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MASTERPIECES OF AMERICAN HUMOR
23

THE SOCIETY UPON THE STANISLAUS

BRET HARTE

I reside at Table Mountain, and my name is Truthful James;

I am not up to small deceit, or any sinful games;

And I'll tell in simple language what I know about the row

That broke up our Society upon the Stanislow.

But first I would remark, that it is not a proper plan

For any scientific gent to whale his fellow man, And, if a member don't agree with his peculiar whim,

To lay for that same member for to "put a head" on him.

Now, nothing could be finer or more beautiful to see

Than the first six months' proceedings of that same society,

Till Brown of Calaveras brought a lot of fossil bones

That he found within a tunnel near the tenement of Jones.

Then Brown he read a paper, and he reconstructed there,

From those same bones an animal that was extremely rare,