The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1905-04-04
LONG AGO
For MESSENGER BY c. E. Eddv

- ~
'For MESSENGER by c. E. Eddy)
oh the golden long ago
In the land of Idaho.
HOW eau humble voice pen
Cali Its vislas back again
RANT tne picture clear and true
AS u master hand would do.
How reveal ii from the haze
or the dim, long vanished dave
"Iis theme for song or story.
There Is gold enough and glory
NOBLE hearts. and not few.
Staunch and brave. the tried and tr,a
but within their world complete
Ihere was crime, intrigue deceit.
WHIP pursuit OF wealth or pleasure
fliled hfe's cup 20 brimming measure
There was siren-voiced sin
With her lifting violin;
An, 1t was an age that thrilled
All with which the soul Is flied;
scenes none knowing can forget,
Hoary men remember yet.
once their hearts were free from care
Love was young and life was fair
Then they left their childhood home
In the wide, vide world TO roam.
racing Westward from afar,
Lured by eLIpire's early star.
Here they found the land of gold
With its cleaning wealth untold.
soon besides the mountain streams
Ci les rose like magic dreams,
Thronged the busy hosts Of life.
song and wine and sin were rife;
Many we're the merry dances
Led by woman's Turing glances,
With the thrilling game OF chance
E'en more Turing than the dance.
Al such price was pleasure sold
There was naught so cheap as gold
How they CLEANED it from the gravel
With the pick and pan and shovel
Yellow dust and cleaning nugget,
Hardly could a cayuse lug it;
OFT it made heavy cargo
For the hustling firm OF Fargo,
Men were found to take the risk through
And to tote It ou. to Frisco.
There was Buckskin Bill the bully,
Type that has not vanished fully,
lie could fight John Barleycorn
From the night unto the morn;
He was called the Prince OF Poker"
Ee could land IA deadly Soker."
Make the trembling tenderfeet
Dance a jig or stand treat;
How he fought the savage red men:
Filled u graveyard with his dead men,
How he boldly stands and shoots on
Till he perished with his boots on,
Ana ~ last they laid him low
In The Golden Long Ago.
Many years they kept mining
With the paystreaks scarce declining,
Care could never cast shadow
On the dreams OF Eldorado,
Merry still with wine and song
Moved the miners life along;
Comrades Bill and Jim and Joe,
In the Golden Long Ago.
But tn " all were only human,
Wealth they lavished upon woman
II she only smiled upon them;
They went broke" at last dogore them.
Now the years have darkly drifted
And the scene is sadly shifted,
Eldorado's marIs are BUNDLED
And her cabins all are tumbled,
Broooing silence has reverted
To the placer beds deserted
All the myriad. mottled crew,
Now faded scattering few,
Drifting ever to the bourne
Whence no traveller returns.
All the charming Senorita;
Raven tressed, unknown Juanita;
She who danced to merry numbers
Who can guess where now she slumbcrS
sleeps she now without lover,
With the grave grass for cover.
Now the moss and rag-weeds grow
Where Bonanza's waters flow
And the foXglove and the fern
Mark the summer times return
Clouds DER earthly skies are driven,
While the sun shines on in heaven
And where past and future meet
Angels songs may sing complete.
More than mortalS dimly dream
or this magic golden theme
All our words are frail and weak
Fitting tribute here to speak.
So here must cease my song
'Tis already far too long,
Hush my narp oh faint arc low
Farewell, Golden Long Ago.