The daily critic., 1890-09-10
TIE CHICAGO HUMORIST TRANSLATES
HUGO AND INITIATES HOMER.
A story or Hugo's Favorite Grand
daughter Jeanne-"The child
at Play"-Homer for
HustIors.
tLon tha chleezo Nn.s


these treasures are now held for sale at
exotbitant prices. But Mile Jeanne,
the favo1ite granddaughter, is really a
beautiful, amiable and charming crea
ture. The loveliest relations existed
between her and the old poet Here Is
what Hugo wrote years ago, the trans
lation being the work Of Sir Edwin Ar.
mold:
Jeanne, in the dark room. had dry bread
for dinner,
Guilty Of something wrong; and 1.-The
sinner
Crept mp to see that prisoner IN her cell,
And slpped--on the sly-some comiortst TO
Against the laws, I own Those who
with me
Support the order Of society
Were furious Nainly murmured little
Jeanne.
Indeed-indeed / never viii again
Rub my nose with my thumb I won't
make pussy
Scratch me 7
They only cried. The naughty
she knows bow weak youare and wanting
sense,
And sees You only laugh at grave orrense.
Government is not possible All day
Order is troubled, influence slips away
No rules, no regulationsl nought can mend
her
You ruin everythinen
Then 1.-The offender
/ hang my head and say There's no ex-
cusel
/ know err; know by such abuse,
such wrong indulgence, nations 60 70 pot;
Put iie up on dry breadp
Why should we not?
We viii; you merit ftp
But my small maid,
From her dark corner looking uuafraid,
With eyes divine to zee, full Of a sense
OF settled justice, in their innocence,
Whispered for me to hear. Wen, II
they do,
] shall bring comfts, grandpa, to your
Somewhat more than year ago / was
very much interested in Victor Hugo's
lyrics, and used 20 spend a good deal
Of leisure time at versifyiug them 10 suit
myself II reading In bed Is vice. what
shall you say Of writing Ia bcd2 But
for those hours which | stole away from
the other end of my life ] should not
now be an exile worrying about what
Charles Lamb has heartlCssly called the
midriil Still, Ike the churl who
IeCptd at Godiva, find much ConsOll.
tiOn in the thought that ! had a very
pleasant time inducing my calamity. II
was Only a day or two ago that | hap
penCd upon a'bit of yersifiCahon done In
that period of damnablc, delightful in
discretion Il happens 70 be one Of Vie,
tor Hugo's prCttiest little lyrics, and
here ! give II you after these many
troublous days
THE CuuD Ar PLAY.
A child was singing az his play
] heard the song, and paused % hear
His mother moaning, grolning lay
And 10. spectre stood anear!
The child shook sunlight from his hair
And carrOlled gayly an day long
Az, with that spectre gl0atiug there,
The Innocent made mirth and song!
How Ike 10 harvest fruit vert thou.
%, sorrow, IN that dismal rOOmi
God ladeuth not the tender bough
Save with the Joy Of bud and bloom
Itmay interest lakeside literary circles
10 know that my translation of the epics
OF Homer will be sent 10 the press early
next spring The Chicago Association
for the Promotion Of an InteTna-
tional Copyright has signihed its desire
10 become my patron, and therefore |
shall dedicate the work 10 Il. ! follow
the Homeric text pretty closely, but /
transfer the scenes from Troy 10 Cook
County, and for Hector, Ulysses, PTiam,
Ajax and the rest / simply substitute
the names Of Pullman, McYickeT, Gage,
FeTd, Peek and other people now on
earth ! want 10 p0pulaTiLe Homer
among the hustlers. Here, for example,
Is Just a little bit which fairly illus
tFates the majestic swing and felicit0us
modeTnization Of the noble poem:
Ere from the east the mauy-tiuted moru
Peeped a. the seas Of 10. the poor Indian
corn
Tie oE-e{sd Armour from his perfumed
halls
strode forth 70 boss things at the stock
yard stalls;
Nor pause 70 take ioy-impel.ing nip
Pleasing alike 10 stomach, palate, lip
Provoking miTth, yet taken often, brings
The aehe-engeudering jag and such Ike
things.
About hi5 toim purple robe be wore
And iu his hand his shining weapon bore
The beefProdueing spear. whose lightning
blow
Failed nor TO fell the coru-fed cattle low
Tie tulleyed bun, likewise the =reer-eyei
steer,
Tie conveyed COW, stood not before that
spear;
Last, lat rot least, fun many ealf-eyed
veal
Had felt The iatal force Of ArmOurs steel
Tie girtb thereof measured frou left to
night
And vice versa. differed not a mitei
Three Cubits long u length lid il extend
lhTee lutits long from either end 70 eEl
AEd these t8p ends adjusted were SO true
That the same distance las between tle
Two.
Big two-pouuI diamonds IN ne hit made
light
0fuatu1e's 3lrELess-gyea day Of night.
Twas net Set morn .as ] remarked be-
turgr
Yet as he Issued IRON bis palace door
This bI41eegupe spear changed na-
tlTe So
Tie ueIgbbors roosters straight began 10
And Pal'msn, wasiag ups vas queeFsI 70
see
Twas halfpast I'VE 20 only half-Pasi
tlEee
-Ea3l EaA
London, Aug 3, 1880
E# f-azr.f. g,-Frr.- Han.