Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1904-03-17
OLD =
FAVORITES

The Wonderful "One-H oss Shay"
Have you heard of the wonderful one
boss shay.
That was built in such logical way
1t ran Il hundred years to II day
And then. of a sudden. it-ah, but stay,
I'll tell you what happened without de-
lay.
Soaring the parson into fits.
Frightening people out of their wits
Have you ever heard of that | say?
Seventeen hundred and fifty five,
GcOrgius Secundus was then alive
Snuify old drone from the German hive.
That was the year when Lisbon town
Saw the earth open and gulp her down,
And Braddock's army was done so
brown.
Left without scalp to its crown.
1t was on the terrible Earthquake day
That the Deacon finished the one-hoss
shay.
With all Il dew vum," or an Il tell
yeou").
He would build one shay to beat the
VuOWu.
~ the keounty n all the kentry raoun';
1t should be so built that it couldn't
break daown;
eur" said the Deacon "'t's mighty
plain
Thut the weakes' place mus stan the
strain;
N the way t fix it. NJ maintain,
Is only jest
T. make that place w strong w the rest '
Step and prop-iron. bolt and screw.
Spring, tire axle. and linchpin. too.
Steel of the finest. bright aud blue;
Thoroughhrace bison'skin, thick and
wide;
Boot. top. dasher. from tough old hide.
Found in the pit when the tanner died.
That was the way he put her through"
There" said the Deacon, "naow she'll
dew"
Do! l tell YOU. | rather guess
She was a wonder. and nothing less.
Colts grew horses. boards turned gray.
Deacon and Deaconess dropped away.
Children and grandchildren-where were
they?
But there stood the stout old one-hOss
shay.
As fresh rs on Lisbon earthquake day!
Eighteen hundredit came and found
The Deacons masterpiece strong and
sound.
Eighteen hundred increased by ten
"Hahnsum kerridge" they called it then.
Eighteen hundred and twenty came
Running as usual; much the same.
Thirty and forty at last arrive.
And then came fifty. and ifty-fve
First Of November-the Earthquake
There are traces of age in the one-hoss
shay.
A general flavor of mild decay.
But nothing local. as one may say.
There couldn't be-for the Deacon's art
Had made it so like in every part
That there wasn't chance for one to
start.
First of November. Fifty-tve.
This morning the parson takes drive.
Now, small boys. get out OF the way.
Here comes the wonderful one-hoss shay.
Drawn by rat-tailed. ewenecked bay.
"IIuddup" said the parson. of went
they.
The parsou was working his Sundays
text
Had got to filthy. and stopped perplexcd
At what e-Moses-was coming naXt.
All Mt once the horse stood still
Close by the meet'n' house on the hill
First shiver. and then Il thrill.
Then something decidedly like spill
And the parson was sitting upon n. rock.
At half-past nine by the meet house
clock
Just the hour Of the Earthquake shock.
What do you think the parson found
When he got mp and stared around:
The poor old chaise in II heap or mound.
As if it had been, to the mill and ground :.
You see. Of course. il you're not II Ounce.
How il went to pieces all Mt "irc--
All at once. and nothing first
Just as bubbles do when they burst
End of the wonderful one-hoss shay.
Logic is logic. That's all | say.
INi:,.,, V'nn.lon IoI