Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23
CITY D|SCOVERER
MEETS A POET

| am only few miles from home and l step
| into bit of fairyland. This little valley,
| with the ripping brook the moss-grown
banks the young and tender grass and the
| budding trees might serve as an Inspiration
| for great poet"
| perhaps, sir. said a deep voice behind
| the City Discoverer. lit has"
| Inc Discoverer turned around quickly and
confronted a large person with a cleaning
| eye.
Il shouldn't wonder at all replied tho
CITY Discoverer. somewhat embarrassed 1T
certainly is pretty enough"
| But the other person was gazing
dreamily off in the distance and seemed
not to have heard. Yes" he remarked.
after time. when l lived in Washington
L USED TO come here frequently. When the
cares OF official Washington fretted me when
| the iron crown of official position pressed
TOO heavily on my throbblng temples when
the muse called softly from her home in
| the Businesses of nature. would steal away
| here Then throwing myself on this messy
bank would dream and ponder. and often
times my pencil would move OF its own
Vohtion across the page"
Are you a poet?" the City Discoverer IN
| quired respectfully.
The tall man bowed gracefully "Is
| face familiar to you?" he manfred
think not; that is. | am not sure" re-
pl1ed the city Discoverer diffidently
Inc poetic person frowned irritahlv
II Is We'll he remarked. after a moment.
reiaxlng somewhat. 1t is rather annoying
40 pe zoo Wen known. particularly when one
| is In Washington incognito"
DO you write your poems here?'' Inouired
| the city Discoverer after pause
say rather" replied the other with an
artistic sigh. that they write them
| selves. | do but hold the pencil 10 tho
! page. | remember he continued dreamily
that 1t was here l penned that famous
quatrain. that dainty. tripping and artistic
very bank. l had been thinking that |
needed a rest and suddenly my pencil
| began TO move. When the inspiration had
passed glanced at the page and saw at the
! tcp my chiefs name The rest was as
| follows:
! II pick up this piece Of pIumbago
To tell you have the inmbago;
VIII HE me away, for a week and day.
| If you will only just say GO
That is certainly catchy ventured tbs
| City Discoverer diffidently
| And 1t was also here" continued the
! epic beginning:
| ''Oh. the weevil's In the boil
| With his cotton-hunting soul
| As hungry soul be-
Very he'll start TO eat
| With his teeth and with his feet
And tn. pestered pianter'n have to climb
|
| CITY Discoverer, when 1t became time for
him TO say something.
And 1t was right over there" continued
| the friend of the muse, gazing at the trunk
| OF weeping willow, that l penned the IA
| nous epigram which l afterward had paint
ed on my office door. 1t goes this way:
The man who wipes his face on the
door mat is entitled to have his idiosyncra-
sizes respected, but the man who eats soup
with pie knife should be treated for men
| tai malaria. B"
Il don't think" ventured the Discoverer
after rather long pause, that L quite I'M
| derstand-''
The ;. poet looked Disguised 'I am
sorry. he replied. stiffly. Il have been
told that the epigrammatic completeness
of that last excels anything turned out Of
recent years"
| here?' asked the City Discoverer at length
Let me see replied the tall poet re-
hectively. Il think it was here l first put on
paper those immortal lines since known as
the war classic which run as follows:
oh dewey the morning in the dewey month
And Dewey was the admraIs name down in
And dewey were the regents eyes, them Orbs Of
And do we think we're sOrry2 We do not think
do"
81 am also the author Of a iaunty little
thing entitled. Spring which ripples:
They say the spring is gentle. and they say the
q
That II your thirst you're quenching and your foot
should swiftly slip
You'd swear the spring was almost also somewha,
wei
Did you write that out here also?, in
CURED the City Discoverer.
Yes, responded the poet, proudly.
right here can do almost anything
under the influence of these whispering
trees. this youthful sensitive grass, this re-
pcseful moss and this talkative brook. AS
have said, l do but hold the pencil to the
page. Why, 1t was only this morning as L
was sitting here before your arrival that
L felt the muse stir. Inspiration sprang to
my finger tips. But for your arrival |
should have had lyric. AS It is. had
| this much completed when l heard you con-
versing with yourself:
, There was young named Warner.
Who tried 20 play puss In the corner
With place of high trust-said ill It or bust
And now he's an absolute gOner."
Does that-er-poem refer to the present
commissioner of pansions?' inquired the
City Discoverer.
TT most certainly does" replied the
disciple of the muse. quite energeticany.
Just a moment. | feel the inspiration
surge through my system once more
think If 1 had not been interrupted by
your remarks to nature that my lyric
should have rippled on thus
HE thought he had landed snap
Quite near to the government pap,
But he made mistake. and he's awake
After his sweet little nap
Isn't that rather-er-disrespectf in
qufred the City Discoverer, dffidently.
Suffering archangelsr cried the poet
growing red in the face. WAS Mr. War
ners predecessor treated with proper re-
spect? Listen. This would have been the
third throb of my lyric:
Hell be soaked the nose and the ear,
He'll be hlled with the hercest Of fear.
And when 1t is over he'll duck for the Glove.
And shed large. tremulous tear.
That" remarked the poet gloomiy,
was far the muse had progress-d
when l was interrupted by your communion
with the trees and things. But If you will
retire l will endeaVor to inspiration
once more
But will you not tell me your name be-
fore 1 go?" inquired the City Discoverer his
mild blue eyes shining with eagerness be-
hind his gold-rimmed glasses and his whole
frame filled with curiosity.
Hal" calculated the poet with a bit
ter smile. Such is fame Go, stranger,
and breathe not the name of the prosecuted.
the unhappy the gifted and the poetic man
from Kansas Eugene +. Ware"