Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-04
CHORUS.

MIR. Clemens accompanied his jingle
with the following explanation:
II came across these jiugling rhymes
in a newspaper little while ago and
rend them couple of times. They took
instant and entire possession Of me. All
through breakfast they went Waiting
through my brain. and when at last roll
ed up my napkin could not tell whether
had eaten anything or not. had care
fully laid out my days work the day be-
fore-a thrilling tragedy in the novel
which | am writing. went to my den
to begin my deed Of blood. | took up nv
pen, but all | could get ii to say was,
Punch in the presence Of the passenjsr ;
l fought hard for an hour, but it was
useless. Ny head kept humming. "A
blue trip slip for an eight cent fare,
buff trip slip for a six cent fare and so
on. and SO on. without peace or respite.
The days work was ruined could sec
that plainly enough. | gave up and
drfted down town and presently discov-
cred that my feet were keeping time to
that relentless jingle When could
stand 1t no longer. | altered my step.
But it did no good. Thok rhymes ac-
commodated themselves to the new step
| returned home and suffered all the aft.
ernoon, suffered all through an uncon.
scious and unrefreshng dinner, suffered
and cried and jingled all through the
evening, went to bed and rolled tossed
aud jingled right along the same MS ever,
but there was nothing visible upon tho
whirling page except. Punch, punch in
the presence Of the passenjaren BY sun
rise was out Of my mind, and every
body marveled and was distressed Mt the
idotic burden OF my rawlings"
The Literary Nightmare" awakened
horse car poets throughout the world.
Algernon Charles Swinburne in Ia Re-
vue des peux Mondes had a brief copy
OF French verses, written with all his
well known warmth and melody:
LIE CHANT DU CoNDUCrEUR.
Ayant etc payc. lie conducteur
Prrccra en- pleIne we du voylgeur,
Quand IL recoit trois SOUS un COUPON vert
Tn coupon jaime pour six est ladaire,
Fl pour huit SOUS cest coupon couleur--
De rose, pleine vue du voysgeur.
cHFUR.
Done, percez soigaeusement, mes freres,
Tout en- pleine vue dcs voyageurs, etc.
The Western, an enterprisiug St. Louis
magazine, had "A terrible attack and. adj
dressing "Marco Twain" it came ont in
Latin anthem, with the following cho-
rus:
Pungite frares. pungite.
Pungite cum Hmore
Pungite pro vectore
Diligentissime pungite.
Away out in the wilds Of Nevada a
man who had just been reading the Lit
erary Nightmare stepped into an Austin
saloon, mutterng, Punch, brothers,
punch with care, punch in the presence
of the passenj are" when retired prize
fighter, who was snoozing in n corner,
got up and, accosting the nightmare fell
low. demanded, Whose ears are you go
ing TO punch, you bloody duffcrT The
other fellow tried 10 explain. but the
fighter insisted that he (the other fellow
has said. Punch, brothers, punch with
care, punch that big fellow square in the
ear
Later New Eagland editor said:
Mark Twain will sail for Europe on
business in the spring but
IN he plays any Jokes on the captain there
And don't come down with the regular fare,
The captain'll probably rip and tear
And punch him in the presence Of the passen arep'
Rodney Blake In Literary Life.