Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-05-14
CEORDg ANu
ID I s G O R ID s
TowsFR mrsT BE TIED TONIGHT,

T0wsEB MUST BE TIED TONIGHT.
1--WE are indebted fer this poetic
classic to e, II, Stafford who found ii
in a copy OF the Charles Mix County
News. published al Geddea, .. d
Slow the Kansas sun was setting
Ger the wheat fields far away
streaking all the air with cobwsbs
At the close OF one not day.
And its last rays kissed the foreheads
Or man and maiden fair,
He with whiskers short and fTowsy
She with red and giistening hair;
He with shut jaws stern and silent
She with lips all cold and white
Struggled to keep back the murmer:
"Towser must be tied tonight.
Papa" slowly spoke the maiden
Il an almost seventeen,
And I've got a real lover,
Though he's rather young and green
I But he has a horse and buggy,
And q COW and thirty hens
Boys that start out poor, dear papa
Make the best of honest men,
But if T0wser sees and bites him,
Fills his heart with sudden fright
&
Towser must be tied tonight
Daughter, firmly spoke the farmer
Every word pierced her young
heart.
/ Like a carving knife through chicken
AS it hunts a tender part)s
/ I've q patch OF early melons,
T Two of them are ripe today,
/ Towser must be loose to watch them,
( Or they'll sll be stole away,
/ I have boed them late and early,
In dim morn and early light.
/ Now they are grown j must not lose
them.
Towser must not he tied tonight"
Then the old man ambIed forward
g Opened wide the kennel-door-
! Towser bounded forth TO meet him
AS he had oft done before
And the farmer stopped and Ioosed
From the dog chains short ana
Stout
. To himself he softly chuckied
"Bessie's Teller must look out"
But the maiden at the window
Saw the cruel teeth show white
. In an undertone she murmureds
"Towser must be tied tonight
Then the maiden. brow grew thought
And her breath came short and
. TIL she spied the family elothesline.
And she whispered That's the
/ trick
From the kitchen door she giided
With a plate Of meat and bread
+ T0wsar wagged his tail in greeting,
knowing weU he would be fed.
On his well worn leather collar
Tied she then the cJothesline tight
All the time her white lips saying.
"T0wser must be tied tonight"
F.. There. old d0EEia, spoke the maiden.
You can watch the melon patch
/ But the front gates free and open
When John Henry lifts the latch.
+ For the clotbesine tight is fastened
To the harvest apple tree
. You can run and watch the melons.
Hut the front gate you cant see"
! When her glad ears heard the buggy
And her eyes grew big aud bright,
. = lille her young heart says TIA glad
] ness.
"Towser dog. is tied tonight"
+ Up the path the young man sauuters.
+
+ For he loves the red-haired maiden.
And he aims 70 tell her so.
/ Bessle's roguisu little brother.
/ I'm q fit Of boyisb glee.
Had united the slender clothesIne
From the harvest apple tree.
Then cid IoWsar heard this footsteps.
+ Raised HEs brI5rIaE. fixed for fight
+ Bark away the maiden walsperss
+ IoWsers SOU are tied tonight"
1 Then old Towesr bounded forward.
Passed the open kitchen door.
/ Bessie screamed and quickly followed
@ut john HeuTE's gone before
+ Down the path he speeds most quickly
Tor old ToWseF sets the PAGES
/ and the maiden close behind them
Shows them she is ID the race.
/ Then the clDthesIine-ca she get it,
And her eyes grow big and bright,
/ and she springs and grasps it fruly.
IoWser shall be tied tonight
+ 0ftRnaues q little minute
Forms destiny Of men
! You can change the fate Of nations
/ BY the stroke OF one small pen.
+ T0Wser made one last long effort.
Caught John Henry by the pants,
f But John Henry kept on running.
! For he thought IL his last chance
+ But the maiden held on firmly
/ And the rope was drawn up tight.
But old Towser kept the garments,
+ For he was not tied tonight
Then the father heard the racket,
I With long strides he soon is there.
/ When John Henry and the maiden
/ Crouching for the worst prepare
+ At his feet John tells his story.