FURTHER LANGUAGE FROM TRUTHFUL JAMES. (NYE'S FORD, STANISLAUS.) (1870.) Do I sleep? do I dream? Do I wonder and doubt? Are things what they seem? Is our civilization a failure? Or is the Caucasian played out? Which expressions are strong; Some account of a wrong Not to call it a lie As was worked off on William, my pardner, He came down to the Ford On the very same day Of that lottery drawed By those sharps at the Bay; And he says to me, "Truthful, how goes it?" I replied, "It is far, far from gay; "For the camp has gone wild On this lottery game, And has even beguiled 'Injin Dick' by the same." Which said Nye to me, "Injins is pizen : I replied "7,2, 9,8,4, is his hand; " When he started, and drew Then I said, "William Nye!" And he says, "You mistake: this poor Injin But I grieve to relate, When he next met my view Injin Dick was his mate, And the two around town was a-lying Which the war-dance they had For that Injin he fled The next day to his band; And we found William spread Very loose on the strand, With a peaceful-like smile on his features, And a dollar greenback in his hand; Which, the same when rolled out, We observed with surpise, That that Injin, no doubt, Had believed was the prize, Them figures in red in the corner, Which the number of notes specifies. Was it guile, or a dream? Are things what they seem? Is our civilization a failure? Or is the Caucasian played out? A GREYPORT LEGEND. (1797.) THEY ran through the streets of the seaport town; "Ho, Starbuck and Pinckney and Tenterden ! Good cause for fear! In the thick midday All adrift in the lower bay! |