The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-06-07


l wistfully gazed at their grotto,
And lOnged the fantasm TO see.
That might tell you the story,
| asked them to tell to me.
They smiled as l, timid, approached
them,
And beckOned me nearer to come,
Lachesis turning Fatallty's wheel,
And weaving life's thread one by one.
Near by, like some strange fairy vision,
In a mirror of glittering sheen,
Fair Clotho revealed in reflection,
For each thread, its appropriate
scene.
Spin. Wheel of Fate,
Inward and outward the Shadowy
thread unwinding,
Roll, oracular orb, showing what is to
be
The Gods of Olympus decreeing.
Thus sang the Fates their dreamy
song.
stood in silence and apart,
To watch the threads and pictures
thrOng,
And fade away by magic art.
Slowly turned round the spindle,
There came before my view,
A thread-Old ROse-whose color,
Suggested one l knew.
Bethinking long and deeply,
THAT thread, I've seen somewhere,
All, yes, / know that strand to be,
From Edward Bach's hair"
Four times had Ed been honored
And this may Fashion do,
Four wives in the land of Mormon he
had,
And all for color too.
A white thread then noticed,
And daintily there cleaned
A vision of Mac Dennison,
A loving wife she seemed.
Two grey threads then reflected
Ella Rawlng and Nette Todd,
Still fancy free, they're teaching,
And in No. 2 District flourish the
rod.
Oh, cruel Fate, turn, turn thy spindle
round,
If in such lives your fatal wheels
abound.
In pity, implore you, since thus you
will decree,
Give to all old maids in plenty, cups
of consolation TEA.
While thus / sat deeply musing,
Spun forth four threads OF Wondrous
hue;
Thus atoned the Fates for their blum
der,
And wove in web four forms |
knew.
Minnie Hess, teacher of music,
Annie Kneusel, instructor of Del
Sarte,
Lucy Stumph, an itinerant drummer,
Beckie Rhodes. devoted to Art.
Behold, in the mirrors glimmer.
Our second Chauncey DepeW,
The silver tOngued orator, Lucey,
They're bad friends since the fair92. }
Appeared two threads of purple,
Which reflected within the glass
bright
Beckle Yentzer, famed prima donna,
DR.. Pckens, medical light.
Spun onwaed the untring spinner,
Turned faster the patient wheel:
Carrie Formulas and Marcia Latferty
Did the mirrors light reveal.
Carrie became rider,
Bv her bicycle known to fame,
While Marcia, a newspaper writer
Has carved a niche for her name.
All the gorgeous hues of the autumn
Do most brilliant thread disclose:
Frank Toilet, setter of fashions,
AS Beau Bummel now does he pose.
Another thread untwisting
Cast in the mirror bright
The future of our AuSSem-
Horror and blacklist night.
A wild-eyed, wizard figure,
A weighted, balanced machine:
Here is the nickle, there is the slot,
Triumph is on the mein.
A rattle, wild explosion,
Save us the awful sight.
Nickle. and slot, and wizard
Have vanished into the night.
Weep not. on, gentle stranger,
Turn from this CHASTITY view:
For picture of golden beauty
This distaff unwinds for you.
A thread once black now changes its
shade,
Lille Bailey / see in the mirror be-
yond:
By her hair, once as bright as the
raven of night,
She invites admiratiOn-a gay Titan
blonde.
In questioning him, to the spinner
4 banner she, answering, unfurled:
use Downey & Hogon's hair bleach
Warranted best in the world"
Winding forth in deep shades of
mourning
The spinner tearfully sighed:
Yes. twas Winnifred Reed, meek and
humble.
For the walls of a convent those meek
eyes hide,