bell,
Saw the throng as it passed, keeping time
to its knell.
way
To the house of the Lord, on that bright
| Sabbath day
| Fer we reached the blest place, we heard
On the air
The organs sweet notes, the song, and the
PRAYER,
And we silently walked up the carpeted
aisle,
None daring to speak, or even to smile.
The prayer soon ended, the preacher arose;
He opened the Bible and read to the close
OF chapter so long that wished for the
end
And vowed that I'd never that same church
attend,
That preacher was ''Botkin," an elder re-
nowned
For his aptness in turning himself square
around
From pulpit to rostrum: or as his needs
might require,
From rostrum to pulpit, following within
or desire.
The theme of his preaching was Botkin
the martyr,
Who yet chung to his pearch, still was will
ling to barter
His commission from Kansas, and take in
The bauble of office without grief or con-
Of our duty to God and to men he said
Of our duty as voters left out meier
title,
Lawded Democracy almost to the skies,
Said the Republican party he loved TO
despise.
And with fire in his eye, and his arm in
He stood on his toes and did loudly declare
That those who abused him; in state or in
church,
Would find to their sorrow they were left
in the lurch.
Said his rights as citizen, none should
dispute,
Though he'd preached for living, and
while it would suit,
If he now sought al Office, twas with the
intent
To down the Republicans, though he lost
every cent.
The ''First party" is right, for, do you not
That though others We're offered the lot
fell on NEE;
And with me as yourleader We'll now take
the field,
And while Democrats cheer US we never
will yield.
Thus spake the divine, and with tears in
his eyes
Babe adiew to his colleagues, who he
thought were unwise
To not follow his banner, and endorse
what he'd done
This blot on the church, this prodigal son.
He ended at last, and with bravo he sang,
The hymn OF the Pilgrim" until the
house rang
And his aptness at changing, was patent
right here,
For he altered its beauty, without con-
science or fear.
Farewell, my friends, must be gone,
l have no home nor stay with you''
I'll take my grip and travel on,
For I've better thing in view
There all but Botkin. Hoyt and Wood
Joined in the chorus as we stood,
Farewell, farewell, farewell, my old time
Friend, farewell, farewell.
Farewell Botkin, we're glad you're gone.
You'll not be missed from out the throng,
But loose your grip upon the church,
Or fate Will place you in the lurch.
CHORUS-Farewell etc
Then up mid the vault of the region of
bliss
Echoed the chorus we had just sung in
this
While an angel proclaimed from the walls
of high Heaven,
Botkin has fallen, from hence he is driven |
Upon the window sill there sat
4 Kansas hopper, sleek and fat;
He turned his harp and then he sang
Farewell, fare-e-e-e-e-w-e-e-l Boti, Boti,
Botikin.
a solemn visaged donkey stood
Outside the window, near the wood:
Thrust IN his head in sober mood
And said, Brother Botkin, you're no |