The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-02-02


lie took me upward in hi fight,
Above the moon aud sun. and far
Beyond the home of furthcst star.
Until we reached the pearly gates
where clothed with power Saint Peter waits.
To reckon up the balance sheet
For every one who comes to meet
The fate, whatever IL may be
Impartial Justice may decree
Is due him for his deeds IN life,
OF good or evil, peace or strife.
The long procession coming ever
From this wotll ana cessiuG never,
Was n scene al solemn wonder
As viewed it way up yonder.
There Saint Peter sat awarding
One by one, each according
As had his life been good or evil,
To happiness or to the devil.
At length one came, well known to me
His earthly life. aud could see
BY trembling step and frame aquiver,
His every fibre in shiver.
How awful sentence he expected
For what he'd done or had neglected
In the time of his probation
During earthly incarnation.
Silently drew aside
Fearful of what might betide
This one with whom once had neighborcd
And perchauce together labored.
Saint Peter looked him square in face
AS though before him was a case
OF hardened villain. scared with crime
Just arrived from shores of time.
Tell me what was your vocation
While on earth your hsbitation
Was your lifework noble, pure,
Making your election sure;
such as YOU would live again,
blessing to your fellow men?
Or was it one of evil doing,
OF wrong on top Of wrong accruing;
And heaping up for Judgment day
The sins you cannot cast away?
or vast good and evil mixed together,
Some Of one ana some the other?
Repeat Jhe record OF thine acts,
Aud speak me truy-tell the facts"
with ashen face and looks aside.
And quiyring lip he thus replied
SIRE said he, 81 long have known
must account for what I've done.
In much, my life must confess
Has been wicked more or less.
I've kept from doing many things
Which afrerward the conscience stings;
Was to the needy often kind,
Giving aims to lame and blind.
But Ry peculiar occupation
Was much surrounded with temptation,
To which yielded without tlinching;
For my trade was that Of cinCbing
Ev'ry person, meek or great
could persuade of real estate
To buy or sell or some way take Of
Securing to myself n rakeoht.
To distant one I'd write letter
Telling him how much better
His lot would be. If he would come
And buy from me farm or home.
And many came at my behest
And were persuaded to invest
In lots or lands at tow'ring price
OF which always got a slice.
Nor age, nor sex, nor poor were spared,
All with me their fortune shared.
| doomed the country. doomed the town,
And many laid their shekes down,
Both old and young and wives and men,
No more to pick them up again.
And thus my life you find be studded
With deeds like these-most cold -blooded."
Saint Peter heard with august mien
While he told his tale of sin
With knitted brow, which half expressed
The words he said, he thus addressed
In measured speech which did alright
For nineteen centuries, never sleeping,
With faithful guard I've been keeping,
BY the power that's to me given
All the sinful out of heaven.
No agent yet OF real estate,
Hath entered through that pearly gate.
The chiefest sin that's ever been
Is proving on your fellow men;
Ii uecr before or since thy youth
Foronc thou speskest now the truth;
Thy very looks full well betoken
Ev'ry word that thou hast spoken.
Go thou hence, thou son of evil
Thy home henceforth is with the devil.
| sentence thee to Punishment
Eternal be thy punishment:
In triple darkness, thrice condensed,
There let thy deeds be rscompeused;
Whore heats iuteusest be thy lot,
Aud gnawing worm that dieth not.
HIT whence thou earnest thou frst must state
That may keep The record straight"
With quakiug frame and ohait'ring jaw
The wretch replied ''From Yakima" Ccried,
what, hold in thund'riug tones Saint Pete
Reyerberating far ana wide.
And leaping from his seat he spake
Tilt seemed the dome OF heaven would SD axe
This information quite revers es
The former judgment, and the curses
Which were pronounced upon thy head,
Are same as If they'd neer been said.
Ny son, be calm and fear no more,
Thou shOuldst have told me this before.
Now hear me well, for know thou must