The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-05
HONEST ABE. U. S. NJ.
There Are Other Poets, But He Is
Still in Demand.


After being laid up with rheumatism
for a couple of weeks 1 resumed my
route the other day. to find my poetic
services needed at the very first house
I came to. Farmer Smith was stand
ing at his gate, ready to salute me
with:
s.Ahe this may be your busy day,
Int there are certain things that must
be attended to jest the same GU
knew my hired man, Jim, OF course
I've seen him around pretty often'
/ answered.
well he's gone to his long home
We buried him ten days ago. We're
feelin' mighty bad about 1t, ana we
want some of your poetry to KING OF
months ago while me and Jim was
mowin' grass in the renee corners he
told me that If he died while you was
on this route he wanted you to DO
something for him in verse. Git right
down and come in"
1t was a case that 1 couldn't dodge,
and after had learned all the particu-
lars 1 sat down and wrote as follows:
John Hines. who worked for Bijah
And planted. pIoughed and sowed.
Who reaped the wheat when 1t was
And in the cornfieid hoed-
who dug the 'taters in the fail,
Who moved the meadow green.
Who MIXED the cows and fed the hogs
And never acted mean.
IT'S but a short two weeks ago
That John. so blithe and gay,
Went out to feed the spotted bull
And with him blithely play.
Just how it happened we can't tell,
But tits this way supposed:
He hurt the feelin's of the bull
BY some joke he imposed.
AT any rate the bull got mad,
And John went up so high
That coming down broke all his bones
And fitted him to die.
His soul had fled when he was found.
But yet he wore that smile,
While near him stood the spotted bull
With look that did begulle..
BE good, be honest and be true,
Have hearts of virtue full:
But don't go out and fool around
With no ones spotted bull.
Farmer Smith and his good wife
were brushing away the tears before
had read the little poem half through
and when 1 had finished the former
said:
ABE, our poor lost John was such a
hustler that I had some fear of his
stayin' quiet where we planted him,
but them ere verses will solve the
around after a copy has been laid on
his grave. 1t makes me madder'n
thunder to think that I didn't become
poet myself instead of takin' up
farmin'. I'll have a bag of apples
ready for we agin' we come back"
After I left Farmer Smiths met
old Mrs. Graves IN the road, and she
told me of what happened at Farmer
Purdy's. I was therefore prepared
for what I heard and more, too, and
didn't lose any time in getting down to
the kitchen table and dashing off the
following. While I wrote was sur
rounded by five weeping persons, but
I have so trained myself that the sur
roundings make no difference.
Come. list. ye people round about,
Come. list to tale of sadness:
Come. hearken to my woeful plant,
In which there Is no gladness.
sue Purdy was we'll known to all
4 maid of song and laughter:
&@r cheerful smile was ever there
Before as we'll as after.
Her mother. she was proud of Sue.
Her father even prouder:
No corset yet had squeezed her waist
On her sweet face no powder.
She sang the summer days away.
She smiled in autumn's frolic;
She gathered in the autumn leaf,
And safe escaped the collie.
Twas while she was so biithe and CAV,
Twas while the snow was falling
That suddenly she thought she heard
Her mother dear a-calling.
She started down the cellar stairs.
While annie Laurie singing,
And her glad voice of melody
Was through the Kitchen ringing
She missed step. she shrteked aloud.
No one was there to save her;
She struck the cellar bottom, and
Ths angels, they forgave her
with them she's fitting like a bird,