A TALE FROM MOUNTAIN GRANGE
[This poem was written for, and read at the first meeting held after the completion of the new grange hall at North Buckfield, Nov. 1st, 1904. The poem was founded on facts, but in order to be more amusing for the occasion the incidents were, of course, somewhat exaggerated by the author, who was also a member of Mountain Grange.]
Patrons and Friends:
Within the annals of this Grange
A circumstance occurred—
And, be it true—Or otherwise,
I'll give it as 'twas heard.
When last winter's icy breezes
Brought the welcome news, so strange
That the ever staunch, and loyal
Patrons of this Mountain Grange
A circumstance occurred—
And, be it true—Or otherwise,
I'll give it as 'twas heard.
When last winter's icy breezes
Brought the welcome news, so strange
That the ever staunch, and loyal
Patrons of this Mountain Grange
Decided to erect their temple
Ere the coming of the Fall
In the village of North Buckfield,—
There to locate their new hall.—
Ere the last glad trump had sounded
Thro' the vales, and o'er the plain—
Ere the zephyrs bore the echo
To the rugged hills of Maine—
Ere the coming of the Fall
In the village of North Buckfield,—
There to locate their new hall.—
Ere the last glad trump had sounded
Thro' the vales, and o'er the plain—
Ere the zephyrs bore the echo
To the rugged hills of Maine—
Ere the last faint notes were wafted
To "Old Shack's" most distant peak—
There a brave, and loyal patron
Thus to himself did speak:—
"I, Lucius Record, patron, member
Of this Grange, a vow do make
That I the very first will be
The foundation ground to break.
To "Old Shack's" most distant peak—
There a brave, and loyal patron
Thus to himself did speak:—
"I, Lucius Record, patron, member
Of this Grange, a vow do make
That I the very first will be
The foundation ground to break.
For I have read of honors great
To "lay the corner stone,"
I'll be the first to break the ground
And do it all alone!
And so, for months, this patron brave
Did cherish in his breast
A longing for the time to come
Which gave him much unrest.
To "lay the corner stone,"
I'll be the first to break the ground
And do it all alone!
And so, for months, this patron brave
Did cherish in his breast
A longing for the time to come
Which gave him much unrest.
"Old Father Time" moved slowly on—
The snow began to melt—
The bleak earth showed in tiny spots
Where Lucius Record dwelt.
For aught else in the world, just then
He neither cared nor feared;
But watched those patches grow, until
The snow had disappeared.
The snow began to melt—
The bleak earth showed in tiny spots
Where Lucius Record dwelt.
For aught else in the world, just then
He neither cared nor feared;
But watched those patches grow, until
The snow had disappeared.
To all who anxiously await
Time slowly wears away;
But at last—at last there came the eve
Ere the eventful day.
That night no sweet dreams came to him,
No sleep his pillow sought;
But listened he to every sound
With nerves most tensely wrought.
Time slowly wears away;
But at last—at last there came the eve
Ere the eventful day.
That night no sweet dreams came to him,
No sleep his pillow sought;
But listened he to every sound
With nerves most tensely wrought.
And ere the sun's first rays arose
To gild yon distant domes;
And shed their radiance upon
These fair North Buckfield homes
Arose he from his downy couch—
And with his gleaming spade
Proceeded he to carry out
The plans which he had made.
To gild yon distant domes;
And shed their radiance upon
These fair North Buckfield homes
Arose he from his downy couch—
And with his gleaming spade
Proceeded he to carry out
The plans which he had made.
In silence marched he by Fred Heald's,
Slow, stealthy as a mouse;
With bated breath, on tiptoe went
Past Celia Dunham's house
Lest she or Fred should be awake
And chance to hear his step,—
And thus—with soft, and cat-like tread
He past the school house crept
Slow, stealthy as a mouse;
With bated breath, on tiptoe went
Past Celia Dunham's house
Lest she or Fred should be awake
And chance to hear his step,—
And thus—with soft, and cat-like tread
He past the school house crept
And reached the spot where stands this hall
When lo! in yonder field
He spied a form approaching near,
And found 'twas Brother Heald
And on the self same purpose bent!
Lute straightway feared the worst;
It but remained now to be seen
Which one would get there first!
When lo! in yonder field
He spied a form approaching near,
And found 'twas Brother Heald
And on the self same purpose bent!
Lute straightway feared the worst;
It but remained now to be seen
Which one would get there first!
Lucius quickened up his pace
Nor stopped for rocks or planks,
Tis said his record equaled then
The far-famed Nancy Hanks!
He nearly now his courage lost,
The way seemed not so clear
To be the first to break the ground
With tother feller near.
Nor stopped for rocks or planks,
Tis said his record equaled then
The far-famed Nancy Hanks!
He nearly now his courage lost,
The way seemed not so clear
To be the first to break the ground
With tother feller near.
So in the road the spade he dropped
And scooped it full of earth
Then sprang with all his wondrous might
And ran for all he's worth
And dumped that sand upon the spot,
And made a little mound—
"Ah, ha!" quoth he, "I am the first
To break the Grange Hall ground!'
And scooped it full of earth
Then sprang with all his wondrous might
And ran for all he's worth
And dumped that sand upon the spot,
And made a little mound—
"Ah, ha!" quoth he, "I am the first
To break the Grange Hall ground!'
Then with a sigh both turned away—
They felt somewhat—perhaps
One like the 'Russians' at bay—
The other like the 'Japs.'—
The morning dawned with azure skies,
And then the workmen came;
Brad Damon and another man
Sir William Brown by name.
They felt somewhat—perhaps
One like the 'Russians' at bay—
The other like the 'Japs.'—
The morning dawned with azure skies,
And then the workmen came;
Brad Damon and another man
Sir William Brown by name.
They saw the sand, and then one spoke—
(The other followed suit.'
What tarnal fool done this, d'ye spose?
I vum, I'll bet 'twas Lute!"
The other answered, "I've no doubt
'Twas him, but see these tracks—
Now you don't spose dew ye, they
Resemble Danville Jack's?"
(The other followed suit.'
What tarnal fool done this, d'ye spose?
I vum, I'll bet 'twas Lute!"
The other answered, "I've no doubt
'Twas him, but see these tracks—
Now you don't spose dew ye, they
Resemble Danville Jack's?"
"Oh, no, taint Dan—I know 'tis Luteȁ
To reason this appeals:—
These tracks look like an Elephant
While Dan's got Nigger heels!"
Then exclamations volleyed forth,
With laughter long and loud;
Just then Geo. Record's silvery voice
Came ringing through the crowd:
To reason this appeals:—
These tracks look like an Elephant
While Dan's got Nigger heels!"
Then exclamations volleyed forth,
With laughter long and loud;
Just then Geo. Record's silvery voice
Came ringing through the crowd:
"I say there, Bill! Tim Jones 'n me
Will give fifty cents in change
To whom will write this story up
And read it in the Grange!'
Five poetic pencils glibly glide—
Low bends each thoughtful head—
Presented for inspections, thus
Brad Damon's poem read:—
Will give fifty cents in change
To whom will write this story up
And read it in the Grange!'
Five poetic pencils glibly glide—
Low bends each thoughtful head—
Presented for inspections, thus
Brad Damon's poem read:—
Lucius Record
Sat up late,—
Broke the ground—
Honor great.
Sat up late,—
Broke the ground—
Honor great.
Road to fame—
Show's us how.—
Pile of dirt—
Big's a cow.
Show's us how.—
Pile of dirt—
Big's a cow.
Danville Jack—
Gloomy feels—
Awfully fat—
Nigger heels.
Gloomy feels—
Awfully fat—
Nigger heels.
Awfully solemn—
Awfully mute—
Sadly feels—
Beat by Lute!
Awfully mute—
Sadly feels—
Beat by Lute!
Walls of fame—
Got Lute's name on—
Poem complete—
Bradbury Damon.
Got Lute's name on—
Poem complete—
Bradbury Damon.
"By Gum! he's beaten us all!" they cried
Between their tight—shut teeth;
Then brushed away that pile of sand
And saw what lay beneath!
They cried "Let 's give three cheers for Lute!
Of him we have learned this day
If we can't succeed just as we wish
We'll do it as we may."
Between their tight—shut teeth;
Then brushed away that pile of sand
And saw what lay beneath!
They cried "Let 's give three cheers for Lute!
Of him we have learned this day
If we can't succeed just as we wish
We'll do it as we may."
Patrons, Friends:—
Should aught arise within this Grange
Which we don't understand;
Let's look beneath the surface then,
Let's clear away the sand.
Should aught arise within this Grange
Which we don't understand;
Let's look beneath the surface then,
Let's clear away the sand.