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RIGGER'S CROW 
 
 44 
 
 AND 
 
 irr 
 
 
 Two Poems. 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 BY 
 
 FRANK L. WHITE, 
 
 
 
 Author of 
 
 -Takish Kate/' -Harry's 
 
 Folly" and 
 
 
 
 *»The Shade of Clio." 
 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 ^/Tv- 
 
 
 
 Copyrigfhted 1903 
 By FRANK I.. WHITE. 
 
 » > ' J ' 1 
 
 3 > 3 J ' I 
 
 
 1903 
 WHITE & ECHOLS, 
 
 Publishers, 
 Rome, Georgria. 
 
 
 3 3, J j>. 
 
THE LIGRARY OF 
 CONGRESS. 
 
 ly«o Copies 
 
 Receive«< 
 
 AUG 14 
 
 1903 
 
 G Cepynght 
 CLASS^ CL 
 
 Entry 
 XXc.No 
 
 COPY 
 
 5" "•] 
 
 P53545 
 
 \^03 
 
 PRE^F'AOE. 
 
 "^I trust the readers of this little Boolilet will 
 realize that quality, not quantity, is expected to 
 constitute its Avoitli, ''Rigger's Crow"" is founded 
 on facts, slightly colored with inventiveness, con- 
 sistently blended with logic and research, while 
 '■'IV is the outcome of observation pure and 
 sim^jle, concentrated into verse. 
 
 The Author. 
 
RIGGER'S GROW 
 
 John Riggef pulls the throttle valve and has for 
 
 twenty years 
 On various locomatives — and like other en= 
 
 gineers 
 Butted billy goats and bulls, heifer calves and 
 
 steers, 
 And all the other kinds of stock that ofter in= 
 
 terferes 
 With rapid railroad traffic that probably ap= 
 
 pears 
 Bad ta aborigines, but good to pioneers. 
 
 John Rigger is a railroad man with all the term 
 
 implies. 
 And very few cczurances afford him much 
 
 surprise, 
 For experience has rendered him plegmatical 
 
 and wise. 
 And equal to emergencies whenever they arise; 
 But supersticicn still prevails and frequently 
 
 defies 
 The most rational philosophy intelligence sup= 
 
 plies. 
 
Ill 
 
 John Rigger has a fireman who bears the name 
 
 of Joe, 
 Who feels leary of a rabbit's foot, a black cat 
 
 or a crow, 
 And knows a hundred hoodoos the Kluklux 
 
 used to know, 
 And talks of haunted houses where the evil 
 
 spirits go 
 To participate in devilment and wander to and 
 
 fro 
 And argue pro and con their lots of misery and 
 
 woe. 
 
 IV 
 
 Jchn Rigger pulled a heavy trcin one cold 
 
 December day. 
 And was running forty miles an hcur when he 
 
 heard his fireman say, 
 ♦*Did you see that flirty Hr. Crow ? I think he's 
 
 mighty gay, 
 For 1 never saw a crow before do about that 
 
 way. 
 And he's a sho' nuff bad luck bird, and I ain't 
 
 gwine to stay 
 If he lights on this engine, 'cause he's makin' 
 
 bad luck play." 
 
 4 
 
John Rigger told his fireman his notions were 
 
 absurd, 
 For luck had nothing in the world to do with 
 
 any bird 
 Any more than wind should always blow upon 
 
 the twenty third, 
 Or the moon should full en Friday's if Widow 
 
 Jones preferred. 
 **Well, boss," spoke up the fireman, "you'd 
 
 better take my word, 
 'Cause I am simply tellin' you what I have 
 
 always heard." 
 
 VI 
 
 John Rigger thought his fireman a superstitious 
 
 crank. 
 And said no more but turned around, appearing 
 
 very blank 
 About the time the curious crow performed a 
 
 daring prank, 
 And lit upon the outer rim of the engine's 
 
 water tank, 
 The fireman quickly seized him by his thin and 
 
 slender shank. 
 And started in to break his neck and throw 
 
 him down the bank. 
 
VII 
 
 John Rigger stopped the fireman just in the 
 
 niche of time, 
 And prevented him from finishing an awful 
 
 ugly crime, 
 That surely would have spread despair through 
 
 every genial clime; 
 And nipped the bud of fantasy while in its 
 
 early prime 
 And robbed me of the subject I am weaving 
 
 into rhyme, 
 I feel disposed to offer as both truthful and 
 
 sublime. 
 
 Vlil 
 
 John Rigger thought immediately a crow 
 
 would tickle Cox 
 More than a baby elephant, a Jackass or an 
 
 ox. 
 So he took the bird of raven hue and put it in 
 
 his box 
 Where he had a suit of overalls and an extra 
 
 pair of socks, 
 A lunch can and a monkey wrench and three or 
 
 four switch locks. 
 And one of R. H. IngersoH's little dinkey 
 
 clocks. 
 
IX 
 
 John Rigger saw his fireman shake his kinky 
 
 pate, 
 And saw his china eyeballs turn white and 
 
 and dilate, 
 And heard him mumblesomething that seemed 
 
 to indicate 
 He predicted frightful trouble he feared to con= 
 
 template. 
 But he couldn't tell exactly hew Icng they 
 
 would have to wait 
 Before the evil bird would seal their inevitable 
 
 fate. 
 
 John Rigger had a level head and refused to 
 
 entertain 
 A warning all great reasoners invariably ex= 
 
 plain 
 As exaggerated reverence arising from a 
 
 brain 
 Conditions and environments have rendered too 
 
 insane 
 To comprehend the origin or significance of 
 
 pain, 
 Or the physical requirements for generating 
 
 rain. 
 
 7 
 
XI 
 
 John Rigger rode one twenty-six ani was 
 
 climbing: up a knoll, 
 When he thous^ht about ill omens and a shiver 
 
 o'er him stole. 
 So he called out to his fireman to shovel in 
 
 more coal, 
 And he would make her turn her wheels as fast 
 
 as she could roll. 
 But he hadn't g^one quite half a mile when she 
 
 shook from pole to pole. 
 And f loads of steam cam^ bursting from a 
 
 dreadful looking hole. 
 
 XII 
 
 John Rigger quicklyshut her of and turned on 
 
 all his air. 
 Then next he looked across the cab but the 
 
 fireman wasn't there: 
 He looked again but couldn't see the fireman 
 
 anywhere. 
 The train stopped very nicely and he alighted 
 
 filled with care. 
 To find she'd burst a packing ring— a happen= 
 
 ing very rare, 
 And would have to go to Birmingham and lay 
 
 up for repairs. 
 
 8 
 
XIII 
 
 John Rigger fcund the packing ring cculd not 
 
 be used to pack 
 Because the cutoff had received a dangerous 
 
 looking crack. 
 He then cbf erved his lirenrgnccnTing hobbling 
 
 up the trsck, 
 Somewhat the worse for wear and tear with 
 
 mud a!l o'er his back, 
 Looking very different from a thoroughbred 
 
 crg.cker=jack 
 Returning from the sinking of a second 
 
 Merrimac. 
 
 XIV 
 
 John Rigger still philesophied and still refused 
 
 to blame 
 A fowl for bing feu! enough to p^rp^trate 
 
 a shame, 
 But the fireman was positive he served in 
 
 5atan's name. 
 And if nothing had have happened he ment 
 
 evil just the same. 
 John Rigger took his engine in all crippled 
 
 up and lame, 
 But found the crow as sprightly as the moment 
 
 when he came. 
 
 9 
 
XV 
 
 John Rigger had a room=mate he very slightly 
 
 knew, 
 And the hour was early morning, about twenty 
 
 after two, 
 And the room=mate snored lustily as room= 
 
 mates often do ; 
 As though he late embibed a bibe of good old 
 
 '♦riountain Dew." 
 John gave the crow his liberty so he might 
 
 turn a few 
 Devilish performances regardless of a 
 
 cue. 
 
 XVI 
 
 John Rigger then blew out th^j light and 
 tumbled into bed. 
 
 But lay awake to listen to what his room- 
 mate said. 
 
 When the crow began to walk about and 
 ramble o'er his head. 
 
 And pretty soon he raised a yell; enough to 
 wake the dead, 
 
 And threw the unsuspecting crow against a 
 door that led 
 
 Into a room where roomers walked about with 
 stealthy tread. 
 
 10 
 
XVII 
 
 He then began to hollo for a match to strike a 
 
 light, 
 And swear he was a gentleman and had a 
 
 perfect right, 
 To go to bed or rise again at any time of 
 
 night, 
 But something just had bit his nose, a deadly 
 
 poison bite. 
 At last he struck a match but the crow was out 
 
 of sight 
 Around behind the bureau where it had taken 
 
 flight. 
 
 xvin 
 
 He then took Jolin his nose to show him where 
 *twas bit, 
 
 And wondered what the Devil could possibly 
 have done it, 
 
 While briny tears come in his eyes when he 
 squeezed a purple pit, 
 
 Which showed the crow was accurate in ac- 
 complishing a hit: 
 
 John Rigger said he hardly thought a vampire 
 would commit 
 
 Assault upon a ruby nose so exceedingly ex= 
 qirisite. 
 
 11 
 
 LefC. 
 
XIX 
 
 The room=mate then went back to bed and 
 
 tried to go to sleep, 
 But every time he shut his eyes he saw great 
 
 serpents creep 
 Across his bed, while monkeys by the thousands 
 
 seemed to leap 
 Over an awful chasm, so big and dark and 
 
 deep, 
 It was utterly impossible to take the slightest 
 
 peep 
 Into the great abyss, with banks slimy, slick 
 
 and steep. 
 
 XX 
 
 The cold wind whined bsnea.th the eaves, the 
 
 hours dragged slowly on, 
 Filled with grave anxiety, till the cracking of 
 
 the dawn 
 Informed the restless roomer the shades of 
 
 night had gone, 
 And misty morning's curtain was being gently 
 
 drawn, 
 ReveaHng true but gradually in attitude of 
 
 scorn 
 The demon bird of ebony with beak as sharp as 
 
 thorn. 
 
 12 
 
XXI 
 
 Perched upon a chair back, with firey gieaming 
 
 eye, 
 Scrutinizing ardently the man so sore and 
 
 dry. 
 He naturaHy neglected to ask the reason 
 
 why, 
 But seized the opportunity determining to 
 
 try 
 His reliable horse=pistol, exclaiming, "damn 
 
 you, die," 
 As he blazed away, but missed the bird and 
 
 broke a jug of rye. 
 
 XXII 
 
 John Rigger heard the pistol shot and smelled 
 
 the powder smoke 
 About three seconds previous to the motnent 
 
 when he woke 
 To see his iratitlc room=mate hurl a chunk of 
 
 coke, 
 And smash a doHar window pane that inten£!= 
 
 lied the Joke, 
 Because the crow Hew to the hole and hopped 
 
 through with a croak. 
 The very instant Rigger saw his jug of Bourbon 
 
 broke. 
 
 13 
 
XXIII 
 
 And gocd old mellow Bourbon running wild 
 
 upon the floor, 
 Lost to all the lips of men — lost forever more; 
 A sight that seared his feelings and made him 
 
 very sore, 
 And then his room mate frowned a frown and 
 
 very loudly swore, 
 While heavy footsteps in the hall brought 
 
 knocks upon the door 
 Which signified a Cop had come the trouble to 
 
 explore. 
 
 XXIV 
 
 John Rigger opened up the door and let the 
 
 Copper in 
 With shining star and helmet and buttons to 
 
 the chin, 
 And loads of 5en=Sen on his breath to hide the 
 
 smell of gin. 
 John Rigger pleaded innocent of e'en the 
 
 smallest sin. 
 But his room mate's tale of buzzards made him 
 
 feel disposed to grin. 
 When the Judge remarked ^'I'll let you off, but 
 
 your yarns sound mighty thin." 
 
 14 
 
XXV 
 
 John Rigger still maintains his n^rve and 
 
 minds his P's and Q's^ 
 And advocates the teachings the greatest 
 
 thinkers use 
 Concerning crows and rabbits feet and other 
 
 small hoodoos 
 That conflict with philosophy and strong 
 
 material views, 
 But he realizes thoroughly a crow caused him 
 
 to lose 
 The friendship of his room mate and a jug of 
 
 Christmas booze. 
 
 -^^^^ 
 
 I saw it on the corner in a Louisiana town, 
 I saw it roll a cigarette and strain an awful frown : 
 1 saw it light the cigarette and give a gentle suck, 
 I saw the smoke blown from its nose and marked its 
 
 placid look. 
 Its hat sat back upon its head, its hair hung on its 
 
 brow. 
 Its tie was red, its collar high and white as driven 
 
 snow, 
 Its clothes were cut in recent shape, its shoes were 
 
 very tan, 
 And as I looked and saw I thought of the origin of 
 
 man. 
 
 15 
 
I saw it in the parlor of an e]e»-ant hotel, 
 I overheard remarks it made to a very gushing belle. 
 [ heard it say it "seen her*' that evening out in town 
 And ask her where she'd "been at'' with beautiful Miss 
 
 Brown. 
 I heard it say that Hamlet was an "opera out of sight" 
 And say it had the tickets for the following Friday 
 
 night. 
 T marveled at its grammar and its knowledge of the 
 
 stage, 
 And then I thought again of a prehistoric age. 
 
 Then 1 saw it standing at the bar in a very swell 
 
 saloon, 
 I paw it drinking Absyntlis and heard it hum a tune, 
 And mingled with the tune w^ere words I heard it as 
 
 it sung, 
 "Baby, gim me your tongue — gim me your tongue." 
 Oh, what a lovely lot of brains it surely did possess, 
 I know its mother fondled it and vainly tried to guess 
 What a wonder it would be when it become a man, 
 And all the world is wondering if it ever can. 
 
 16 
 
AUG X 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 'TAKISH Kj 
 
 018 477 435 
 
 A POEfl, 
 
 By PRANK b. WHITE, 
 
 Is a marvelous story that charms and enrap- 
 tures the reader, with morals and mystery, 
 passion and youth, romance and history, 
 honor and truth. 
 
 TAKISH KATE 
 
 18 a history of the discovery of Gold in the Klondike, 
 glittering: with poetic splendor, treated with 
 artistic taste, bristling with defying candor, 
 breathing motive pijj[;e and chaste. 
 
 Once a ragged, hungry lone gold-seeker met an un- 
 sophisticated Indian maiden in the firelight at a 
 "Squaw Dance" in Alaska. She pitied much his mel- 
 ancholy look and fed him on a bird soup, cooked with 
 herbs and berry seed. He ate and then related many 
 thrilling stories of grapples with the shaggy grizzly 
 that caugh the maiden's wild romantic fancy. So she 
 told him she would make him rich and glad if he would 
 take her for hia own squaw and tell her those same 
 stories always. He swore and promised very firmly she 
 should always be his squaw. He then was shown the 
 gold fields where Eldorado and Bonanza mines are 
 now located. That same ragged, lone gold seeker is 
 now one of the wealthiest bankers in San Francisco, 
 California. But an Indian squaw was left in 
 Klondike to wander o'er the frozen mountains with a 
 starving pappoose on her back. These and other 
 potent facts form the plot of TAKISH KATE. 
 
 WHITE & ECH0L5, Rome, Qa.