F 158 .5 ~ Copy 1 / V McFINGAL OF TYRONE OR THE REVELATION OF OX \ \ /^ McFINGAL OF TYRONE OR THE U REVELATION OF OX Xa_«, ^ OX:-. X V\s^ er M^5 MCFINGAL OF TYRONE, REVELATION OF OX. The Revelation of Ox to show unto the multitude those things which must shortly come to pass. And go forth unto the people, for it hath been commanded of me that all which mine ears hear and mine eyes seest, that same shall be written in a book. Therefore let him that readeth ponder. And he that ponders let him reflect. Reflecting, let him inwardly digest. For verily I, Ox, the Keeper, say unto you the time is at hand, and the sign is upon us. Be ye therefore cunning like unto a serpent. And hedge. And wise like unto an owl. And trim. Nor idiotic be, And flop For the time is at hand, and the sign is upon us, that " These great statesmen, When time has made bold with the king and subject, Throwing down all fence that stood 'twixt their pow'r And others' right, are on a change." • (3) MCFINGAL OF TYRONE. Now it had come to pass that it was the fl.rst year of the reigii of Benjamin, he that had succeeded the spouse of Frances, as chief high ijriest of the nation. And it was nigh unto the season when the tap shops were few and wide apart, made so by venal justice rampant. And behold there were politicians in the land. And they were high priests and privy counselors. Likewise were they smart alecks. And stood on the pinnacles of city and state, And waxed fat. And had sand even unto their necks. And coin of the realm had they in their inside pockets unto the extent of more than fifteen ducats. Now chief among these was one McFingal, who had been bom early in life, In the Province of Tyrone, in the land of Chamrok, beyond ihe great seas. And his vaccination took. And having osculated the stone blarney On a Black Ball Line packet had he come unto Manhattan. Unto the Castle Garden therein. And passed he the inspection. For he had not been contracted To labor in the Province of Pencoyd. (4) Now McFingal had good sandals ^ith large spikes therein. And he jonrneyed tinto the land of Bill Penn, nnto the Quaker borough. And straightway took out he his papers. Now, McFingal was an A. P. A. Nor worked he the groAvler. Nor visiteth he the spake asys Nor chased he the duclv« Nor took he Willie for a walk Nor possessed he any capillary embellishment upon his molars Nor upon his incisors had lie any hirsute growth. Nor of hair on his store teeth. But of sand in his neck he had great store. And had gathered wisdom and showed great cunning. And took unto himself heelers. And gathered a vast multitude about him as one num. And produced delegates unto a legion. And pulled their legs. And gave unto the jieople stiffs And taffy. And worked he rackets. And shut eyes like unto the manner that Bigsix surnamed Billtwede did so in the land of Manhatta. Which same is now the abiding place of him That comforted not Maria, siu'named Halpin Now McFingal long had a soft thing. Likewise a hard cheek. And of brogue had he a rare quantity And it came to pass that he collected the tithes and taxes. By plastic proxy. Clay. And don't you forget it. But McFingal was up in g Even up in spring g Anrl had a front i)e\x In th-C Traction Juggernaut And from tlie people's bank got he all his spending money. And was good unto the poor-. Like unto the manner in which the woman kept tavern. For McFingal worshipped the stuff, And tightened his grip on the shekels he gained. Verily from his back likewise his belly did he spare to fatten jiis money sacks. Nor laid he up treasui'es in heaver. But Id a strong box hai'd b.\' his coach. But McFingal was sore put and disturbed for the sign was upon him, .i\iid the tijue was at hand, For his enemies had risen and had in store for McFingal dire mischief, Like unto wiping up of a floor with him. And McFingal was not comforted, and communed with himself saying : Behold, the sign cometh upon me and mine enemies are a legion. Behold, I will go unto mine wicked partner and will hold sweet converse with him. And a small, still voice spake unto him saying . Go to And he did so. RELTIF, THE CORDSPINNER. Now in the Quaker borough was situate The Temple of Administration. Or the Circumlocution Office as it hath been named And it was hard by the fifth chestnut. And nigh unto the cabinet where dwelt Jo, Not Jo-Jo. But he that dispensed the bug juice. Nine ninety and nine. And it had come to pass that Eeltif, a learned cordspinner. Had been chosen as the high priest of the borough. Now Reltif was a rich man whose coffers were heavy laden with silver and with gold. And had he of realty an abundance And storehouses. And McFingal was not so well heeled as Reltif. Now Reltif, as high priest, had called unto his counsels certain wise men. And they and Reltif ruled the people like imto the manner in which a fond father ruleth his child. Oh ! mama buy me a jumping rope ! No, dear, your papa makes them. Aboudnations crushed he out With the aid of his wise counselors. Likewise called Reltif unto him certain wise men, they whose (7) 8 pockets were lieavy laden with, the weight of their Ward arron- disements. They who were known unto men as wardleaders, The deliverers of goods, Who fixed the workers in the political vinej-ard, Who madeth the slates, And made captive of the delegates To the people's conventions in the large meeting-houses. Now Reltif professed a great love for McFingal, but it was -like unto the affection That the feline has for the species rodent. For Reltif was to the manor born, While McFingal had his papers, Which accounted for a one drop of the milk contained in the Cocoanut. Now Reltif had high hoj^es. Likewise brilliant aspirations, Whose altitude was not made disturbed by Bullitt bill. For lo ! Reltif had set his eye on the White Temple which stood nigh unto the shores of the Potomac. Even did he aspire to become mighty. Like unto Don Juan, He of the tribe of Kamorahn. But McFingal had said him nay. Yet Reltif was a subtle man, and could saw wood. And he did so. And being a cordspinner Had gotten McFingal on a string, 9 And played witli McFingal, Even like a cat playeth with a mouse. For Eeltif paid court unto the opposition, Likewise to them who were on the fence And to the remnant of the one hundred committee, And to the wardleaders. Whom he full well knew were but water-bearers, and carried the same on both sh(julders. But Reltif could no longer be gracious unto McFingal. And he called unto him his choseu, and held a caucus, and spake unto them in this wise : Verily, verily, I say unto you, the time is at hand and the sign is upon McFingal. Keep wise your counsels, and say not that which I speak unto you in low voice, For I am agin McFingal. Are ye wid me Through the thick and even unto the thin thereof ? But they answered him not. And spoke one unto the other in low voice, saying : Hedge, Hedge, for the sign is upon McFingal, even as Reltif has spoken ; Then again thundered forth Reltif : Hesitate ye not, for I have counsel and strength for this war, now answer In whom will ye place your trust — In McFingal, of Tyrone, Or in me who hath communed with the big chief Wah-ne-maka ? Likewise have I made covenant with Hahuidish, the sawbuilder. Verily saw I him, yea, even did I raise him, 10 Likewise straddle his blind And stood in On a pat hand. Likewise have I made sly covenant with Davemahr, the caughton. And with Billedes, who failed of high honor, but will get there ; And A\ith Billstokh, the Martinet, the guardian of our borough peace, and in whom I am well pleased ; Also with him that is like unto the iron man Tom Ferguson and hath sway over the gashouse tarriers ; And with Eetrop, the farmer who raiseth the asparagus and is a wise tinner and builder of the borough water-buckets ; And with the medicine man Vulcanite, he who cureth the high- ways, And layeth thereon the bicycle surface ; And likewise with many others who know not where I stand. But who hunger to know For a sure snap That I am agin McFingal. And Eeltif looked wise, and yet spake unto them assembled : Go ye your way, prepare, for the time is at hand, and the sign is upon McFingal. For by this sign shall I cook his aquatic fowl, if 1 be but fixed, For it has been ordained that unto the people shall be made manifest a new deal. For lo ! from out of the land of Beaver there came uuto the Quaker borough he that is known of all men Mattstan, 11 He tliat lieth close unto Benjamin, And who is agin McFingal. Verily sought he mine ear, likewise mine affections, and hath laid glittering proposals at mine feet, To my edification and delight if I but do his behests, even which will I do, for verily while I am but a mare I have horse sense. And megalocephalitis, as hath been chronicled by Aleck He that is up to the times And the}' that were assembled marveled at his words. And he found favor with them. For the sign was upon them. And the time was near at hand To hedge And step on the neck of McFingal with both feet And make use of him like unto a mop-cloth. For so had it been ordained by Mattstan, who had the pull. And they hedged. Anriation of The bun And all of which accounteth for yet another drop of the lacteal fluid contained in th ^ cocoanut. BILLSTOKH, THE MARTINET. Now it had come to pass that one Billstokh, a guardian of the peace and safety of the inhabitants of the Quaker borough, Had been called unto the counsels of Reltif, the corilspinner, Who was the high priest and mighty ruler. Now Billstokh had been boj-n, Like unto all men, Of a woman His parents were good people, Withal poor But honest. At the early age of three He took to pants and top boots. With the advancing years of youth He became an apprentice Unto Arbeck, a flshermaiden, And soon learned to stab That succulent insect, The roystering and nimble oyster. For this got he his food and raiment, Likewise became he a third hand In a Pretzel foundry And varnished the German fruit, likewise sandpapered it ; Likewise builded he the Dutch Cakes— (17) 18 They with, the ringworm on top And those without — And he took the bakery ; Also did his cunning hand make the Hokey Pokey bricks Both in English And the Italian vernacular. And likewise madeth he the yellow jack; Likewise ran he with the Harmony machine And was a bunker. For verily he was a fire laddie, And subdued the fiery element, And wore a fire hat Surpassing in beauty The tile of PoiselSenarose " Where did you get that hat? Where did you get that hat ? A nobby oue I do declare : Ox wants one just like that." Now Billstokh grew apace And raised corns and bunions and — And became likened of many men, And waxed fat. Now Billstokh gave a great lep (leap), And was made a chief mogid Not once Nor twice. But even thrice. But got it in the jugular on the fourth round From King. 19 And F.illstokh retired unto private life From court intrigue, From bickering faction far, Until called unto a high place By Eeltif, the cordspinner, To manage the cops. And crush out abominations And. bawdy houses And poke-shops And tea-checks And grab-bags And fantan And rat-shops And faro banks And thron gardens And homeyards And mettlers A nd roops And white elephants And boxing retreats And gyps And fakirs And rumandmusic And discordant Pughtown harmony And thirty pevcents on printing contracts, And the more innocent grab bags at chui'ch fairs And raffles for dressing and study go\\Tis for the pastor And ditto for slippers for ditto And dice chucking for widows' benefits 20 And ditto ditto for eight day stoves, And he did so. Like Yet Billstokh was a terror to the evil doer, For ever and anon had he hay on his horns. And they did beware of him ; And in the consomme did he put The sleepy cop. And verily he was the keeper Of the chroniqiie scandalnse Of the Quaker borough. But Billstokh was wise in his time, and ^heu he had heard these new things and had hearkened unto the words of Reltif, he spoke in low voice, saying : Billstokh, get you not left. And lo ! Billstctkh was a trimmer, Even with the agility that bad he been a stabber. Bub Billstokh was a nix cum arouze, Which is revealeth later on, And which goeth to show that Billstokh, he that with the machine ran, and he that the pretzel varnished and sand- papered, is no longer likened of men. RENGAW, THE IRON MAN. Now had it come to pass tliat in tlie gerinan town