The Emigrant Mechanic and Other Tales In Verse | Page 8

so it was with WILLIAM'S carnal heart,?Some mischief settled in its fleshy part.?Nor was this all; he oft became the butt?Of journeymen or 'prentice, who would glut?Their hardened hearts by showing greatest spite?'Gainst him for following what he thought was right.?Often that wicked youth, in wantonness,?Would try all means to give him sore distress.?And once, with all a dreadful demon's rage--?In such acts none but demons would engage--?He threw him down, and held him; then applied?A lighted candle to his throat and tried?To make him think it merely was a joke!?Which was as true as most of what he spoke.?The sore thus made gave him most cruel pain,?And left a scar that does even now remain.
Bad as this was, it was not half so bad?As what was done unto another lad.?I heard the story, and believe it true--?And shudder while I have it in my view.
The town in which this shocking act was done?I have passed through--it was an English one.?The scene, a Tinsmith's shop, where several men?Were wont to work, and all were present then.?A monster man two solder-irons took,?Made them quite hot, and, with a fiendish look,?Went right behind the boy, and on each side?The heated irons to his face applied!?The youth saw one, his head aside he threw,?Received a burn, before his fate he knew;?He quickly turned it then the other way,?And had two scars unto his dying day!
Methinks I hear the thoughtful reader ask,?"Why was the man, at once, not ta'en to task??Why did the other men not take a part?With that poor boy, and show a feeling heart?"?I am informed they all enjoyed the joke!?Not one reproachful word they ever spoke.?I blush to think that any of my trade?Should of such monsters ever be afraid.?The very thought still makes my blood to boil--?And shuddering, from such thoughts I back recoil!?I would have dragged the fiend unto a jail,?Or had him fastened to a wagon's tail,?Laid bare his back, and let the lash descend--?And, doing this, would still my act defend!
Ye masters, foremen, journeymen, and all?Who view such scenes, on each of you I call?To try your utmost now to do away?Such shocking deeds, enacted day by day!?If this you do not, you deserve the blame,?And richly merit good men's scorn and shame.
Our WILLIAM'S trials led him oft to think?That, while from duty he would never shrink,?It would be better far to leave his trade,?Than the sad object of such sport be made.?And to his father spoke to this effect--?Not in ill humor, but with much respect.?The father's counsel was, that he should stay.?As soon the other youth would go away.
I here may mention he had one good friend,?And one on whom he always could depend;?This was his dear young master, who oft took?Much pains in reading o'er the Christian's Book--?Received its lessons in his gentle heart,?And showed by this he chose the better part.?He would encourage and defend the youth,?Who saw it right to let him know the truth.?Alas! this master soon was seized by Death,?And died rejoicing in our "common faith."?COOPER with grief beheld the sorrowing scene,?And called to mind how kind that friend had been;?And often wished more like to him were found?In all the workshops through the country round.?Still time moved on; the elder youth took leave,?And those he left had no just cause to grieve.?'Twas WILLIAM'S turn to take the other's place,?And do his best to bring it no disgrace.?He now had under him a younger boy,?While better work did his own hands employ.?The workshop was a cellar, close to th' street,?And passers-by would oft the workmen greet.?The light came through an iron-grated space,?Making a prison-like and dismal place.
One day a stir was made that street within,?And each felt anxious to behold the scene.?The errand-boy was busy cleaning knives,?As others have done often in their lives.?He in a moment climbed upon the bench,?And the huge carver in his hand did clench.?WILLIAM was looking up, with outstretched throat,?Quite unobservant, being lost in thought.?"I'll cut! I'll cut!" fell quickly on his ear;?He felt sharp pain, and thus had cause to fear!?The boy, for fun, across WILL'S neck had drawn?The carving-knife, and stood still as a stone;?Quite terrified at sight of blood, he said,?"I thought it was th' back!" it proved the edge instead.?The wound was slight, but might have been far worse--?And he might ne'er have figured in my verse.?One thing the serious reader would expect--?To give God thanks he could not well neglect.?Ah, me! his passion drove such thought away--?Strong Passion's call he hastened to obey;?And feeling in a dreadful angry mood,?He beat the boy that it might do him good!?Yes, beat him without mercy, and declared?'Twas well, indeed, the lad no worse had fared!?God dealt not thus with thee, my hero fine,?He long forbore with all those sins of thine;?And 'twas