Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-12-09
TAKE YOUR CRUEL.
A Somewhat Pensivs soIiloquy by a
Mu9wump.


range will remember Bill DeVere
He put in some months In Durango ir
the early eighties. afterwards goinl
to Creede, where he wrote many In
teresting poems. He was at Asbury
Park when the National Editorial
Association met and delivered the
following. which will be of interest
to many readers. 1t is handed to us
by Ned Parker. who will entertain
you at the old Democrat quarters a
few evenings:
One day while roaming the streets OF
Butte,
saw the form of tall "galoot,"
With two-weeks' beard on his ca.
daverous face.
And pants all shattered about the
base.
And coat SO dreadfully rent and torn
'Twould frighten crows from a field
| of corn.
And he gazed with eager. hungry
stare
Through restaurants big show win
dow. where
The richest viands were placed in
sight
AS bait for the wondering appetite.
AS he stood and gazed at good things
there,
His thin lips moved. but not in pray
His thin lips moved. but not in prayer,
But he muttered curses at the fate
Which had kicked him downward to
such state.
He was one of those shiftless, worth.
less cranks
Who had changed his politics, left
the ranks
OF the party known as the G. o. p.
And switched to the free democracy.
He was gazing into the window there,
Anticipating a bill OF fare
So as he had the pelf.
And this is the way that he roasted
himself:
Look at 'em darn you, look at 'em
straight.
And hunger for 'em, you reprobate,
Starvtn and can't get cussed bite.
An" thar 1t is, just stacks of it, too;
1t serves you right
To be in this plight,
Starvin' and can't get a cussed bite,
fhu thli II 10, JuSI bIdChS OI 100,
A famishin. darn you;
Well. 1t II l'arn you
To let well enough alone, you duffer;
Look at 1t now. Just gaze and suffer
Look at that turkey, roasted brown.
Don't you wish you could swallow
down
About the half Of It? See them pies.
Food for an angel from paradise.
And you starving. you chump!
Look at that roast. 'twould tempt a
king!
Look at the steaks. look at every
thing:
And then. YOU sucker NAV inquire
II from the frying pan into the FIRE
You'll make another jump?
You wernt satisfied, you miserable
cub,
Plenty Of work and plenty of grub:
Mines running by night and day.
Everthing coming right your way:
Best of clothes on your cussed back.
And had to fly the Republican track;
Stumped the whole range.
Squealed for change.
Made your speeches in every camp,
Demycrat of the meanest stamp:
Travelled all over In the sun and
storm,
Howling for Cleveland and reform
That's what you did. you overgrown
kid,
Toted rooster around on you hat,
And shouted 'Hooray' for the Demo.
hVIn or MIN
poop.
You could kill that rooster and eat
the soup
But you howled like a wolf for
change, bod rot 1t
You wanted a change and now you've
got 1t.
Kept the air unusuallv warm
Yelling Reform Reform!' Reform!'
Said Republicans were all thieves.
Fattening on spoils. like stall-fed
beeves,
Crowding the land to the tarnal dogs,
Swamping her down In ruins bogs.
Wrecking the good old Ship of State,
Raising cid Nick at lightning rate
You Sam Gossage! You skin of a
sausage!
You talked that way, you cussed fool,
Tried to teach a Demycrat school;
Dished up lies that would stop q
clock.
Blinded the miners with free trade
talk;
Told them silver would bulge ahead,
Gold would be worthless as SO much
lead.
Pay'd be doubled in every mine;
Holy gosh. you spun 1t fine.
Started the boys on a wild stampede,
You,' you old buck, taking the lead; (;
Over the fence got the gang to jump.
Look at you now. you - chump!
Did you ketch whit, you blamed old
stiff,
OF the good things a-cooking back in
| there,
When the feller swung the door ajar?
Did you smell the cabbage and lus-
cious beef,