The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-10-19
FREDERICKSBURG Va, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 49, 1901
New Thing undar tha Sun


from the Richmond News on the writings
Of rnE FREE LANcE's unique, exclusi VI
and only genuinely new under the sun
poetic correspondent from Greene county
Not many newspapers are blessed with
reporters who report in poetry, but the
fredericksburg FREE Lance is one OF the
happy exceptions Its Greene county
man in its last number begins his chron
icle of local occurrences with this out
burst:
Qunque. Va. Oct. 10. 1901.
Miss Mary !. Gilbert and George Jackson
Ou Sunday morning were both made one.
The attendants were many AMI Oi the ellte.
The nuptialS were uttered by j. j. White.
Surely son rhymes with "one' and
from the strictly Anglo-Saxon stand
point, from which the Greene county
architect Of verses wrote, lite - ought
to tit with White" Under the Monroe
Doctrine and the protective tariff system
we are exempted from considering any
rules made by foreign peoples for the pro-
nunciation OF words from their language
imported into our country and we con-
gratuate the sweet singer Of Greene on
the real American spirit which prompts
him to use elite TO meet the exigencies
of yersilcation.
He is treading on peculiarly slippery
ground in his next verse
The brides apparel looked rich indeed.
And by those present 10 was agreed.
Ot 1--WE mnrricd sisters, pretty and fair
The bride was the most beautiful there.
This illustrates the advantage of re-
porting in poetry. The ordinary prose
workman would not dare to make such
comparisons, however, well established
might be his personal opinions; but in
verse. we presume, "A writer may say
anything and be safe.
Further details of the event and of oc-
currences at Quinque are set forth thus:
Your scribe was invited 10 see the knot tied.
iut knock down To the groom and bride
ny the 1ffahle preacher. Rev j. j. White,
WhO in tielng up bundles squeezcs them tight.
\ ca~c Of the fever at Qulnque
Resulted in the death Of a young darkey.
Alr. Il. y. stephens tomorrow VIII go
To purchase Hrw goods IN Baltimore.
Work on south River church has stopped,
7 he members are busy handling their crops.
The sky Is proptious the weather sublime
And old mHn Harlow is ON the rcpine.
Hc has hut one foot that he can stand on,
That is half huniOn. the others a corn.
can II eXaggcration or what you may
choose
Wears No. : hat aud No. 10 shoes
Unfortunately, poets and reporters
usually are at war because the one deals
in fancies while the trade OF the other Is
supposed to be in facts. Here we have a
most unusualan beautiful combination.
The Greene county man not only gathers
and chronicles events and presents them
with full descriptive outline, but he
weaves them into enduring literature.
We feel safe in saying that few who read
his poem will forget it. He occupies a
place of his own and has created a new
field in the newspaper business.
We can not say that we hope lssystem
will become general Theaverage editor
beats out his brains long before the time
for their natural decay against the in
vincible ramparts of ordinary repOrtOrial
prose and in frenzied pursuit of the ideas
OF correspondents through labyrinths OF
involved sentences he rides rough-shod
over the regulations of politeness and
morality. Were he required to deal habit
ually and in hurry with verse the con-
sequences would be more serious yet and
commissions of lunacy would be kept
busy. Laboring at 3:20 p. m. to adjust
a poem descriptive a fire for paper
which must go to press at $3.50 p. m.
would involve the saying and doing OF
things likely to eregretted subsequently.
We congratulate The FREE LANCE on
its acquisition, but persons contributing
articles for publication to The Richmond
News will be requested to adhere to
prose, for the present at least