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In spite of attacks of newspapers like the Clarion；
A regular visitor at Springfield
When the Legislature was in session
To prevent raids upon the railroads
And the men building up the state。
Trusted by them and by you； Spoon River； equally
In spite of the whispers that I was a lobbyist。
Moving quietly through the world； rich and courted。
Dying at last； of course； but lying here
Under a stone with an open book carved upon it
And the words 〃Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven。〃
And now； you world…savers； who reaped nothing in life
And in death have neither stones nor epitaphs；
How do you like your silence from mouths stopped
With the dust of my triumphant career？
Enoch Dunlap
How many times； during the twenty years
I was your leader； friends of Spoon River；
Did you neglect the convention and caucus；
And leave the burden on my hands
Of guarding and saving the people's cause？
Sometimes because you were ill；
Or your grandmother was ill；
Or you drank too much and fell asleep；
Or else you said： 〃He is our leader；
All will be well； he fights for us；
We have nothing to do but follow。〃
But oh； how you cursed me when I fell；
And cursed me； saying I had betrayed you；
In leaving the caucus room for a moment；
When the people's enemies； there assembled；
Waited and watched for a chance to destroy
The Sacred Rights of the People。
You common rabble！ I left the caucus
To go to the urinal。
Ida Frickey
NOTHlNG in life is alien to you：
I was a penniless girl from Summum
Who stepped from the morning train in Spoon River。
All the houses stood before me with closed doors
And drawn shadesl was barred out；
I had no place or part in any of them。
And I walked past the old McNeely mansion；
A castle of stone Omid walks and gardens
With workmen about the place on guard
And the County and State upholding it
For its lordly owner； full of pride。
I was so hungry I had a vision：
I saw a giant pair of scissors
Dip from the sky； like the beam of a dredge；
And cut the house in two like a curtain。
But at the 〃Commercial〃 I saw a man
Who winked at me as I asked for work
It was Wash McNeely's son。
He proved the link in the chain of title
To half my ownership of the mansion；
Through a breach of promise suitthe scissors。
So； you see； the house； from the day I was born；
Was only waiting for me。
Seth Compton
WHEN I died； the circulating library
Which I built up for Spoon River；
And managed for the good of inquiring minds；
Was sold at auction on the public square；
As if to destroy the last vestige
Of my memory and influence。
For those of you who could not see the virtue
Of knowing Volney's 〃Ruins〃 as well as Butler's 〃Analogy〃
And 〃Faust〃 as well as 〃Evangeline；〃
Were really the power in the village；
And often you asked me
〃What is the use of knowing the evil in the world？〃
I am out of your way now； Spoon River；
Choose your own good and call it good。
For I could never make you see
That no one knows what is good
Who knows not what is evil；
And no one knows what is true
Who knows not what is false。
Felix Schmidt
IT was only a little house of two rooms
Almost like a child's play…house
With scarce five acres of ground around it；
And I had so many children to feed
And school and clothe； and a wife who was sick
From bearing children。
One day lawyer Whitney came along
And proved to me that Christian Dallman；
Who owned three thousand acres of land；
Had bought the eighty that adjoined me
In eighteen hundred and seventy…one
For eleven dollars； at a sale for taxes；
While my father lay in his mortal illness。
So the quarrel arose and I went to law。
But when we came to the proof；
A survey of the land showed clear as day
That Dallman's tax deed covered my ground
And my little house of two rooms。
It served me right for stirring him up。
I lost my case and lost my place。
I left the court room and went to work
As Christian Dallman's tenant。
Richard Bone
When I first came to Spoon River
I did not know whether what they told me
Was true or false。
They would bring me the epitath
And stand around the shop while I worked
And say 〃He was so kind；〃 〃He was so wonderful；〃
〃She was the sweetest woman；〃 〃He was a consistent Christian。〃
And I chiseled for them whatever they wished；
All in ignorance of the truth。
But later； as I lived among the people here；
I knew how near to the life
Were the epitaths that were ordered for them as they died。
But still I chiseled whatever they paid me to chisel
And made myself party to the false chronicles
Of the stones；
Even as the historian does who writes
Without knowing the truth；
Or because he is influenced to hide it。
Silas Dement
It was moon…light； and the earth sparkled
With new…fallen frost。
It was midnight and not a soul abroad。
Out of the chimney of the court…house
A gray…hound of smoke leapt and chased
The northwest wind。
I carried a ladder to the landing of the stairs
And leaned it against the frame of the trap…door
In the ceiling of the portico；
And I crawled under the roof and amid the rafters
And flung among the seasoned timbers
A lighted handful of oil…soaked waste。
Then I came down and slunk away。
In a little while the fire…bell rang
Clang！ Clang！ Clang！
And the Spoon River ladder company
Came with a dozen buckets and began to pour water
On the glorious bon…fire； growing hotter
Higher and brighter； till the walls fell in
And the limestone columns where Lincoln stood
Crashed like trees when the woodman fells them 。
When I came back from Joliet
There was a new court house with a dome。
For I was punished like all who destroy
The past for the sake of the future。
Dillard Sissman
THE buzzards wheel slowly
In wide circles； in a sky
Faintly hazed as from dust from the road。
And a wind sweeps through the pasture where I lie
Beating the grass into long waves。
My kite is above the wind；
Though now and then it wobbles；
Like a man shaking his shoulders；
And the tail streams out momentarily；
Then sinks to rest。
And the buzzards wheel and wheel；
Sweeping the zenith with wide circles
Above my kite。 And the hills sleep。
And a farm house； white as snow；
Peeps from green treesfar away。
And I watch my kite；
For the thin moon will kindle herself ere long；
Then she will swing like a pendulum dial
To the tail of my kite。
A spurt of flame like a water…dragon
Dazzles my eyes
I am shaken as a banner。
E。 C。 Culbertson
Is it true； Spoon River；
That in the hallway of the New Court House
There is a tablet of bronze
Containing the embossed faces
Of Editor Whedon and Thomas Rhodes？
And is it true that my successful labors
In the County Board； without which
Not one stone would have been placed on another；
And the contributions out of my own pocket
To build the temple； are but memories among the people；
Gradually fading away； and soon to descend
With them to this oblivion where I lie？
In truth； I can so believe。
For it is a law of the Kingdom of Heaven
That whoso enters the vineyard at the eleventh hour
Shall receive a full day's pay。
And it is a law of the Kingdom of this World
That those who first oppose a good work
Seize it and make it their own；
When the cornerstone is l