The San Saba weekly news. (San Saba, Tex.) 18??-1???, 1891-12-11
HERE LIVED A GEM
JOHN PATTERSON. A iPc
SCOTCH WEAVER. I
lie Carved on the CIIns OF His SS
Town a Remarkable Representa-
tlon Of Lord Byron's Prls-
oner of Chiffon.

oner of Chiffon.
John Patterson had genius and a
family. And he was poor. 1t wa
bad mixture. He couldn't noun
both genius and the big family ana
ing humane man and irrespousi
for the existence of the former and
sponsible for the presence OF the
ter he cheerfully and manfully IA
his parental obligations and told o
ius TO take a back seat PITY
twas so; although we have less r
son TO complain than we should h
had had the humble John passed av
without leaving any evidence Of
wonderful natural abilities.
Dysart-dear old Dysart would h.
been poorer by far, writes H. G.
in the Chicago Herald.
The waters OF the German sea ID
into the Firth OF Forth, sweep rou
the little bay on the shore OF VIII
nestles the auld burgh town. kiss
feet and roll back into the oee.
Towering near the water edge is
greatest object OF interest in the to
the ruin of the once famous catl
dral OF St Serfs. 1t is a monumd
10 the architectural glory OF afar-aws
past The great blocks OF mason
worn by The ceaseless grind of tin
the massive walls and the remarka
arches tell o: an age by no means
void OF architectural triumphS Ho{
slanting tombstones lie between d.
ruins and the sea The place
neglected. the once magnificent STIR
ture is now pigeon roOst whore
feathered possessions of Lord Rossl
bill and COO. the table stones are ovI
grown with thick, long grass and Il
visitors to this Gods acre are
town boys who play hide and seeE
Il spy and other games among 4
tombs and gather blackberries II
grow where
The rude forefathers OF the hamlet sic
1t was to such a place that the 81
that rules our luckless lot sent Jol
Patterson to preside at a handled
and weave bed ticking and table lind
1t must have been an accident III
brought him into possession of co
of Byron's poems. for times were haI
and it was only by long and tryi
labor that he kept the porrIdge 4
well filled. While waiting one d
for a new web he turned to the Pr
oner OF Chillon. and here is what
read:
And then the sigh he would suppress
OF fainting natures feebleness.
More slowly drawn, grew less and less,
listen'd, but l could not hear,
l call'd, for was wild with fear;
knew twas hopeless, but my dread
Would not be thus admOnished;
calrd. and thought heard a sound;
burst my chain with one strong bouI
rushed to him, l found him not;
only stirred in this black spot,
only lived, only drew
The accursed breath Of dungeon dew
] / ne last, lut SNAes ALt ANAA GHh AAAAh
Between me and the eternal brink,
Which bound me 10 my failing race
Was broken in this fatal place.
John Patterson couldn't sleep d
night He walked the floor like n
Gemented. Early next morning
left the house with a hammer a
chisel in his pocket and mile east
the town he attacked the red sandsto
cliff. But the section on which
worked gave way and he had to jul
for dear life Nothing daunted
set to work on another portion OF
red rock. Night after night when I
days labor was finished he was at
favorite resort cutting. carving. b.
ing and scraping. surrounded by 81
inc crowds OF his fellow townsmS
AT last after iGng and patient lat
the finishing touches were gi gen a
the work was complete There "
no unwilling. no speech making
banquet. John Patterson cast 10
ing glance Mt his pet work. lit
Guilty pipe slowed away his hamm
and chisel and went home to wea
bed ticking and table linen that t
hungry stomachs OF his weans mig
be filled. But the work remains a
will endure long after Byron's fame
| poem is forgotten.
1t is to a common stOnemason u
Scotland owes one of its best statl
of Sir Walter Scott; It Is to plain 10
Patterson. the Dysart handlOOm wei
err that we are indebted for The NJ
in the Rock" Some day-the sooi
the better-the Saul Burgh" may Il
down the Victoria jubilee lamp Il
stands in the center of the town g
on the site erect to the honor OF ,Io
} Patterson. handlOom weaver and sou
tor a fitting monument And wi
that day arrives none will more W
ingly assist than the Dysart ladd
now resident in Chicago.