Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-01-08
Natural Gas"
BY FRA ROBERTUS
The Editorial Tragedy of "Thc
Kaiser's Dream" --- And the
Texas Sob-poet.

The kaiscr'S Dream
N c.
In my off moments I'm an editor.
When not busy producing a sufficient
supply of Natural Gas" for a coldly
coalless world, | manage edit a daily
newspaper by way of recreation. It's
only bit more difficult than falling
off rotten log lot easier than play
ing golf-for me.
N c.
But for one thing this editing stunt
would be a joy forever. That thing
is The kaiser's Dream"
IN c.
It's THE Kaiser's Dream" that takes
the joy out o. life for us editors, makes
us lose such religion as we may have
inherited or acquired, causes the
bloom of youth to fade from our
cheeks and the cub reporter TO write
us up as IAN aged man. II we are rum
down BY a flivver at the age of AZ
and get into the news columns along
with respectable citizens.
IN c.
You know the piece. Reen publish
ed millions of times since the August
of 1914. It's what some folks miscall
a poem. That hoary chestnut haired
screed in more or less rhyme and
meter about the kaiser dreaming he
dies and goes to hell and the devil
gives him the once over ana romarEs,
Il abdicate Willum and you're it
or words to that effect. That's the
thing!
My chief editorial duty for -four
years three months and eleven days
lay in sides!epping he "Dveam." II
ar tp hn cd N
tie Reader, you know!
The Thing was offered in all So is
of con Iitions-.typewrit bong land
ed, clipped. ! don't love the kaiser,
all right. but | hate him lots less than
hate The Kaiser's Dream" And
to escape the Dream" | quit one edi-
torial job and accepted another, in
distant city, where had hopes.
N c.
Alas! The other day, nearly four
teen months after the armistice began,
a tall, fierce-looking pcrsoh wearing
Texas rancher hat stalked into my
office. He reached into his lefthand
hip pocket. | thought he was south
paw and was going after a CUR. No
such luck. He drew forth two sheets
of old fashioned foolscap. rolled of
course, said his name was something
and he had "a little piece he d got
up himself" aul would l use ~
Poetry, or fer publication?" l
countered.
He didn't ge- III idea, but he hand
the MS. over. 1t was the Tfiing--the
Dream" Written ionghanj, prose
fory, &c m nara va -lhr b,tt TIM g., mn
Old Thing, as | saw after reading two
or three lines.
Yes-same old chestnut, with most
of the hair worn off. My reputation
for kindness, now and then. is wide,
But--the fellow had had the nerve to
say he got it up himself. I've seen
this Thing in seventeen million papers
already" / told him. "Where'd you
find it, now"
"I-1Tssaw it in an Alabama paper"
he admitted, land I fixed ~ up sortc
and added more to il, and"
IN G.
YES, l know you did, said 1; "iust
as all the others have done. Now,
brother" l continued, looking that
Tall Texas Ranger saparely in his left
optic. I'D ike t. accommodate you,
I'm that way; but tllete ISM any
kaiser any more, and the fellow that
used to hold down that there job y in
Dutch sawin' WOOD an Say2E' nofhin'
SOS you can hear him, and think
maybe you'd better"
m c.
The Tall Texans hand reached for
his righthand hip-pocket.
eoss .slI.r,5s-T-N CT
p I'll think,r1rf concluded. "you'd
better send this here mighty fine
poem Of yours to The Ladies' Home
Journal--they've got n new editor and
win want To use ii. I'm awfully sorry.
but we may have TO suspend puhlica.