The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-04-30
niscellany.
THE sExTONs' SUPPER.


THE SECTIONS SUPPER
Tho Plague, his black hand lifted.
Was floating down the Rhine,
His bark a soft-lined cothn
ION each side grew the vine);
He struck the miller at his wheel,
The woodman by his tree;
Before him rose the prayer and hymn'
Behind, the Dirige.
ue found them spinning wedding-robes'
He left them digging graves;
High over faces pale and wrung
The earth heaped up its waves.
t1e struck the baron at his gate,
The peasant at the plow,
And from his sable banner shook
Darkness on every brow.
At this time in belfry-room
rive sections drained the wine,
Rod from the toll that brought the zee
And made their old eyes shine.
Their seats were cedar coffin-pianks'
All yelvet-trimmed and sort;
The chalice-cups by them dehled'
Were filed and emptied OFT.
They drank "a long reign to hins
Plague" 80,
ga wet year and foul!'
As screaming through the open loops
Flew in and out the owl.
rTbair shirts were made OF oeao uen
vests
no.d men are meek and dumb,
And each one wore deao hnisn'
IJpon his thievish thumb.
Down from the boarded floor above
The heavy bell-rope swings,
7, coils around the bowls and hasKs'
The ,ups and drinking things.
Tho crasset throws gloom of black
IIpou the red-tiled floor
Three faces dark-on two the hghts
Their golden lustres pour.
Reside the table sink the steps
That lead into vault
A +raasure-house no thieves but nVe
Dared ever yet assault.
And through the darkness to the ieit
Winds up the belfry stair
JJp to the old bell-chamber-
Up to the cooler air.
The wall was hung with cofhn-plates.
The dates rubbed duly out
dead men are very dull and slow
In finding these things ouD.
They toast "The Doctors of Cologne,
Who keep the church-spades brignt!
such toasts as these, such feast as tna1
Were fit for such night.
Far. far above among the bells
The wind blew devil fierce,
The sleet upon the baggar fell,
And stabbed him carte and tlerce.
There was a pother in the roofs'
And such a clash of tiles,
That diving creatures sobs and groans
Were heard around for miles.
They drink to "Peter and to Paul!'
And "All men underground!
Then with laugh, and winK' anu nuuse
The passing-bell they sound,
They drink to the tree that gives tn
plank,
And the free that guards the dead
Tho coal-black tree with the blood-dro
fruit,
So poisonous, soft and red.
Ia God then. sleeping? No! See there,
How one tears at his throat,
And barring neck and shoulder,
Bids all his fellows note.
A plague-spot, blue and swollen,
Shows ghastly on the skin,
And on his knees he prays to christ
To yet forgive his sin.
Dead! And the eldest, tolling
The rope that o'er them hung,
Called, with a curse, LADS, fill your cup
Let another song be sung!
Then reels-his white face sickens,
And as he staggers down,
Another drags at the heavy bell
Stamped with the cross and crown
So every time topper fell
Another rose to toll,
And all the rest screamed out dlrge
For the sinners passing soul.
And round they stirred the gallon jug,
And high they flung the cup;
With half song and half prayer
They tossed it, filling up.
Now but one left, and he, though faint.
Staggers towards the rope,
And tolls-fi first draining cup and bowl.
Half dead, without hope
Tolls, till the old tower rocks again
Tolls, with hand of lead =
Then falls upon the wine-drenched III
Upon his fellows-dead!
Walter Thornbury, in San Francis
Argonaut.