Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-06
Observation-Disclosures
Dust In yer eyes. dust n yer. yer nose,

| Dust IN yer eyes dust In yer nose,
| Dust down yer throat, and thick
| On yer clothes Can't hardly talkf
| | know II, but walk-you Sucker, walk
WIN. Devere.
"Blg Bill" Deyere--tramp poet OF the
west--is dying, alone and destitute, In
New York.
Only by the barest accident was II
learned recently that he had hidden
himself away at 1872 East Thirteenth
street to let his life dribble OFT as 1t
would. Seventy-four years old. with
out anything in particular Of this
worlds goods. big Bill"-nobody has
ever called him anything else-is going
where in his day he has sent many an
other man.
Devere has many friends In Salt
Lake. Many a time he has appeared
here in Hoyt's "A Black Sheer" as the
editor OF an Arizona paper. Who that
has seen II does not remember big
BINS" laughing song, In which he
made the audience laugh with him?
Who has not recalled with a smile the
improved aerial cash carrier on a
wire, utilized 10 bring him whisky
from the bar in the next room? Who
has not recalled Deyere himself, and
the humor OF his very appearance?
| Otis Harlan was ostensibly the star Of
"A Black Sheep and the sheriff was
vastly minor part. but big Bit
| brought 10 it such a naturally rough
personality that the real actor was
completely outshone.
on many occasions Deyere has been
entertained here, Scarcely once has he
passed through Salt Lake without par
tlclpatlng In an Elks smoker, which
would be arranged In his honor. but In
which he would do the greater part Of
the entertaining, Everybody around
here has heard him recite his poems,
notably "Walk,"-that extremely eX-
pressiye story Of the wasted fortune,
his ensuing remorse and his self-infiict-
ed punishment Of walking behind
wagon, while he soliloquzed. From
this, the height OF absurdlty. Devere
would begin his 1.-TWO Little Busted
Shoes" and not only his audience, but
he himself, would try to keep down a
big hard lump that wanted 70 come up
In the throat For these poems, no
matter how crude and lacking In TECH
nique, represented the authors actual
experiences during life spent for lit
tie among the rough mining camps OF
the west, and Devere read them with
certain sincerity that was not learned
in an elocution class.
His 1.-TWO Little Busted Shoes" re-
lates an experience when at q stage
station far out west he opened his
trunk and discovered a memento plac-
ed there by hIs wife to remind him OF
the kid" The crowd Of miners Is
looking on.
And as each fellow cranes his neck, the
first thing that he views
Is two tiny little stockings and two little
busted shoes,
Right here on top thoy rested and In
fancy seemed to say
Now, papa don't forget US when you're
wand ring far away"
Not a nippant word was ventured, not q
sound was spoken loud.
As food OF golden sunshine poured It's
glory DER the crowd.
Could an old and master painter touched
his palette's varied hues
He'd have gathered inspiration from
those little busted shoes,
| sald they we're not bad men, and !
meant Just what ! say.
And | hope that | may meet them all up
on some future day,
May meet them whore no memories may
coniure up the blues,
with their little ones AROUND them wear
ing little busted shoes
Again Devere struck sympathetic
chord-moreso when he himself read
It--ln the story OF the girl who, tired
OF ploddin" round the farm decided
to so to the city lie says;
you're lest like your mother. Mandy.
ana most allus hoy yer way
speakin' 'bou, yer mother, tho, mornln'
went in t5s 6ig front bed room. and 1
knet down BY her side
An / asked the good Lord 10 spare her
and ca leave her fer me 10 love-
But reckon lie kinder needed her In
the mansion up above
She lowed she thought twas better for
her ~ 40 than stay
An you're Jest Ike yer mother, Mandy,
and most allus hey your way
she said that tho good Lord Willed TX,
AM she said His will be done,
Then she asked mo 20 shove the curtains
back AM LEI M the warm bright sun.
so't she could look AZ the dear green fields
whar abe had passed her life
I,yer since the day Ola fgrson Brown had
pronounced Ms man an wife
An she told nc 90 guard an protect |
Vou. am 90 cherish you every day
Ant toure lest Ike your mother, Mandy
an most allus hey Your way
OF course. youll be happieg Mandy, IN |
Your bright nov city home,
And tUu'u hm o. forget your poor Ola |
dad that's souoWn AN alone
You'll meet un with companions Whol no /
mono tu Nout mind,
An pDrhaps You'll forgot YOUR mothers |
sryc u the lulopda you've leii be-
Bind
unt mn hIrsains shall 81 With you AM |
project Y0u Nhero iou stray
Bon Nuu'ra usl lIkt fNLr mother mandy !
an most Wlus hft i0uf way
Bon many. many years 'hIg nm
Eno. kal iounl tho weat prQspNQllng |
rannlnE concert halls ana gAmbllns /
hOuaaH luluIns hIs hand t0 ANYTHING /
m Afi ihni mlEht uft "a dollar VITA
M ho nsl "a heart ln hln aH hls Az all |
uut. d0nfa and Ma IIonlt Wele legion. /