Shapes of Clay

The way was long, the hill was steep,

My footing scarcely I could keep.

The night enshrouded me in gloom,

I heard the ocean's distant boom—

The trampling of the surges vast

Was borne upon the rising blast.

"God help the mariner," I cried,

"Whose ship to-morrow braves the tide!"

Then from the impenetrable dark

A solemn voice made this remark:

"For this locality—warm, bright;

Barometer unchanged; breeze light."

"Unseen consoler-man," I cried,

"Whoe'er you are, where'er abide,

"Thanks—but my care is somewhat less

For Jack's, than for my own, distress.

"Could I but find a friendly roof,

Small odds what weather were aloof.

"For he whose comfort is secure

Another's woes can well endure."

"The latch-string's out," the voice replied,

"And so's the door—jes' step inside."

Then through the darkness I discerned

A hovel, into which I turned.

Groping about beneath its thatch,

I struck my head and then a match.

A candle by that gleam betrayed

Soon lent paraffinaceous aid.

A pallid, bald and thin old man

I saw, who this complaint began:

"Through summer suns and winter snows

I sets observin' of my toes.

"I rambles with increasin' pain

The path of duty, but in vain.

"Rewards and honors pass me by—

No Congress hears this raven cry!"

Filled with astonishment, I spoke:

"Thou ancient raven, why this croak?

"With observation of your toes

What Congress has to do, Heaven knows!

"And swallow me if e'er I knew

That one could sit and ramble too!"

To answer me that ancient swain

Took up his parable again:

"Through winter snows and summer suns

A Weather Bureau here I runs.

"I calls the turn, and can declare

Jes' when she'll storm and when she'll fair.

"Three times a day I sings out clear

The probs to all which wants to hear.

"Some weather stations run with light

Frivolity is seldom right.

"A scientist from times remote,

In Scienceville my birth is wrote.

"And when I h'ist the 'rainy' sign

Jes' take your clo'es in off the line."

"Not mine, O marvelous old man,

The methods of your art to scan,

"Yet here no instruments there be—

Nor 'ometer nor 'scope I see.

"Did you (if questions you permit)

At the asylum leave your kit?"

That strange old man with motion rude

Grew to surprising altitude.

"Tools (and sarcazzems too) I scorns—

I tells the weather by my corns.

"No doors and windows here you see—

The wind and m'isture enters free.

"No fires nor lights, no wool nor fur

Here falsifies the tempercher.

"My corns unleathered I expose

To feel the rain's foretellin' throes.

"No stockin' from their ears keeps out

The comin' tempest's warnin' shout.

"Sich delicacy some has got

They know next summer's to be hot.

"This here one says (for that he's best):

'Storm center passin' to the west.'

"This feller's vitals is transfixed

With frost for Janawary sixt'.

"One chap jes' now is occy'pied

In fig'rin on next Fridy's tide.

"I've shaved this cuss so thin and true

He'll spot a fog in South Peru.

"Sech are my tools, which ne'er a swell

Observatory can excel.

"By long a-studyin' their throbs

I catches onto all the probs."

Much more, no doubt, he would have said,

But suddenly he turned and fled;

For in mine eye's indignant green

Lay storms that he had not foreseen,

Till all at once, with silent squeals,

His toes "caught on" and told his heels.