The National tribune., 1891-01-22
TRIBUNETS.
IN AGED POTTS sUrrERIxas

AN AGED POET SIFFERINGS.
Some one has said that poets learn in SUI
fering what they teach in song" John b.
Chapman. Of Wstertowu. n. Y, claims to have
been poet all bis life bat he is just now suf-
fering the severest grief he has ever known, q
judgment for $1,000 having been rendered
against him in a breach Of promise ease. lie is
a giddy old fellow, Of 70 hard Winters which
have, however. not frozen out Of him either his
love Of poetry OF the fair sex. For the last 10
years he has been triding with the affections Of
Miss Sarah Il. Chellis, a school ma am, who. two
years ago. passed the milestone Of a halEcen-
fury upon this troubled sphere The old gentle
man has. however, not fooled away all his time
on verse-makiug or love making, for he has
managed to accumulate 100000 worth Of sub
stantial farm property. Six years ago ho pro-
posed marriage, was accepted and the happy
day set. The bride and her friends were on
hand, but the bridegroom failed to put in an
appearance. The bride at last went in search
Of him, and found him hauIing corn. He gave
as an excuse that no had had a bad spell o.
rheumatic" which kept him from fulfilling his
engagement. The fair and faithful Sarah gave
him another chance, but again he did not come
to time, and informed her that he had changed
bis mind and intended TO remain single. She
ihereupOn began suit, laying her damages at
$4,000. The letters written during the court
ship were produced in the course of the trial.
and they are probably the most remarkable
that were ever read in such proceeding. They
abound in the highest efforts Of the lovers
muse, but the customary features of eourtship
poetry are strikingly absent. For example
one letter reads:
some have commenced making sugar but 10 il
rather cold for sap Farmers complain Of hard
times ali kinds Of produce is very low wheat %
corn 90 barley 90 potatoes 40 wool > hay 8 to 10
beef and pork is very low the murder trial IL over
~ what VIII folks talk about next the papers are
wen sufeu Win criminal acots tue ronds are very
hat tie snow isdesp Ia places \ mud ~ deep roads
no better TIL the snow goes off I have but Just
ceiyed your letter Of the Ssh Of March letter
Was 10 the Office when was at your house
" The snow Is gone the mud has come
The winter days viii soon be done
4 and soon the frogs begin to peep
q lohfis wake up from their long sleep
lie earth viii soon be clothed la green
q creeping things will then De seen
so spring and summer pass away
& leave the earth ia lone decay"
IN p II I am not in Watertown in a very few
JOIN B. CHAPMAN"
A second letter read:
Being unable to come to Watertown as thought
! should be able ] will write & let you know I am
living but not very well n hard cold has impaired
my health little the weather has been cold for
some days Some frost last night & and night be-
fore last am confined home with my COWS
q calves, sheep and lambs. & other things but
shall be to WateTtOwn think soon shall try TO
come on Saturday when 1 come yOu do not write
me only when 1 write 20 you So I will write to
you whether have any news not Il aud then II
can get man to take Of my affairs shall try
10 get there next Saturday II not say a week from
Saturday n you want news / refer you 10 the Re-
former & Boston Herald & you will all the
you want i suppose you are Ia school 4 busy i've
days Ia week ana busy seven ln u week
'the sugar seHs0H j. over
u the fields covered with clover
the times are hard but growing better
now I'll Try To- close my letter
say In friendship good by
To visit soon / mean % Try 81 Be-
Here are some other choice excerpts from
his poems:
" 9ly wheat Is good my grain looks we'll,
Ay sheep aud lambs are ID to SELL
1.-THE snow Is gone, the roads are bad,
trHsry boy I wish had
To do the chores when I'm away
To feed the cows and calves with hay.
II have eight calves; they're all bright red
On hay and turnIps they are fed.
They grow like weeds and chew their cud
They're first rate breed and fat rs mud"
Of course, the Court could not do otherwise
than decide against him. man who would
write such poetry as that in love letter
gets of eheaply at $1,000