Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-08-31
A MuTILATED POET
Cut Up Almost as Badly as His Al
legged Bit OF Genuine Verse.

legged Bit OF Genuine Verse.
When Western editor was sitting
In his office one day, a man whose
brow was clothed with thunder en-
tered. Eiercely seizing a chair, he
slammed his bat on the table, hurled
his umbrella on the floor. AMI sat
down.
'Are you the editorg" he asked.
'Yes."
"Can you read writing?'
"Of course
"Read that. then" be said. thrusting
at the Colonel an envelope. with an in
scription upon il.
B" said the Colonel. trying to
spell it.
That's not b It's an S." said the
man
IS: oh yes; see! Well. it looks like
Salt for dinner or Souls of sinners
said the colonel
''No. sir" replied the man: nothing
OF the kind! That's my name-Samuel
III. Drummer. l knew you couldn't read.
j called TO see about that poem OF mine
you printed the other day. on the Sur
cease of Sorrow
II don't remember it," said the
Colonel.
"Of course you don't. because It went
into the paper under the infamous
title of Smearcase Tomorrow
"A blunder of the compoSitor's, |
suppose"
Eyes, sir, and that's what ! want to
see you about. The way in which that
poem was mutilated was simply scan
dalous. | haven't slept n night since Ii
exposed me TO derision, People think
that | am an ass. Let me show you.
The first line when wrote il read in
this way:
Lying by weeping willow, under
meath gentle slope
That is beautiful, poetic, affecting
Now, how did your vile sheet present
VI TO the public?
Lying to a weeping widow TO induce
her to elope.
Weeping widow. mind you widow!
oh. thunder aud lightning; This is too
much,
But look a-hcre ut the fourth verse.
That's worse yet:
Cast thy pearls before the swine and
lose them in the dirt.
Tie sets il mp i'm this fashion:
Cart thy pills before the sunrise and
love them il they hurt.
Now. isn't that cold blooded outrage
on mans feelings? I'll leave it to
you il il isn't"
ITS hard. that's n fact" said the
Colonel
And then take the fifth verse In the
original manuscript IL said, plain as
daylight:
Take away the iingling money; it is
only glittcring dross.
In It's printed form you made me say:
Take away the tingling honey; put
some flies in for the boss
BY George, felt like Draining you
with q fire shovel! | was never so cut
up in my life. There. for instance. was
the sixth verse wrote:
| am weary of the tossing OF the ocean
as II heaves.
II is lovely line. too. But imagine my
horror and the anguish of my family
when | opened your paper and saw the
line transformed into:
I am wearing out my trousers till
they're open nj The knees
That is q little too much That seems
Ia me like carrying the thing an inch or
two too far think | have Il consti
tutional right ga aiurdrr that cOmposit-
or; don't your
II think YOU have
'Ict me read YOU one more verse |
wrote.
I swell The flying echoes as they roam
among hc hills
And | feel my soul awakening 10 the
ecstasy that thrills
Now. what do YOU s'posr your misera-
bile outcast turned that into2 Why. in-
To this.
) smell the frying shoes as they coast
along the bulls.
And | peel my soul mistaken 10 the
erctary that whirls.
| must slay that man. Where Is hep
HE is out just now" said the
Colonel Come in tomorrow
II will" said the poet: and ! will
come armed Exchange.