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The other； the lake…front in Chicago；
Where the railroad keeps a switching yard；
With whistling engines and crunching wheels
And smoke and soot thrown over the city；
And the crash of cars along the boulevard；
A blot like a hog…pen on the harbor
Of a great metropolis； foul as a sty。
I helped to give this heritage
To generations yet unborn； with my vote
In the House of Representatives；
And the lure of the thing was to be at rest
From the neverending fright of need；
And to give my daughters gentle breeding；
And a sense of security in life。
But； you see； though I had the mansion house
And traveling passes and local distinction；
I could hear the whispers； whispers； whispers；
Wherever I went； and my daughters grew up
With a look as if some one were about to strike them；
And they married madly； helter…skelter；
Just to get out and have a change。
And what was the whole of the business worth？
Why； it wasn't worth a damn！
Lillian Stewart
I WAS the daughter of Lambert Hutchins；
Born in a cottage near the gristmill；
Reared in the mansion there on the hill；
With its spires； baywindows； and roof of slate。
How proud my mother was of the mansion
How proud of father's rise in the world！
And how my father loved and watched us；
And guarded our happiness。
But I believe the house was a curse；
For father's fortune was little beside it；
And when my husband found he had married
A girl who was really poor；
He taunted me with the spires；
And called the house a fraud on the world；
A treacherous lure to young men； raising hopes
Of a dowry not to be had；
And a man while selling his vote
Should get enough from the people's betrayal
To wall the whole of his family in。
He vexed my life till I went back home
And lived like an old maid till I died；
Keeping house for father。
Hortense Robbins
MY name used to be in the papers daily
As having dined somewhere；
Or traveled somewhere；
Or rented a house in Paris；
Where I entertained the nobility。
I was forever eating or traveling；
Or taking the cure at Baden…Baden。
Now I am here to do honor
To Spoon River； here beside the family whence I sprang。
No one cares now where I dined；
Or lived； or whom I entertained；
Or how often I took the cure at Baden…Baden。
Jacob Godbey
How did you feel； you libertarians；
Who spent your talents rallying noble reasons
Around the saloon； as if Liberty
Was not to be found anywhere except at the bar
Or at a table； guzzling？
How did you feel； Ben Pantier； and the rest of you；
Who almost stoned me for a tyrant
Garbed as a moralist；
And as a wry…faced ascetic frowning upon Yorkshire pudding；
Roast beef and ale and good will and rosy cheer
Things you never saw in a grog…shop in your life？
How did you feel after I was dead and gone；
And your goddess； Liberty； unmasked as a strumpet；
Selling out the streets of Spoon River
To the insolent giants
Who manned the saloons from afar？
Did it occur to you that personal liberty
Is liberty of the mind；
Rather than of the belly？
Walter Simmons
MY parents thought that I would be
As great as Edison or greater：
For as a boy I made balloons
And wondrous kites and toys with clocks
And little engines with tracks to run on
And telephones of cans and thread。
I played the cornet and painted pictures；
Modeled in clay and took the part
Of the villain in the 〃Octoroon。〃
But then at twentyone I married
And had to live； and so； to live
I learned the trade of making watches
And kept the jewelry store on the square；
Thinking； thinking； thinking； thinking；
Not of business； but of the engine
I studied the calculus to build。
And all Spoon River watched and waited
To see it work； but it never worked。
And a few kind souls believed my genius
Was somehow hampered by the store。
It wasn't true。
The truth was this：
I did not have the brains。
Tom Beatty
I WAS a lawyer like Harmon Whitney
Or Kinsey Keene or Garrison Standard；
For I tried the rights of property；
Although by lamp…light； for thirty years；
In that poker room in the opera house。
And I say to you that Life's a gambler
Head and shoulders above us all。
No mayor alive can close the house。
And if you lose； you can squeal as you will；
You'll not get back your money。
He makes the percentage hard to conquer；
He stacks the cards to catch your weakness
And not to meet your strength。
And he gives you seventy years to play：
For if you cannot win in seventy
You cannot win at all。
So； if you lose； get out of the room
Get out of the room when your time is up。
It's mean to sit and fumble the cards
And curse your losses； leaden…eyed；
Whining to try and try。
Roy Butler
IF the learned Supreme Court of Illinois
Got at the secret of every case
As well as it does a case of rape
It would be the greatest court in the world。
A jury； of neighbors mostly； with 〃Butch〃 Weldy
As foreman； found me guilty in ten minutes
And two ballots on a case like this：
Richard Bandle and I had trouble over a fence
And my wife and Mrs。 Bandle quarreled
As to whether Ipava was a finer town than Table Grove。
I awoke one morning with the love of God
Brimming over my heart； so I went to see Richard
To settle the fence in the spirit of Jesus Christ。
I knocked on the door； and his wife opened；
She smiled and asked me in。
I entered She slammed the door and began to scream；
〃Take your hands off； you low down varlet！〃
Just then her husband entered。
I waved my hands； choked up with words。
He went for his gun； and I ran out。
But neither the Supreme Court nor my wife
Believed a word she said。
Searcy Foote
I WANTED to go away to college
But rich Aunt Persis wouldn't help me。
So I made gardens and raked the lawns
And bought John Alden's books with my earnings
And toiled for the very means of life。
I wanted to marry Delia Prickett；
But how could I do it with what I earned？
And there was Aunt Persis more than seventy
Who sat in a wheel…chair half alive
With her throat so paralyzed； when she swallowed
The soup ran out of her mouth like a duck
A gourmand yet； investing her income
In mortgages； fretting all the time
About her notes and rents and papers。
That day I was sawing wood for her；
And reading Proudhon in between。
I went in the house for a drink of water；
And there she sat asleep in her chair；
And Proudhon lying on the table；
And a bottle of chloroform on the book；
She used sometimes for an aching tooth！
I poured the chloroform on a handkerchief
And held it to her nose till she died。
Oh Delia； Delia； you and Proudhon
Steadied my hand； and the coroner
Said she died of heart failure。
I married Delia and got the money
A joke on you； Spoon River？
Edmund Pollard
I WOULD I had thrust my hands of flesh
Into the diskflowers bee…infested；
Into the mirror…like core of fire
Of the light of life； the sun of delight。
For what are anthers worth or petals
Or halo…rays？ Mockeries； shadows
Of the heart of the flower； the central flame
All is yours； young passer…by；
Enter the banquet room with the thought；
Don't sidle in as if you were doubtful
Whether you're welcomethe feast is yours！
Nor take but a little； refusing more
With a bashful 〃Thank you〃； when you're hungry。
Is your soul al