The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1896-01-22
The R2GhiE and the Gopher.


~ "a ..''-'' ID ~ 14'r '--N- -i-
lis said that. once III on a time,
And .u i sunny southern cling.
\ Rabbit yba~tcl of lis - erG-
And pore a4.ir J..e racer = need:
I'LL bragg ing or from day 10 day.
lie CharC-I to meet upon lis MaE
4 Gupa.,. Wh1 no speed possessed:
And ian. tie Rabbit t-ua acdTea-ra:
:. Mv honest friend. pray w." Sec
NV form 80 hthc and sIueNy:
CT ali The Crr-tuIC' in the UelI
10 none in .lectn-sS viii weld.
OFT has the hound c-otyed to catch
Ne in a fatal running match.
But you, alas. no tectne-o own:
IN aWkWarGu-9S YOU stand -IuLc.
The sport OF every Idle child
That finds you in the Wire-grass wild,
And turns you over on your back
And leaves you II the wagon track,
Where the great. cruel horses heels.
Or still ore ponderous wagon wheels,
soon end your course OF tOlllng strife.
All me yours Is sorry life
:. Hold on. nv friend"' the Gopher cried:
Perhaps you've heard my 'werS belied.
Although boast not speed or strength,
i only run race OF length.
And so, whene'er you please, we ii try
And see who's SWitteSt, You or l."
So said, so done; and at the place
Appointed for this novel race,
The beasts from far around were there
Decide, Il. on the courses length,
AS to their fieetness and thei' strength.
The course was laid: full ten miles long
IL was SO says the truthful soIg.
The time was up, and Umpire Bear
Gave out the word, when MIR. Hare
At once leaped forward with bound
And covered h tlf a nile of ground,
BEFORE the Gopher had begun
The hot-contested race to run.
On sped the Rabbit; but he soon,
Tired by the heat of August noon,
Betook him to the grateful shade
That dense hammock near MIN made.
There, wooed by moclibirds noon-tide song
And cooling breeze, he tarried long.
Nor marked how, in the distant west,
The SUI" was sinking slow to rest.
At last the siren Sleep beguiled
And lulled to rest the forest child.
The Night closed to her azure bars.
And bolted them in place with stars.
At last he woke: the sun had se':
The bright moon. like a Coronct
Upon the brow OF midnight, ShOne
Ger the dense forest. vast and lone.
He started out to look around,
But shuddered at the slight st sound.
At every step ne feared to w ke
The venom of the rafting snake.
At last. with weary soul torlOrn,
lie laid him d ,wn TO wait till morn.
The sun uprose and bathca the bright
And fleeCy clouds with golden light.
The Rabbit started on his race
With confident and easy pace.
soon as the go Il appeared in view
That marked his light-won contest through,
He saw the Gopher sitting there
And resting in the morning air.
8 My FRIEND the Gopher said, take heed.
Nor boast too much upon your speed.
Not een the swift should stop to play;
lis industry Will win the dav.
Not to the swift the race shall be,
Nor to the strong the victory"
Just then a Cracker, strolling near
In search of bear, or quail, or deer,
Espied the Rabbit. Quick as thought
His shotgun to an aim he brought.
With cruel flash and thunderous blare
He split the CirCumambient air.
Next day traveller from afar
Stepped from the fine Plant System car.
And hied hi m to the dainty spread
That The Ocala's cook had laid.
Foremost upon the bill of fare,
'MongSt many dishes French and rare,
In bold long primer met his view
This charming sentence: Rabbit Stew.
Thus was our hero laid to rest
Beneath the drummer's ample vest.
Brer Rabbit, all his troubles past,
\ safe retreat has found at last.
JOHN II. BROWN.