The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-25
A PRAYER FOR RAIN.

o Dian! thou bright icy maid OF the night
LOOK down on the yellOwin ing grain
On your back there YOU lay; turn over, we pray
II your turning can bring US the rain.
out OF the west, from the isles OF the best"
They all melt away ere the close OF the day,
An apology only for RAIN
Blown from the mouth of the ratnful south
wing the prOmiseful pluyial train;
They divert OF divide aud 90 round on each side.
And we wonder. in wait for the ram.
Oh. now may the Greeks, whose fancies ana freaks
Pitch Jupiter Pluyius plump into NeSuvtus,
To roast TIL he sends US the rain.
o Cynthia DIAN your devotees, cryin',
Entreat you come TO the wane,
Forbear THIS infection, fulfill our prediction!-
REvULUs
on the streets to say:
'Seen the bit of verse in last nights IN
dependent ?"
''Ah, yes. Capital. wasn't it? Fellow
who got that off knows how to write"
Some there were who dimly remembered
having seen the signature, "Revulus," at
tached 10 lines before; lines that were a
little above the ordinary; and the prevail
ing opinion among these was that the
nom de plume was assumed by some
bright rofessiOnal man who preferred to
hide his identity. Others attributed them 10
flying visit about That time. For many
months nobody thought to question the
editor about their authorship When this
enterprising teat was at length under
taken, this was the reply:
The man VINO wrote il is a farmer
named ROdehaver. who lives down near
Goleta. 1t was pretty good, wasn't it?
Very modest man, the roet. l sOmeh ow
mislaid the verses; didn't publish them
for some time after they were sent in, and
be wrote me inquirng about them; said
he presumed | didn't care for his little
contribution, and had thrown it in the
waste-baskeI, but if l happened to have it
lying around he'd take it as a favor if l
would return it to him"
a farmer named ROdehaveri 1t seemed
really worth looking into. This might be
merely single fugitive effort; but the
man might have written more, or be on
the road TO position in literature. CO.
leta was buta few miles up the coast. one
of the little farm settlements tributary to
Santa Barbara.
Ii was election day when | rode ont
there. There were plenty CT men around
to direct me 10 the little cottage a milo he
yond the Dostofhce, where Mr. Rodehavar
lives. One volunteered the information
that he had but moment before gone into
the schoOlhouse, where the yoting-bootbs
were located. HE may stay after he's
through. You can't tell when a man will
The afternoon was wearing away. Tt
seemed wise TO let my poet know thatsome
one wished to see him when he
had fulfilled his political duties. AS
l waited outside pictured the
manner of man who would prob
ably present himself. He would either
be an aggressive young Californian, self
educated and battling against ODDS to
make capital from brain and hands in one
and the self-same hour, or coDsumptive
New Highlander, banished from a con-
genial profession TO wrest health and
strength from an outdoor pursuit in the
gentle California climate.
DID you wish to see me?'
A man had come up so quietly that
had not heard him, and stood stroking nv
horses name. A man of 6S. with IRON
gray hair and beard and face furro wed
with care. An old man, some would have
called him, but in the quiet, dark eyes
there was the light of an immortal youth.
Are you RevuluS?"
81 see You have found out my secret"
he replied, shy as girl who for the first
time is charged with having a lover. at
is ODD how such things will sometimes
come out" be added, seriously. "'Have |
written long, or much? Forty years, off
and on. L have never received dollar for
1t, and have never desired or expected To
make name. l have had little time TO
give to Ii. Have l saved my verse?
My vile has preserved little. You are
welcome 10 see 1T If you like, AMI IL you
will promise not 20 make fun of it. II you
Will ride up to the house l will be along as
soon as l have voted"
But perhaps you would rather stay here
awhile? l might come another day.
remem bering the insight into election day
habits given by the man at the postoffice.
emo; did not intend to stay. They are