Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-30

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This sorrow made his temper spiteful;
Whilst fear of being thought coward.
Made him So bold, twas often frghtfuli
To see him push his person forward.
Toms village all agog one day,
On wall and fence delighted saw,
In pompous bills of broad display.
Announcement that the great Fun Faw
Chief of wizards and acrnbats-
Who'd oft delighted kings and lords,
BY cooking puddings in their hats,
Drinking hot lead and eating swords,
Would give show in town that night
And to his fame add one more laurel,
BY tricks deceiving to the sight"
And spells high-toned and strictly
moral
He'd show, with other powers deep,
His world renowned mesmeric skill, "
To charm boy or man to sleep,
And made him think and act his will.
Tom Smith pronounced this silly stuff;
Pooh mesmerism indeed" quoth he,
The man don't live with mind enough
To put the influence over me-"
In fact the town in Judgment sat:
And rs this critic seldom fiatters,
One riddled this. and spotted that,
Until Fun Faw was torn to tatters.
But criticisms, like patent pills,
Are things designed by those who make
them,
To minister to others ills;
The doctors don't propose to take 'em.
If critics were as good as wise
And practice what there always teach
ing
Whose folly would they stigmatize.
Where would they find a text for
preaching?
OF course FUN Faw drew out the vile;
In that good town twas ever so.
Zen those who ne'er could foot bill
Had always cash to see the show.
And Tom, arrayed in gorgeous style,
As the curtain rose, such was his wont,
Marched grandly up the broadcast aisle
And chose the highest seat in front.
The show went on: the swords were done,
When, as per programme advertised,
The wizard called for any one
Who had a mind to be mesmerized.
Tom, by that vanity inspired
Which ruins oft the great and fair,
The foolish wish to be admired,
Arose and took the fatal chair.
With outstretch ed arms that rose and fell,
And stealthy step and eyes aglare,
The wizard began to weave his spell,
A, q willy snake would charm hare.
Such arts might gull the gaping crowd,
But Tom, who read them all too plain,
With upturned nose sat stiff and proud.
The living statue of Disdain.
And vain had proved each spell or pass,
AS dipping water in selve,
But for the bag of laughing gas
The wizard carried in his sleeve.
Alas! alas! It's the old song,
The brave will sleep where danger lies,
And folly still betrays the strong
A spoil to foes whom they despise.
With every pass and magic pose, 49,.
This Juggling, cunning vicious fox Slid
His pouch beneath our herO's nose,
Till he was full of nitrous oxide.
And like Achilles, brave Tom fell,
Even whilst defyiny powers hostile;
The first was ruined through his heel,
The other through his upturned nostril
This gas impels those who absorbit
To mount upon his iavorite hobby,
And fiercely ride around its orbit.
No matter how absurd the job be.
Toms bamboo cane, his boast and pride
Pointed with steel and ivory-tipped,
| Within whose smoothly polished side
| His fishing rod lay telescoped,
Inclining him to 1.-the gentle art"
So called by those who know bout
fishing;
| He took the hollow stick apart
And fixed it up to go trout fishing
So potent ruled this purpose DER him.,
That all seemed changed to meet his
| wishes;
A sedgy river flowed before him,
He even thought he saw the fishes.
With cautious step. then forth he hied,
| As if impediments evading:
But paused upon the waters side
| To fix himself for work or wading.
First came his coat; then, i'll at ease,
| The prudish saw him draw his boots,
And roll his pants above his knees
| Unheeding Kisses, grOans and boots.
With supple wrist, now far he sends
| Upon the stream the barbed feather;
Now forward leans. now backward bends
Now plays it here. now skips itthither
Now with some whirling eddy trifies;
Now whips the silken cord about;
Now sends it dancing DER the rifles;
Now reels it in; now spins it out.
In fact, what e'er OF anglers skill
Most scientific is reputed,
Though ne'er they was a fish to kill,
In pantomime Tom executed.
The wizard, still behind his back,
With wierd grimace and gestures tragic
By following this jumping-jack,
Seemed to direct him by some magic.
His art ifce let none despise;
The world is ruled by tricks as hollow
The master minds, prophetic, wise,
Who seem to lead, only follow.
AT last the gas was hreathed away,
And Tom regained his wonted mind.
The line upon his shoulder lay;
The hook, unseen, hung down behind
The shouts and din that struck the hall
The rod his clothing on the floor
Tom heard, and saw-and knew it all;
Al taaSf no caraJ ~ laorr M more.