j^M^Hp AND OTHEf^BlT5 •t OFWESTEf^ VER5E By GEOR.6E ELDER. CFIUMP. IH,UvSTR.ATION,5 BY HEF^My\N DOVEFl^ fJ^.py;':^ Class, f^,9^r)<^ Book— 14^ f/^^ Copyii^lrtN" IM^ COHfRIGHT DEPOSm 3 iu- "^- ■^■f "^^ 3 2- V, QOD'5 COUNTPY and Other Bits of Western Verse GCORGC CLDCR CRUHP ^1,1 Copyright 1909 Geo. E. Crump Illustrations t>v Herman Dover Caiateinife GOD'S COUNTRY CAMP-SICK PUCkET SOUND TEN BELOW TO A BRIER PIPE SPIRIT LAKE PRIEST LAKE A FISHING SONG TO A DRUG FIEND THE SPOKANE VALLEY A GARDEN. HAYDEN LAKE SANTA CRUZ FALL GRINDING OF THE WHEEL TO THE PLAYERS A LIVING ROOM, HAYDEN LAKE MULTUM IN PARVO KNITTING BILL'S BUGLE WHAT RILEY'S WRIT GOOD NIGHT ©CI.A255772 I've seen all I want of big cities, and I guess they're all right in their way ; I've been stalled in a block for a couple of weeks, 'nd I've rid on the street cars all day ; I've been 'round to the-a-tres and op-ras, and for pictures I've seen 'bout the best. And while there is lots in the East we ain't got, you can't start me too soon for the West. We ain't got such sky-scrapin' buildin's, nor bridges that stretch for a mile. Nor stores where they sell about all that there is, from threshin' machines to hair ile ; We ain't got such crowded streets, neither, w^here you sure have to shove your way through ; No, there's several things w^e ain't got in the West, but for all that I guess it'll do. We breathe air in the West — it's the real thing — and it's sw^eet with the scent of the pine. And our scenery's somethin' that never grows stale — our mountains and lakes, wal, they're fine ! You may have some sunsets back east here, you may have, but I'm here to bet If you'd seen some I've seen from the top of the range you'd agree they're the best ever yet. And the thing that I like 'bout the West is, that a man is his own boss out there ; I'd rather be riinnin' a tw^o-by-four ranch than clerk to some swell millionaire ; Of course, there is times when the grub's scarce, and you hustle to make both ends meet, But the man who stays with it is bound to win out, and when I'm in luck it's my treat. So "Here's to the West" — drink it down, boys — where there's ginger and push and fresh air ; Where there's chances for all who've got hustle and grit, to stay with the game and deal fair ; The East is all right, if you like it ; it's got lots w^e ain't got, of the best. But just now I've a longin' I want to git back to my country — God's Country — the West. mmp I'm sick of the busy old city, I'm sick of its dirt and its din ; I'm sick of the crowds on the pavements, and business itself seems a sin; For as I gaze out of the win- dow, away where the mountains are blue, I can hear the low voice of the river, as I paddle my dug-out canoe. On the banks giant trees rise above me ; from their branches comes incense divine ; There's a glorious vigor about them, those sturdy old cedars and pine ; What apartment is half so delightful as a camp 'neath their wide-spreading limbs. And w^hat melody ever w^as sweeter than the song in their tops of the winds. ;M: mi Below me a rock splits the river, and there where the water flows white Is the haunt of the trout — well I know it — and I follow my flies in their flight ; Ere they scarcely have lit on the riffle there's a swirl, a quick tug and a gleam, Then my line cuts a path through the water, as the fish fights its w^ay up the stream. Now^ the sun has sunk over the hill- tops; o'er the lake comes the cool evening breeze ; And I'm pushing my prow again canipward, where the light of a fire through the trees Tells me Bill's cooking flap-jacks and bacon, and soon * * * ! there's the telephone bell ; "Who is it ? — all right — send him up, please." Well, business is — some- times it's h 1 ! ' iMMi&MiraanMSHm^ - ¥n£(Bt S© There's somethin* about the salt water that goes to my head Hke old wine — The wash of the surf on the beaches and the smell of the good old sea brine Clears my mind of its worries and troubles, sends the blood rushin' up to my brain, And I surely feel glad that I'm livin' when I'm down by the old Sound again. The gulls that fly over the harbor, the drift carried out by the tide, The smoke of an outward bound liner agettin' her deep sea ^ride ; You see, I live back in the mountains, I'm workin' a sort of a mine. But whenever the pay^reak develops I cash in and ^art for the brine. There's lots of queer life by the water, as you loaf 'round the docks day by day — A "wind-jammer" in from Au^ralia, a "tramp" loadin' up for Bombay — All kinds and all sizes they come here, from every port under the skies, You can tell mo^ the lands that they hail from by the buntin' a^ern that she flies. Some days when there's no wind a ^irrin', and the smoke curls ^raight up through the air. With a haze hangin' over the islands, and the moun- tains behind 'em as fair As any the poets have mentioned — I can't tell you ju^ how I feel, But I w^ant to forget all my meanness, and give the whole world a square deal. And, then, it's some grand w^hen it's blowin', with the bay ju^ a mass of white foam. The clouds scuddin' over the heavens, and the gulls makin' tracks to get home ; Salt water ! you bet it's the real thing — there's some- thin' about it that's fine ; You can all have your lakes, brooks and rivers, but give me salt water for mine. J' T( ssa Pile another log on. Bill, It's sure cold to- night ; Wind a-howlin' from the north, Streams a-freez- in' tight ; Snow a-siftin' through the air, Light as any feather ; Give me Summer, Spring or Fall, I can't stand this weather. Seems like I ain't seen the sun For a year or tw^o. And this everlastin' w^hite Ain't my kind 'o view. Freezin' when you're out 'o doors, Roastin' w^hen you're in ; Give me Summer, Spring or Fall, Winter's sure a sin. And this ridin' on the range Ain't light exercise. With a "Norther" in your face Under leaden skies. Grouchy ? Wal, perhaps I am. But I've got a reason ; Give me Summer, Spring or Fall, D n this Winter season. Birds have got the right idea ; If I just could fly I'd be hikin' out o' here When the flowers die. What with rheumatiz and "grip" — My ! Ain't it a fright ! Give me Summer, Spring or Fall ; Don't you think I'm right ? T© a IBrief Pipe Fashioned from roots of curious twi^ and curl. Daintily curved and polished as a pearl. You well might solace bring to king or earl, — Pipe of Sweet Brier. When fir^ you came to me light was your hue, But as I filled you day by day you grew Black as a slave — a slave mo^ kind and true — Pipe of Sweet Brier. How many pleasant recollecitions cling About you, like the buds in early spring Clu^er upon a bush where birds oft sing — Pipe of Sweet Brier. I cannot help but think how few like you There are w^ho ever give — and never sue For recompense — whose faults as yours are few- Pipe of Sw^eet Brier. When at the close of day I homeward ^ray With cares that shroud me in a veil of gray, You drive all trouble from my mind away — Pipe of Sweet Brier. Now^, once again your bowl with w^eed I fill And hug the blaze that kills the evening chill ; Your smoke's an antidote for every ill — Pipe of Sweet Brier. )pmt Lake The mountains rise above it to the sky And at its head Mount Carleton, like a king, Shoulders its massive form where eagles fly ; From out its canons deep toned echoes ring. Like voices of the Gods that guard the peak, And, challenged, always answer when you speak. Deep in its limpid depths, in many a pool. The great trout lurks, watching w^ith eager eyes The minnows that in shallow water play. Or where in careless flight the luckless flies Drop to the surface ; then the widening rings Mark but the spot. A distant song-bird sings. And far above, in rapid flight, there wings A wild duck to her nest ; a fretful loon With maniac laughter greets the rising moon ; A bat in crooked flight wings in its wake, And frogs croak from the marsh- at Spirit Lake. f-gg^jjta'^jR-ti^^g^,^;^^^:.:- Pffiesft Lak( The sun has sunk beneath the mountain's rim, The highe^ peaks are la^ to bid him go, And where all day the hills were bathed in blue. Now purple shadow^s rise to meet the snow. The evening breeze comes rippling o'er the lake ; A gentle breeze — refreshing, cool, sublime — As if it w^ere the breath of all the trees That, rank on rank, the di^ant mountains climb. The clouds above take on the sunset's glow — Great painted ships that float against the blue. Their changing forms too delicate to la^, Slowly they drift their way and pass from view. And, now, a illness falls upon the earth, Save here and there the twitter of a bird. Or, faintly borne across the placid lake, The distant murmur of a ^ream is heard. And night comes on ; from the great dome above The fir^ ^ar peeps ; then, slowly, one by one, The little lamps of Heaven again are lit ; The sunset's glow is gone — the day is done. I -will sing you a song of the whirring reel. Of a rod that is slender and fair ; Of a dainty line of woven silk. And the flies that hang pendant there ; Of my w^illow creel with its meshes fair That has cradled many a pet Lifted from out some cool retreat And laid there, shining and wet. 1 will sing of a morning bright and fair, The sun just tinging the east ; Of a camp-fire breakfast, smoking hot, That is better than any feast ; Of the breeze that tosses the sturdy pines And carries their fragrance far. Filling the sails of the great Cloud Ship That floats 'neath the Morning Star. The stream at my feet sings a song of its ow^n, Better than any I know ; Sometimes it ripples in laughter loud, Sometimes it murmurs low ; And as I puff my pipe of brier, And cast in some tempting pool, I am learning some truths that I never knew, Only taught at Dame Nature's school. T© a Dime' Fiesadl I pity you, poor wasted, living death. With face more Hke a skull, and troubled breath, Hands like the talons of a bird of prey. And deep sunk eyes that ever seem to say : "There is no Hell beyond ; 'lis here today." Your wasted form, your ever trembling knees. Remind me of the gaunt, charred trunk of trees That forest fires have sw^ept, and every breeze Tosses and shakes, 'till finally some day It crashes to the ground and to decay. Once you were young and strong, a mother's pride Shone in her eyes when you w^ere by her side ; You laughed at care, and misery defied In those glad days ; how little then you knew That years w^ould bring this bitter fate to you. Your only friend is drug — morphine, cocaine ; A demon in disguise which robs your brain And stimulates your shattered nerves in vain. The needle leaves upon your flesh deep scars, Yet 'tis your god — you kiss your prison bars. Poor wretch, there is no horror 'neath the sun That, if you met, you'd step aside to shun; Your torment never ends — is never done — And when at night the World sinks to its rest You wander like a spirit cursed, unblessed. You have no friend, no home, no hope — the grave Would be relief — oblivion you crave ; Your lot is worse than any fettered slave. Poor sufferer, in some world after this I pray that God may grant you perfe<5t bliss. There's a grandeur in our mountains rising snow- capped from the plain ; There's a glory in our river rushing by ; There's a beauty in the Summer when the fields are gold with grain, And no words can paint the sunsets of our sky. There is inspiration wafted in the breezes from the pines, There is life that's worth the living in the West ; There is plenty here for all who come, a hearty wel- come, too. And Nature offers each her very best. A Gaardeffi — Inlsiydeiffl Lak /"' ^ Dear generous Garden, once again I come, And once again you greet me with a smile, Pouring upon the breeze your fragrance rare ; A thousand blossoms nod their welcome while My eyes drink in your mass of glorious bloom. Along the path the poppies blaze the way And flaunt their silken heads ; the sparkling dew^ Gems the sweet peas, galardias, astors, pinks ; A palette set w^ith every shade and hue. A drowsy humming tells of busy bees Taking their fill from every honeyed cup, 'Till, drunk w^ith nedtar, zigzag down the breeze They reel away to store their sweetness up. The sunlight filters through the pergola And leaves upon the ground a rare design — Blotches of golden light, and shadowed forms Of dainty leaves and tendrils of the vine. And little feathered robbers in the trees Are stealing fruit, nor think it any wrong I "Surely," they chirp' "there's plenty here for all," Then gratefully repay me with a song. Dear generous Gar- den, here I love to come And leave behind the world and all its care ; Drink deep your per- fumed breath, and feast my eyes On all the beauty that you offer here. H m... iaimte Crai^ Where ever restless waters wash the beach, Champing and fuming Uke a nervous steed ; Where broken cHffs, Uke miser's fingers, reach For ocean's treasures, in their ceaseless greed ; Where, hollowed by the waters, caves of rock Resound and echo to the ocean's rush. Like sentinels of stone that seem to mock Each coming storm — each wave that strives to crush ; Where seagulls float like sails upon the air, Dipping and rising on the salt wind's breast Like pleasant thoughts, that never know a care. Which lull our minds and soothe our hearts to rest — There, where the w^hite-caps ever fret and toss, Nestles the "City of the Holy Cross." Fall When the fields are dull gold with the harvest And the mountains swim blue in the sun ; When the boughs are bent low with their burdens That drop to the earth, one by one ; When the bushes that follow the roadways Burn red with the colors of Fall, While all the year Nature is charming, This season seems best of them all. It's a season of fullness and plenty, This harvesting time of the year ; A warmness and brightness of color, A promise of wealth and good cheer. How fully the Earth is repaying With generous crops for us all ; And while every season is charming. The one I love best is the Fall. "^^^^^^^M^^*::^:"^ ,'Mi There is no steel but what its strength and temper Has been acquired by blows and whitest flame ; No painting ever graced a noble mansion But years of toil had made the artist's fame. No diamond ever shone as some imprisoned star But what has felt the grinding of the w^heel ; No life has ever known the depths of happiness But what some sorrow's taught the heart to feel. Dear friend, remember w^hen the days look darkest, When one by one our brightest hopes have fled ; When those that used to know us pass as strangers, And every high ambition now seems dead; When all the day we long for sleep's oblivion, And waking only means another day In which to stifle sobs, though heart be breaking, And smile — an adtor in a tragic play: — Remember, there's no storm but spends its fury. And after tempest shines the sun more clear ; Although we've suffered it has made us nobler, And selfishness has left us, tear by tear. The past is dead — we may not live it over — But on before a glorious Future lies ; When Night is gone, with all its drear forebodings. All Nature smiles beneath a glad sunrise. #'^z^ T® th® PEaysffs To you, good friends, who drive dull care away, This weary world owes much — nor can it pay In vulgar coin for all the good you do In painting into life a rosy hue. Against w^hat odds how brave a part you play ; Jostled about the world from day to day. With home and friends a thousand miles away ; The "jumps" are long, the dressing rooms are bad, The meals are often worse, and yet you smile And laugh and sing as though you never had A care on earth, or knew a single trial. Your health, good friends, as on your way you go, And more than money you can count your gain In all the happiness you leave behind ; Here's hoping w^e may sometime meet again. Life is well "worth the living in this room ; There may be rooms more grand, but none that holds For me the sense of comfort and good cheer That everjrwhere abounds within these w^alls. I love the ingle, where the crackling logs Send forth their glow and warmth, and piney scents Steal from the smoke that ever twi^s and curls Up the great chimney's gaping blackened throat. What matter that w^ithout it rains or snow^s. Or wintry w^inds come howling from the north ; Here one is warm and filled with sweet content, And feels the world is kind and full of friends. i love the pleasing colors of this room — The reds and browns, the glint of polished brass, The frieze above with goodly thoughts inscribed. And through the w^indows, o'er the sloping lawn, The lake, that basks beneath the drifting clouds. What words can paint its ever-changing moods — Describe the mountains, in the morning blue. Above the mi^s which curl in vapory grace. Then purple as the day draws to its close ? Each day the picfture changes — some new phase Of Nature greets us, never to return. And when at night the moon swims overhead, Trailing across the lake its silver path, There is no lovelier spot in all the world. m IPa Did you ever stop to think that the w^ay to be suc- cessful Is to say the thing w^orth saying, and to do the thing w^orth doing ; That the way to live the happiest is just to share your pleasure, And the better way to share it is to woo the girl worth wooing. w- In the gray twilight she's quietly knitting Clothes for her little one, dainty and small ; Qyietly knitting, with fingers that tremble, And on the work gli^en tear-drops that fall, Thinking of baby, her very own treasure ; Strange how her heart seems to throb at that word. Many a time in the past has she heard it — Ah, but it wasn't "my baby" she heard. Tenderly, carefully, weaves she the fabric As she would form great resolves for its life ; Gently she smoothes out the places that roughen As she would smoothe out the danger and strife. How, if she could, would she bear all its burdens. Her baby never should know^ want or cold ; Why must it grow^ up to know all the sadness — Why must her lamb ever stray from the fold ? Thus speaks the mother's heart, filled with its sacrifice ; In all the world there's no love like her love — Love that endures all, that seeks for no recompense ; Love that is infinite, love from above. (Written on the Return of the "Rough Riders" From Cuba.) There ain't been much fun in the army, And I guess that we've all earned our pay ; But, then, we weren't fightin' for wages, And we'd do it again any day. Yet, now that the trouble is over, (Except for the fever and chills), There isn't so much that sounds cheerful Exceptin' that bugle of Bill's. And it ain't so pleasant at all times — For instance, the first thing at dawn. When the cursed old fever's been makin' Yer wish that you'd never been born ; But all through the day when I hear it I'm d d if its music ain't sweet, Exceptin' one tune Bill ain't played yet. And never will play — that's "Retreat." He blows the boys down to the grub tent. And it don't mean no hard-tack this time ; And you bet when I outfit in future There won't be no "canned beef" in mine. From sunrise to dark it means business — When Bill blows there's somethin' to do, But, then, I feel best when I'm workin', Elxcept when the grub's pretty few. Yes, I'm glad that the fightin' is over, And we're back on the hills at Montauk ; The boys will be startin' for home soon. And you bet this time they won't walk. And I'll think of it over and over. When I'm ridin' the range, and perhaps I won't think of Bill when the stars are out bright And the wind dow^n the canon blows "Taps." I tell yer, Mi^er Riley, you're the kind o* man f er me ; Now, I don't go much on varses, nor no kind o' poetry, But when I read them rhymes of yourn they warn't like the re^. For you've sort o' reached the heart o' things and took 'em at the be^. I'd never noticed nothin' that was pretty 'bout the barn, Or the bosses or the cattle — why I didn't care a darn ; And to think that you could pictur' sech a pleasant kind o' view Of the corn and yaller punkins — vval, you've done it mighty true. Of course, I couldn't write it, and I wouldn't never try, But, ju^ the same, / feel it since I read your varse, and w^hy I never noticed it afore is mor'n I can tell. But I'm glad you've writ it, Riley, and you've writ it mighty well. G®©dl mUM Good night, dear one, without the world is sinking to its rest. The tired beasts have lain them down, the bird sleeps in its nest ; Above, the moon through fleecy clouds sheds light on all below. On burning wastes of desert lands, on fields of spark- ling snow. And, as I gaze far up above, while all about me sleep, "Dear Moon," 1 cry, "in yonder sky a holy vigil keep O'er this wide earth ; guard well each one until the morning light ; May sweet, refreshing sleep attend each weary one — Good Night." MK U ISio LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 018 603 992 #