The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-28

Through the kindness of the come
dams old friend T.. c. Benedict, the
New York Tribune published these
lines by Jefferson, on Immortality"
Read at this time the fable viii seem
to many persons like veritable mes
sage from beyond the grave. Fanci-
full invention and quaint hu.nCr are
the obvious characteristic - NJ this
unpretentious bit of verse. and it ey-
presses a conviction that its author
cherished, with steadfast faith. all his
days. Mr.. Benedict writes:
"One day last summer, when Mir.
Jefferson and Mr. Cleveland were
taking luncheon on board the Oneida,
i'm Buzzards Bay the conversation
drifted TO the subject of future life.
Mr.. Jefferson expressed himself as
very grateful for having had more
than his share of the joys of this lite,
and as being prepared to meet. at
any moment. the common fate of all.
He said he had lately been 'scribbling
some doggerel' on the subject, and
he recited his lines to us. / asked him
for a copy of them, which he said he
did not possess, but he promised to
send me- In February / reminded
him Of his promise, and received a
signed copy of the verses. which he
entitled Immortality 1t seems as
though these lines construct beautl-
full bridge between faith and rea-
SON."
Immortality.
(By Joseph Jefferson.)
Two caterpillars crawling on leaf.
BY some strange accident in contact
came;
Their conversation, passing all be
lief,
Was that same argument, the very
same,
That has been "proed and conned"
from man TO man,
Yea, ever since this wondrous world
began
The ugly creatures.
Deaf and dunno and blind,
Devoid of features
That adorn mankind.
Were vain enough, in dull and Wordy
strife.
To speculate upon future life.
The first was optimistic. full of hope.
The second, quite dyspeptic, seemed
to NOPE.
Said number one, I'm sure OF our
salvation
Said number two I'm sure of our
damnation
Our ugly forms alone would seal our
fates
And bar our entrance through the
golden gates
Suppose that death should take us un-
awares.
How could we climb the golden
stairs?
If maidens shun us as they pass us
by,
Would angels bid us welcome in the
sky?
wonder what great crimes we have
committed,
That leaves us so forlom and so I'M
pitied.
Perhaps we've been ungrateful, I'M
forgiving;
'Tis plain to me that life's not worth
the living"
Come, come. cheer up" the jovial
worm replied,
Lets take a look upon the other
Suppose we cannot fly like moths or
millers,
Are we to blame for being caterpll-
lars?
VIII that same God that doomed us
to crawl the earth,
A prey to every bird that's given
birth
Forgive oui captor as he eats aud
sings,
And damn poor US because we have
not wings?
IL we CAN L ShlAl the eil1 AA1NG ONi VI
bat
A worm will turn for a that +"
They argued through the summer;
autumn nigh.
The ugly things composed themselves
to die;
And so to make their funeral quite
complete,
Each wrapped him in his little wind
ing-sheet,
The tangled web encompassed them
full soon,
Each for his coffin made him a CO.
coon,
All through the winters chilling blast
they lay
Dead to the world. aye, dead as hu-
man clay.
10, spring comes forth with all her
warmth and love;
she brings sweet justice from the
realms above,
She breaks the crysalis, she resur-
reefs the dead;
Two butterflies ascend eneircling her
head,
And so this emblem shall forever be
A sign of immortality.