Black Beetles in Amber. Ambrose Bierce

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Black Beetles in Amber - Ambrose Bierce

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style="font-size:15px;">      Pennoyer, Governor of Oregon,

       Casting to South his eye across the bourne

       Of his dominion (where the Palmiped,

       With leathers 'twixt his toes, paddles his marsh,

       Amphibious) saw a rising cloud of hats,

       And heard a faint, far sound of distant cheers

       Below the swell of the horizon. "Lo,"

       Cried one, "the President! the President!"

       All footed webwise then took up the word—

       The hill tribes and the tribes lacustrine and

       The folk riparian and littoral,

       Cried with one voice: "The President! He comes!"

       And some there were who flung their headgear up

       In emulation of the Southern mob;

       While some, more soberly disposed, stood still

       And silently had fits; and others made

       Such reverent genuflexions as they could,

       Having that climate in their bones. Then spake

       The Court Dunce, humbly, as became him: "Sire,

       If thou, as heretofore thou hast, wilt deign

       To reap advantage of a fool's advice

       By action ordered after nature's way,

       As in thy people manifest (for still

       Stupidity's the only wisdom) thou

       Wilt get thee straight unto to the border land

       To mark the President's approach with such

       Due, decent courtesy as it shall seem

       We have in custom the best warrant for."

       Pennoyer, Governor of Oregon,

       Eyeing the storm of hats which darkened all

       The Southern sky, and hearing far hurrahs

       Of an exulting people, answered not.

       Then some there were who fell upon their knees,

       And some upon their Governor, and sought

       Each in his way, by blandishment or force,

       To gain his action to their end. "Behold,"

       They said, "thy brother Governor to South

       Met him even at the gateway of his realm,

       Crook-kneed, magnetic-handed and agrin,

       Backed like a rainbow—all things done in form

       Of due observance and respect. Shall we

       Alone of all his servitors refuse

       Swift welcome to our master and our lord?"

       Pennoyer, Governor of Oregon,

       Answered them not, but turned his back to them

       And as if speaking to himself, the while

       He started to retire, said: "He be damned!"

       To that High Place o'er Portland's central block,

       Where the Recording Angel stands to view

       The sinning world, nor thinks to move his feet

       Aside and look below, came flocking up

       Inferior angels, all aghast, and cried:

       "Pennoyer, Governor of Oregon,

       Has said, O what an awful word!—too bad

       To be by us repeated!" "Yes, I know,"

       Said the superior bird—"I heard it too,

       And have already booked it. Pray observe."

       Splitting the giant tome, whose covers fell

       Apart, o'ershadowing to right and left

       The Eastern and the Western world, he showed

       The newly written entry, black and big,

       Upon the credit side of thine account,

       Pennoyer, Governor of Oregon.

      Y'E FOE TO CATHAYE

      O never an oathe sweares he,

       And never a pig-taile jerkes;

       With a brick-batte he ne lurkes

       For to buste y'e crust, perdie,

       Of y'e man from over sea,

       A-synging as he werkes.

       For he knows ful well, y's youth,

       A tricke of exceeding worth:

       And he plans withouten ruth

       A conflagration's birth!

       Table of Contents

      Like a worn mother he attempts in vain

       To still the unruly Crier of his brain:

       The more he rocks the cradle of his chin

       The more uproarious grows the brat within.

       Table of Contents

      "O son of mine age, these eyes lose their fire:

       Be eyes, I pray, to thy dying sire."

       "O father, fear not, for mine eyes are bright—

       I read through a millstone at dead of night."

       "My son, O tell me, who are those men,

       Rushing like pigs to the feeding-pen?"

       "Welcomers they of a statesman grand.

       They'll shake,

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