The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-17
SKIPPER IREsON's RIDA

OF all tho rides since the birth of time,
Iold In story or sung in rhyme
On Apuleius' Golden Ass,
Or One-eyed Calendars horse OF brass.
Witch astride of a human back,
lslam's prophet on Al-Borak-
The strangest ride that ever was sped
was lreson's, out from Marblehead
Old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart,
Iarr d and feathser'd aud carried in Q cart
By the women of Marbleheadi
Body of turkey, head of owl,
Wings a-droop like a rain don fowl,
Feather'd and ruffied in every part,
Skipper Ireson stood in the cart.
Scores of women, old and young,
strong OF muscle and glib OF tongue,
Push'd and pulrd up the rocky lane,
Shouting and singing the shrill refrain:
Here's FLUID Oirson, fur his horrd horrt
Iorrd an futherrd an CORD in corrt
BY the women O Marble eadl"
wrnkled scolds with hands on hips.
Girls In bloom of cheek and lips,
Wild eyed, freelim'd, such as chase
Bacchus round some antique vase,
Brief of skirt, with ank les bare,
Loose OF kerchief and loose OF hair.
With conch-shells blowing and hsh.horns'
twang,
Over and over the Maeuads sang:
Here's FLUID Oirson, fur his horrd hort,
TORI d an futherr'd an CORD in & corIt
BY the women o Marble ead!'
Small pity for him!-He Said away
llOul u leaking snip, IN CQaleur Bay
sail q away from q sinking wreck,
With his own town people on her deckt
.'Lay by lay byi" they called to him.
Back he answered, "Sink or swim!
Brsg of your catch of fish againi'
And off he saifd through the fog and rain,
Old Floyd IresOn, for his hard heart,
Tarr'd and feather'd and carried in . cart
By the women of Marblehesd!
Fathoms deep In dark Chaleur
That wreck shall lie forevermore.
Mother and sister, wife and maid,
Look Il from the rocks of Marblehead
Over the moaning and rainy sea-
I.ook'd for the coming that might not bei
What did the winds and the sea-birds say
or the cruel captain " no sailed aWay?-
Old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart,
Tarrd and feather d and carried in . cart
By the women Of Marbleheadi
Through the streets, on either side,
Up flew windows, doors swung wide:
Sharp-tongued spinsters, old wives gray,
Treble lent the fsh-horn's bray.
Sea-worn grandsires, cripple-bound
Hulks of old sailors run aground,
Shook head, and fist, and hat, and cane,
And cracked with curses the hoarse refrain:
"Heres FLUID Oirson, fur his horrd hort
Torr'd an futherr'd an CORD in a corrt
By the women O Marble sadl'
sweetly along the Salem road
Bloom of orchard and lilac show'd.
Little the wicked skipper knew
OF the fields so green and the sky 30 blue.
Riding there in his sorry trim
Like an Indian idol glum and grim,
Scarcely he seemed the sound to hear
OF voices shouting far and near:
"Heres FLUID Oirson, fur his horrd hofft
TOrr'd an futherr'd an CORD in . corrt
By the women o. Marble ead!'
"Hear me, neighbors!" at last he cried
.What to me is this noisy ride?
What is the shame that clothes the skin
To the nameless horror that lives withinf
Waxing or sleeping, see a wreck
And hear cry from Keeling decki
Hate me, and curse mel only dread
The hand OF God and the face of the deadr
said old Floyd Ireson, for his hard heart,
Tarr'd and feather'd and carried in q cart
By the women Of Marbleheadl
Then the wife of the skipper lost at sea
Said, '.tiod has touched himi-why should wer
Said an old wife mourning her only son,
"Cut the rogue's tether and let him runt'
So with soft reientings and rude excuses
Half scorn, half pity, they cut I'm loose.
And gave him a cloak to hide him In,
And left him alone with his shame and sin.
Poor Floyd ire-op, Tor his hard heart,
Tarr'd and festher'd and Carried in q cart
By the women OF Marblehead
-Uhni-r