The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-02-09
When the Century Begins?


| One argued this way, another that,
Each argument knocking the other fiat.
We possess our souls with patience like Jot
| While Mrs. Frederick read from the Boston
Globe
An article, proving to all who have Numbered
That the Century will begin in nineteen
hundred.
With emphasis Med says, Certainly not!
To the end of the Century we have not got
We have not lived one hundred years,
With all its hopes, its joys, its tears
Mrs. Conant, also, with earnest voice
Protests against such an early choice
One year must finish ere another begins,
She would give us time to repent of our sins.
From the inner room voice is heard
| The logical brain of Howes is stirred
At all other ideas she laughs in derision,
Nineteen hundred and one is her decision.
! Alexander ponders-and not in vain
It's as clear as sunshine after rain,
Nineteen hundred will give us another year
With our oldest friend-let who will sheer.
Mrs. Knowlton says she thinks we are wrong
And claims her argument is quite as strong,
But there is saying that might makes right,
And soon she's the under dog in the fight.
Finally we say we will put it to vote,
And of the yeas and nays we will all take
note.
Nineteen hundred and one How many are
Who believe it the birth of the century?
H .nds fly upward thick and fast,
We have reached a unanimous decision at
last
The question that has caused the world
fatigue,
League
PART SECOND.
But bark! " hat sound is that we hear!
We one and all pick up our ear,
From the under dog there comes a growl,
Which soon grows into terrific howl.
"Convince a woman against her will
She will be of the same opinion STILL
Our gentle Maria breaks ont anew,
And her cause is championed by the doubt
ful few.
The positive Med. is now shaking with
doubt,
Mrs. Howes, in confusion, is squirting
about,
Alexander, so sure, light dawns on her
Is fit subject for painter, if one we could
tud.
Mary insists there is nothing to fear,
We are living the century year by year,
And a child nine years old is nine till its
ten,
Damon is ratified, The question is hard,
With desperation she plays her last card,
And utterly regardless of why's or when
Declares child not uine till its BIRTHDAYS
count ten.
Says Maria, child is nine in its tenth wear
Even Mary comedies that is evidence clear.
So counting by centuries we are forced to
admit
That the present one. this year, makes its
final exit.
PART THIRD.
II any there are still inclined to doubt
Ana at the evidence given DISPOSED to tlout
Ii reason clamors for little more,
Let them make call at the parsonage door
| am convinced that they will find
The minister absolutely sure in his mind
He Will tell the result of our vote was right,
A nd we had no cause to renew the fight
He will take them back to the beginning of
time,
And with knowledge almost if not quite,
divine
He will say the question of all my stery is
If they begin to count birthdays the moment
they re born.
Counting time by calender there can be no
mistake,
Count one at the start, and as sure as fate
They Will find the parson is not in fun,
When he says it opens in nineteen hundred
and one.
LEAGUE MEMBER.