The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-10-20
! OLD
cEavoriteS
C.sey,s Table d'Hote.

the folks wuz brave md true!
When the nights Wuz crisp md balmy, 'nc
the camp wuz all astir,
With the joints all throwed wide open
md no sheriff to demur! 4
Oh, them times On Red Hoss. Mountain
in the Rockies fur away
There's no SIGH place nor times like them
as I kin find to-day!
What though the camp hes busted1 /
seem to see it still
A-lyin'. like it loved it, on that big md
warty hill; -
And feel sort of yearnin' md chokin'
in my throat
When I think of Red Hoss Mountain md
of Casey's tabble dote!
WAL yes; it's true struck it rich, but
that don't cut show
When one is old md feeble md it's nigh
his time to go;
The money that he's got in bonds or
carries to invest
Don't fgger with a codger who has lived
life out West;
Us old chaps like to set around, away
from folks md noise,
ND think about the sights we seen and
things we done when boys;
The which is why 1 love to set md think
of them old days
When all us Western fellers got the Col
orado craze
And that is why love to set around all
day md gloat
On thoughts of Red Hoss Mountain md
oftCasey's Table dote.
This Casey wuz an IrishmanAyou'd know
it by his name
And by the facial features appertainin'
to the same.
He'd lived in many places md had done
thousand things,
From the noble art of actin to the work
of dealin' kings,
But, somehow, hadn't caught on: SO,
driftin' with the rest.
He drifted for fortune to the, undevel-
oped West,
And he come to Red Hoss Mountain when
the little camp wuz new,
When the money flowed like likker, md
the folks wuz brave md true;
And, havin' been a stewart on q Missis-
sippi boat,
He opened up a caffy md he run tabble
dote
There wuz half dozen tables altogether
in the place,
And the tax you had to pay upon your
vittles wuz case;
The boardin' houses in the camp protested
fVryYyH ch0
To patronize robber, which this Casey
wuz the same!
They said case was robbery to tax for
airy meal;
But Casey tended strictly to his biz. md
let .'em squeal;
And presently the boardin' houses all be-
gan to bust,
While Casey kept on sawin' wood md
layin' in the dust;
And oncet a trav'lin' editor from Denver
City wrote
A piece back to his paper, putin Casey's
tabble dote.
A tabble dote Is different from orderin'
aller cart;
In ose case you git all there is, in t'other
only part!
And Casey's Table dote began in French
las all begin
And Casey's ended with the same, which
is to say, with vim;
But in between wuz every kind Of reptile,
bird, md beast,
The same like you can git in high-toned
restaurants down east;
Nd windin' up wuz cake or pie, with
coffee denny tass,
Or, sometimes, foatin' Ireland in sooth-
in kind of sass
That left sort of pleasant ticklin' in a
feller's throat,
ND made him banker after more Of
Casey's Table dote.
The very recollection of them puddin's
md them pies
Brings a yearnin' to my buzzum md the
water to my eyes;
ND seems like cookin' nowadays amt
what it used to be
In camp on Red Hoss Mountain in that
year of '63;
But, maybe, it is better, md, maybe, I'm
TO blame
I'd like to be alvin in the mountains
jest the same
I'd like to live that life again when skies
wuz fair md blue,
When things wuz run wide open nd men
wuz brave md true;
When brawny arms the hinty ribs Of Red
Hoss Mountain smote
For wherewithai to pay the price Of
Casey's Table dote.
And you, O cherished brother, a-sleepin'
way out West,
With Red Hoss Mountain huggin' you
close to its lovin' breast
Oh, do you dream in your last sleep Of
how we used to do,
OF how we worked our little claims to-
gether, me md you?
Why, when l saw you last smile wuz
restin' on your face,
Like you wuz glad to sleep forever in
that lonely place;
And SO you wuz, md I'd be, too, if I wuz
sleepin' so.
But, bein' how brothers love amt for
the world to know,
Whenever I've this heartache md this
chokin' in my throat,
lay it all to thinkin' of Casey's tabble
dote.
Eugene Field.