Image provided by: Talent Historical Society; Talent, OR
About Talent news. (Talent, Or.) 1892-1894 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1894)
The other day a young miss of thirteen summers succeeded in rousing up our summer poet and after a long siege en gaged him to write a few lines for her al bum. The bard related the incident in verse which, fora consideratimi, has been secured for publication in the N ews and is here appended. As 1 lay on my couch at the close of day, Resting and musing in my usual way, A damsel approached with the strange request That I write her a rhyme and do my best. “It may be short but must be good,” This maiden said, “and” (If I could) “Please write lines that one can sing, And write about most anything.” To ignore a request so modestly made Would never do, and so 1 said, “I'll write you so perfect and charming a rhyme That experts will pronounce it splen did-sublime. My subject will give I'm glad to say. -The poet’s fancy the fullest play; Of course you've seen my business sign: ‘Poems made here at a dollar a line?’ ” “What!” she exclaimed, * “You wouldn • ’t charge me One that belongs to your family?” “Can’t be helped,”! replied, “all poets are queer; Spot cash is their motto throughout the year.” I line? W by that would break one with a sil ver mine. I Now cash I have none and what can 1 do? If kisses will answer I'll give them in lieu.” So the following sonnet was run off at a dash And kisses were taken in place of the cash-— To M innie . Years hence, when perchance you're turning O’er albums soiled ami worn with age. Should your gaze meet the lines that now I’m penning And linger awhile on this curious page, T’enderest memories of life’s happy morning, For one brief moment your thoughts will engage. You will think of the N i ws and its wild Summer Poet, An I how like a doctor he hung out hi.* shingle; How he wrote in his sleep and seemed not to know it, And h< w little he cared for syntax or sense, So long as his lines had the rhythmical jingle That suited his patrons ami brought in the pence. Now my sonnet is ended and payment is due; A kiss for a line is demanded from you. Cash buys potatoes and bread and beans, And these make brain, strange tho’ it I seems, I Brain make« thought, and thought nn 3 A ’ A A » ’ • makes rhyme; Cash first you perceive, before the sub. DENTIST, lime.” a k Sl'MMEK I’oi I. ,5 I • » v a 'KA1 a ' a * a J a 4 a 4, ASH I. \NI>, oREGv X ‘ Well, I really do think you poets (Cir queer;” (And this she said with a bit of a sneer), “A rhyme 1 would like but a dollar a Other tort Pauk. I ) I I *