Then back by the dreary Tortugas, He was borne on the storm-smitten waters His footsteps enfeebled gave proof: One day the old sailor lay dying And his heart was enkindled with rapture, The cabin was silent at twilight 'Neath the low-hanging vines of the roof: His soul had gone forth to discover The beautiful Fountain of Youth. HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH. THEY MET. THEY met 'twas at the garden gate: The moon shone bright, the hour was late; And he was there, and so was she. They wandered through each well-known walk, They talked the talk all lovers talk: The moonbeams peeped through bush and tree And she was there, and so was he. "Thou art my life, my soul," he cried: "There lives not on this world so wide, An angel without wings like thee "And he was there, and so was she. And from her lips these accents fell: "My love for thee, words fail to tell; "Tis boundless, dearest, as the sea And she was there, and so was he. Sweet moon, 'neath thy inspiring rays, And he was there, and so was she. "Hector good dog!" the old man said, "Adolphus, fly!" the maiden cried : He shook the dewdrops from his boots; A growl a rip-ah! never, never, The modest moon still brightly shone: CLERICAL WIT. A PARSON Who a missionary had been, Where noontide glory scarcely ever smiled; Where wolves in hours of midnight darkness howled, They oft were known to climb the trees and bark!" All started up, and rubbed their wondering eyes: And we must say, in keeping heads erect, 66 Why, sir," said one, "think what a monstrous weight! You said they'd weigh a pound! It can't be true: "In what I stated you may well confide. 66 Why, that, my friend, I can explain with ease: They climbed the bark, sir, when they climbed the trees." GREELEY'S RIDE. JUST after we left Julesburg, on the Platte, I was sitting with the driver; and he said, 66 I can tell you a most laughable thing indeed, if you would like to listen to it. Horace Greeley went over this road once. When he was leaving Carson City he told the driver, Hank Monk, that he had an engagement to lecture at Placerville, and was very anxious to go through quick. Hank Monk cracked his whip, and started off at an awful pace. The coach bounced up and down in such a terrific way that it jolted the buttons all off of Horace's coat, and finally shot his head clean through the roof of the stage; and then he yelled at Hank Monk, and begged him to go easier, said he warn't in as much of a hurry as he was a while ago. But Hank Monk said, 'Keep your seat, Horace, and I'll get you there on time;' and you bet you he did, too, what was left of him! - A day or two after that, we picked up a Denver man at the cross-roads, and he told us a good deal about the country, and the Gregory Diggings He seemed a very entertaining person, and a man well posted in the affairs of Colorado. By and by he remarked, 66 "I can tell you a most laughable thing indeed, if you I would like to listen to it. Horace Greeley went over this ⚫ road once. When he was leaving Carson City he told the driver, Hank Monk, that he had an engagement to lecture at Placerville, and was very anxious to go through quick. Hank Monk cracked his whip, and started off at an awful pace. The coach bounced up and down in such a terrific way that it jolted the buttons all off of Horace's coat, and finally shot his head clean through the roof of the stage; and then he yelled at Hank Monk, and begged him to go easier, said he warn't in as much of a hurry as he was a while ago. But Hauk Monk said, 'Keep your seat, Horace, and I'll get you there on time;' and you bet you he did, too, what was left of him!" At Fort Bridger, some days after this, we took on board a cavalry-sergeant, a very proper and soldierly person indeed. From no other man during the whole journey, did we gather such a store of concise and well-arranged military information. It was surprising to find in the desolate wilds of our country a man so thoroughly acquainted with every thing useful to know in his line of life, and yet of such inferior rank and unpretentious bearing. For as much as three hours we listened to him with unabated interest. Finally he got upon the subject of trans-continental travel, and presently said, "I can tell you a very laughable thing indeed, if you would like to listen to it. Horace Greeley went over this road once. When he was leaving Carson City he told the driver, Hank Monk, that he had an engagement to lecture at Placerville, and was very anxious to go through quick. Hank Monk cracked his whip, and started off at an awful pace. The coach bounced up and down in such a terrific way that it jolted the buttons all off of Horace's coat, and finally shot his head clean through the roof of the stage; and then he yelled at Hank Monk, and begged him to go easier, - said he warn't in as much of a hurry as he was a while ago. But Hank Monk said 'Keep your seat, Horace, and I'll get you there on time;' and you bet you he did, too, what was left of him!" |