 | The Writings of Bret Harte |  |
THE DEAD POLITICIAN
FIFTH WARD
“‘Who's dead?’ Ye want to know
Whose is this funeral show—
This A 1 corteg'?
Well, it was Jim Adair,
And the remains's hair
Sported a short edge!
Whose is this funeral show—
This A 1 corteg'?
Well, it was Jim Adair,
And the remains's hair
Sported a short edge!
“When a man dies like Jim,
There 's no expense of him
We boys are sparing.
In life he hated fuss,
But—as he 's left to us—
Them plumes he 's wearing!
“All the boys here, you see,
Chock full each carriage!
Only one woman. She—
Cousin by marriage.
There 's no expense of him
We boys are sparing.
In life he hated fuss,
But—as he 's left to us—
Them plumes he 's wearing!
402
Chock full each carriage!
Only one woman. She—
Cousin by marriage.
“Who was this Jim Adair?
Who? Well, you 've got me there!
Reckon one of them 'air
Fogy ‘old res'dents!’
Who? Why, that corpse you see
Ridin' so peacefully,
Head o' this jamboree—
'Lected three Pres'dents!
Who? Well, you 've got me there!
Reckon one of them 'air
Fogy ‘old res'dents!’
Who? Why, that corpse you see
Ridin' so peacefully,
Head o' this jamboree—
'Lected three Pres'dents!
“Who was he? Ask the boys
Who made the biggest noise,
Rynders or Jimmy?
Who, when his hat he 'd fling,
Knew how the ‘Ayes’ would ring,
Oh, no! not Jimmy!
Who made the biggest noise,
Rynders or Jimmy?
Who, when his hat he 'd fling,
Knew how the ‘Ayes’ would ring,
Oh, no! not Jimmy!
“Who was he? Ask the Ward
Who hed the rules aboard,
All parliament'ry?
Who ran the delegate,
That ran the Empire State,
And—just as sure as fate—
Ran the whole 'kentry?
Who hed the rules aboard,
All parliament'ry?
Who ran the delegate,
That ran the Empire State,
And—just as sure as fate—
Ran the whole 'kentry?
“Who was he? S'pose you try
That chap as wipes his eye
In that hack's corner.
Ask him—the only man
That agin Jimmy ran—
Now his chief mourner!
“Well—that 's the last o' Jim.
Yes, we was proud o' him.”
That chap as wipes his eye
In that hack's corner.
Ask him—the only man
That agin Jimmy ran—
Now his chief mourner!
403
Yes, we was proud o' him.”
| The Writings of Bret Harte | |