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Les diagrammes suivants lilustrent la m6thode. f errata d to It le peiure, pon d n 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 # mem^mmigm BY JEAN CLARKE, Author of "That Young Man." BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY N. H. WHITNEY & CO. 1878. m I i i 311 ^4 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year A.D. 1877, By N. H. WHITNEY & CO. In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D.C. I ! j 1 .:i THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. ' I. — PRELUDE. T7AIR maid ! whom some call sweet, and sweet -■• if good ; With virgin blushes pure and rich and red And warm ; unplighted love, yet true because Untried ; unfaded eye, yet bright and soft And good, its own most certain snare and bait Of ruin ; smiling face and yearning heart ; Prospective wife, loved and loving much, — Fair maid, to thee I speak and write. Young man ! possessed of strength, wij;h greatest strength To fall ; with hopes elated high above THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. \ II Intent of good, or virtue of resolve ; With signs of greatness, outward many bright, But inward few ; with force of mind and soul, And build of frame, each great in what each most May yet attain ; beset with pleasures good And ill, — to thee no less this theme I pen, That, by revealing who I am, thyself To thee I may present as well, and more, That thou mayst know the man whose easy prey, At cruel cost, thou art. But, to be brief, fair maid, young man, or both ; The young, the old as well, and all who read On trains, in halls, at home, or as a guest ; EquaHo all, with much to favor all, Oil printed page I come, in measured lines, Not welcomed more because in common verse, Nor less, but rather more disguised. Of all the devils seen or hid or felt On earth, by men or maids, — their numbers great,— The Boss I am. To my imperious rule And sway, to every impulse, word, or wish, All legions doomed or dooming by their powV, THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, In ready homage wait on me. In every act of life's broad stage, The high and low, the rich and poor, the great. The small, of every sort, come trooping round My feet, to crown me Victor, Devil Boss ; Thyself a subject, willing or compelled. Of my exalted crown. Such is my rank. My birth I'll speak of later on ; my age As well, or mention not at all, as may Best suit my wish and plan. My realm. Already told or hinted quite enough, Will soon be clear. Thus briefly introduced, Boss Devil I appear ! and, leading on. Will wind through wooded paths of real fact, Of virtue shipwrecked, honor lost or won, Of maiden's hopes deferred and trust deceived, Of man's high purpose blighted or retrieved, Of home's cemented circle sundered far, Or saved. IL — FAIR ELSA. No longer girl, yet scarce a maid in years ; In growth of heart, and mind, and form, full ripe And pure, fair Elsa loved. Her beauty, rare 8 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, And rich, invited gaze and lust. Her face With freshest blush, in tinted hues of pink And white, was always bright. Her smiles of love, In golden sunbeams flowed, in gentle waves Of inspiration warm. Her auburn hair Of curls, in silken tresses, hung or lay In ample luxury. Her form, not large, Nor small, but rounded out in perfect shape And symmetry, excelled perfection's truest moulds Of fancied thought. if I :t ) Her voice, in accents sweet. Broke softest music on the ear and heart, Enchanting one and charming both. To tell It all at once, in her combined the whole Of beauty, youth, and grace. . t Her rank of noble birth improved on all By gilding all with wealth and lineage-fame ; Her noble gifts of mind, and soul, and grace. The wisest Giver had bestowed in trust, — THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 9 A trust she would have kept, had I not come To tempt, and steal, and curse, and blight, and blast, And waste. Her easy lot sped on and on, Each day bcholdin,i? steps advancing high In deeds of self-improving culture and Unselfish love. Thus born, thus reared, thus blessed, And thus improved, — an object rare and rich For angels' praise and devils' bitter hate, — Fair Elsa lived. Her ruin fully planned Was my delight, since she was fairest of The fair, and purest of the pure ; and I The chief of devils boss, the ardent task No other hands save mine could execute. III. — YOUNG ROGER. Young Roger, bright with college honors, came From class, in graduation due, to try With tact and talent, love and wit, life's hard And surging tide. 10 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 1 1 i! From callings great and wise, And multiform, he chose his own delight, The art of physic, — allopathic school. Commanding, tall, erect, of noble form And noble mien, and mind and soul in all Complete, he stood in youth's gateway of life, In equipage and armor for the fight Complete as well. With aims above, beyond. The common herd, he drew the lines to rule. His life by wisdom's plans approved, confirmed. The rules he made to be observed, obeyed. Were few, but firm and good : The truth to speak, To seek the good to do and fellowship. To hate the wrong, were fundamental lines He would in turn observe. And why do less ? Of humble, poor but honest birth, his own Unaided way he'd pressed to this fair start. With such a life, though short, behind, with such A prospect yet untried, but easy to Attain, ahead, when all invites that way. ..igji-Li MinyuMmj-iiiw— THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, II IV. — YOUNG ROGER S LOVE. When scarce eighteen, while yet in junior class, Young Roger, still in sophomoric warmth Of youth, his honest heart and noble hand Had laid at Elsa's feet, for which she gave Her own betrothed. Of all rewards his life Had crowned, this one was richest far. To win a love so pure, a heart so high. Was more than victor's boast. Her veins enriched By royal blood, her heart of love enlarged. Enshrined by all devotion's brightest fires ; Her mind illumined, trained, informed ; Her beauty unsurpassed, and yet excelled By grace, — a prize indeed ! of earthly gifts The best. But greater than her worth Of beauty, grace, and form, and higher than Her hopes of heaven, and deeper than her trust In God, — outmeasured all, her love bestowed, — Young Roger's best reward, and highest prize. Nor was fair Elsa's love without a full 13 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Return. The heart of him, less great in name, Less reared by wealth, but nothing less a heart For all, it loved as strong, as warm, as great, If not as pure ; and loving thus he loved Not less than she. i :!i^ V. — YOUNG ROGER S FAULT. \ oung Roger's fault was my reward, and more — But say no more just now. The heart that loved Its treasure, altogether won, yet half Secured, with such unselfish wish and plan, Lacked less in generous deeds than just, though just It strove its blessings to impart. ' It was Not wrong that Roger should have many friends, — A right availing much for me, — nor wrong That he and they should often meet and chat At hall or club, if meeting there implied No other fellov/ship than kindly words Or greeting warm ; nor in the thoughts and words Of many men called wise and good, was wrong, — Their social glass of wine, or stronger drinks, THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 13 When kind occasion warmly bent that way. In such amusements, wise and good, if good And wise, and right if numbers weigh, and best For my success, lay Roger's fault, the old And pious people will insist. If right, Then right ; if wise, then wise ; if good, then good ; Or fault, then fault : whichever will appear. VI. — FAIR ELSAS FAULT, IF FAULT. Fair Elsa, faultless, yet in fault, if wise And trusted oracles are true, erred most. If erred at all, in loving far too well. If truest God she loved, her love in this Was weak, engaging less than half a heart and half A mind. Her rank, the riches of her grace. Her undivided love, her hopes and best Resolves, her time, her prayers, her strength, and all She had to give, in giving which was right, — And law of right was love, — she fondly threw At Roger's not unworthy feet. Alas ! And not alas ! Sometimes such love is best, Sometimes the worst. Alas, when spent on him Whom I embrace, though worthy in himself ; And not alas, when borne for him in whom * . i ! . I ' ii< r- r 14 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, My intrigue comes to nought, a victim chained. In this, — if this be wrong or right, the same, — In this was Elsa*s source of grief, if grief She had at all. VII. — YOUNG ROGERS MISFORTUNE. Misfortune, — born of fault if sages tell The proverbs of their songs in truth ; and born By chance, or sent by God, if sages lie, — But, all the same, misfortunes come to vex And to annoy. A plan put forth to shun Their stings fails in the plan ; for all, the small, The great, at some time, and by far, the time Most inconvenient to their ease and wish, Must fret beneath their scourge. Young Roger, no Exception to the rule, met his. 'Twas not Affliction's hand ; 'twas not unvalued love, Nor broken trust, nor lash of scandal's tongue : But debt, its food. His generous heart made friends; His generous deeds increased their ranks; and, thus THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 15 Increased, expense entailed, unjustly met, Or met by putting off. His practice grew And thrived; but faster grew the wants (not needs), And louder grew the calls demanding means To hold the wide-extending social list Of daily entertaining friends. Perplexed, Annoyed, young Roger, ill at rest. Stood hard in need. His wants however known To me, it matters not : enough to say His needs my pleasant duty was to meet And satisfy, or, failing quite in this. His wants to pacify. Philanthropy Could move my heart. Boss Devil though I was, But only when its Christian deeds of love Gave cloak to base designs. In Roger's want I saw a way to Elsa's heart. The route Was long and wind-about, and intricate With turns : yet, had the way been easier, Less int' resting the task. i' iki ^ ! i6 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. The end Was Elsa's fall, — her virtue to abase. This fully done, and I had reached the goal Of devil's highest wish. No dart of lust Or thought of sharrie had yet imbued her heart : In holy thoughts, in purest wish, her life In gentle flow, swept calmly on to God. All other men, most other maids, my base Designs could bring to shame, with greater ease. But with less glory crowned. With some, and not A few, the distance left to fall would cause But little bruise : with her, embracing all That's pure and true and good, the distance would Be great, the fall in ruin grand. These thoughts And motives led me on. With these I sped To' Roger's aid. IX. — YOUNG ROGERS SIN. Misfortune — born of fault, or no, to me It matters not — was brooding sin through my Adventurous aid. Young Roger lived, — and lived In style, — from Elsa's proud and stately home, In distance many miles, say hundreds six Or more. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 17 Though Elsa's capture, fall, and shame Was chief of my delights to win, I chose, As most expedient to my plan and aim, To tarry close by him., in friendly aid, , If thus I could appear. And thus I did Pretend in foul disguise, deceit, until In Roger's name, for Roger's sake, she heard My fearful plea, and blushed with shame, But blushing fell, yet falling more to my Disgrace than her distress, and this was great. Supplying Roger's wants, I multiplied by many fold and pow'r Their number and their force ; and this, that I Might make demand for much I had and wished To give. I made him many friends, if friends The world will stoop to so exalt by name. Nay, this and more ; I brought him pleasures new And odd, — too odd to tell ; enjoyments sweet, If sweet can turn to painful sting of shame ; Amusements rare to public gaze, or sight Of honest, pious men ; and over all The mystic veil of secrecy I spread, Which gave it double charm. x8 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. !t!| 1 i \ kH ! { In this strange world behind the screens, — strange only to The good, — where night is day, and day is night. And charms are multiplied, increased, improved. By artificial light, I led at will Young Roger's wayward feet. He followed on With hesitating step, unsteady gait ; And, when reluctant to proceed, his fears Or doubts of wrong were lost in social wine. U \ 1^ i Thus on, and on, I led young Roger to His sin, his doom, unconscious he was led. The way was long, and leading down in scale At every step, but with such easy slant As not to cause alarm. Had Roger fell With rapid pace, no wrecks to mark his path But his, slight then were done ; but, moving on In slow advance, the stream of ruin spread In wide expanse, including hundreds in The train, and thus worked double loss. In this I managed well ( : (• N THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 19 Impulsive, yet With firm command of self, as some would say, He sinned by night, and worked with honest skill By day ; and boasted how his freaks of fun. Restrained by systematic rule or law, Took nothing from the value or result Of practised toil. And so, dear reader, if Boss devil you'd become, first learn to lead Your victims by the hand of self-control, When falsely reckoned so. With care and pains I worked to show young Roger all his good, And cover all his fault. 'Twas easy done : With skilful ease I placed his life in line With that of better men, and proved his own By far the best, by far supreme. At length He sinned outright, and sinned to suffer much. His sin entailed disgrace ; to cover which Bred crime ; to cover which he spent his life For nought, and fell at last, a proper claim To retribution's doom, to pine and die. His sin was this (in myth it must be told. Or give offence to those who read ; which means, 20 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMEKICA, ^1 To steal the author's bread) : Within his heart I bred a passion great and deep and strong, The birthright of the flesh, and proper, too, For man : its presence is not sin, but wise And good, if wisely held by wise restraint. Ill M 11 - % Young Roger ooed forbidden fruit, and ate In passion, not in love. In this he wronged Fair Elsa's trust, — the less or more, decide Which way you will; but wronged it foul, — and wronged Himself as well, and more. Sharp on the track Of this his sin — another's shame — came twin Disgrace, to cover which demanded crime. Alas ! and crime stood near at hand. :!! I ill X. — YOUNG ROGER S CRIME. That sin is crime but older grown, is plain To most who read, and pain to most who sin Too long, I may assert in peace, and you May prove by deeds, in grief. Thus Roger did At my command, request, or wish. But in His peril I came, a friend, or foe disguised, And lent, unbid, black counsel, varnished bright. ■1 V. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 91 He listened well ; which was for me to win, And him to lose. *' For Elsa's sake," I said, " For Elsa's love, for Elsa's future hope And joy, cut this one brittle thread of life, — Though in the stroke you sever two, — and thus Dam back the floods which threaten deluge to Thy name and hers. In this affair, use one Of many tricks to thy profession known. And let her quickly die, with hers and yours, — A secret better in the grave than out. In this be wise, and follow my advice. Make haste! the clouds of shame appear." ** Not I ! " Young Roger said. " Be sin my shame, not crime My woe ! This deed to impulse strange I owe. Or rather to thy wrong advice. Had I Not met thee, boss of devils, true thou art. And heeded thy persuasive counsels, wrong And black, but gilded o'er, this shame would not Be mine, or hers by deed of mine ; nor had Fair Elsa's love been treated thus. Depart, Boss Devil ! leave ! nor speak again to me ! We part to-day for life." 22 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. \ \ . " Young Roger, hold I " Was my reply. " Your sorrows reel your brain. Think for a moment of your words, I pray, Ere you are lost. * Be sin my shame, not crime My woe,' sounds well ; but hark ! Thy sin and hers Is growing crime, and soon will ripen red In harvest of disgrace. Thy sin to-day To-morrow is thy crime. Between one crime And two, without disgrace, is difference more To be preferred, if both are lost in death, Though death be murder, than to suffer foul Disgrace, and sweat beneath the penalty Of law. Do I not counsel wisely, man } If so, give heed : if no, ignore. But weigh My wisdom well." A pause prolonged ; and Roger asked, — " And how can this be done to leave no chance Or clew by which the deed may come to light ? " ii till " Pshaw ! Roger, stop ! Ask not of me to teach what best is known To thee. I counsel what to do, not how. A thousand ways I might contrive, and more ; s THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 23 But why should I perform things easy to Yourself ? The task is light. But come, I'll aid ; And, while we plan, let'^ drink, that plan we may With greater ease." "^ What speed ! In scarce two years I'd led young Roger on From noble, pious youth, to social glass ; From social glass, to deeds of sin and shame ; From sin and shame, to plotting murder with No other object than a view to shun disgrace. Such progress cheered my heart. He drank of wine, at my request, that we Might reason well ; yet held aloof from crime In doubt and fear, and said, — " I'd rather die, — Die thrice, — than load myself with guilt by this Tremendous deed. Contrive some other way ; Suggest some plan less biack." " I see no other way, The time draws near when Elsa's hand in yours Will join in wedlock's holy bond, — a bond W- : . I ill .1 24 T//E BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, In which alone relief to thee can come. Her wealth at thy command, these irksome debts Will disappear. Then, Roger, thou canst raise Thy head, in manly claim to more respect. Without her love, without her hand, without Fair Elsa's gold, thy doom is now complete. There is no other way. This dreaded deed Alone can bring relief." XI. FAIR ELS AS CONSTANT LOVE. Come, reader, turn With me to Elsa's home, that we may bring Her life down through two years elapsed since last We spake her praise. \ When Roger left his class For active life, he pressed her hand to wed ; But she demurred, and pleaded youth a cause Why both should wait. In this her patience was Not wise, though nothing else a proof of wise Resolve. Had she gone forth with Roger from The start, I had been robbed of both, alas ! Her virtue made the gap through which a stream Of ruin flowed, to turn the wheels of death. > .1 '-^^S,' THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 25 Two years and more must come and go ere she Became a wife : meanwhik young Roger's hand Would lay foundations for a hoiri^ , where love, And joy, and peace might reign to crown and bless Their coming wedded life. About his task He set in haste, with motives high and great. To his resolves I lent my aid, and with What issues you have seen, and shall see more. But through these waiting years young Roger oft Should lean on Elsa's love. In ways all good — A thousand quite or more — she came to him, Revealed in acts of constancy. Her pen, Devoted as the days and nights are true to time, Did much. Each letter filled with Christian words Of counsel wise, but less of counsel than Of love, brought inspirations big with strength And hope, but these were shipwrecked, cast Away on seas of ruddy wine, without The roaring of a single storm. But letters were By no means all : mottoes and precious gifts - i ! H; • l!' > I:'! 26 TffE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Of needle-work, each traced with lines of skill And patient toil ; each, token of her love, — These gifts from hands sc fair, these lines from mind So pure, and hopeful wishes, well from heart So true and good, had been enough, and more, To guide young Roger on in purity Of life, had I not crossed his path, or clasped His hand. Besides these gifts and written interchange Of love, five greetings, lasting weeks, increased Their love, confirmed their hopes, and perfected Their trust. At each of these young Roger's heart Renewed its vows ; his lips alone declared The lie of constant past. Fair Elsa — blind With perfect trust ; imperfect since unwise ; Unwise because abused, deceived — believed, Suspected not, and loved in majesty Of soul sublime and grecit. Thus lived Fair Elsa, true and good and pure, not once Suspecting less of him than she herself \: . THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 27 Could be, but hoping more. Thus waiting long, And praying much, poor Elsa was deceived. Alas ! if only that were all ! XII. — YOUNG ROGER S VICTIM. Poor Nellie Waite, an orphan child, at ten. Was placed at school, through friendly aid. En- dowed With voice of song, and blessed with music in Her soul, she learned to play and sing with grace And ease, and perfect tone. To teach what she Had learned was her delight, and more, her means Of livelihood. Nellie was young and fair. Possessed of beauty, wit, and tact to match ; Well suited to enjoy the good, but not Well suited to endure the bad, of life. From self-supporting toil she soon became By far too self-depending. Nellie Waite And I and Roger met at social dance. Or ball full-dress. I'd met young Roger long. And many times, before ; sweet Nellie once ; Not more. My interest in them both was quite The same, — their overthrow and fall. At twelve. (1!:; f : ; I f ■•'tl m 28 T//£ BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. The midnight hour, the whirling dances broke In intermission. Lunch was served in rooms Across the entry hall. Thence, to refresh And rest, young Roger, leading Nellie on His arm, repaired. My time had come. The wine Was introduced. The modest lady shook Head in kind reproof ; yet wine, champagne. Was only wine, not more, and why complain .? Thus reasoned out she said, — " Kind Roger, sir, You drink, I'm pardoned to observe. The wine looks well, and drink if drink you must. But, as for me, I must excuse myself With your consent." "Miss Waite, you joke, or play With words. This wine is light, and could not harm A creature good and fair as thou. Your health ! Drink that with me !'' " Just ha// a glass : not more, Kind Roger. Comey obey ! I dare not trust In taking more, or even this, I'm bound To say." THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 29 " Pshaw ! Nellie, drink ! This ruddy wine Like water flows, as harmless too. A ball Is less a ball excepting wine. I hold Myself to answer for your ill, if ill Results." Young Roger reasoned well. In this my training was complete. She drank, And, drinking, fell in honor of my name, And rank as Boss. XIII. — MURDER, ONE OR TWO. At my advice, at my command, or wish. Or counsel, — one or all, — young Roger gave Wise heed (if crime is wise) ; and sought at once, With speedy hand, to cut the thread of life. The work was soon complete. His victim fell In death, — as at his wicked will she fell In life to deeds of shame, — with one faint cry Or wail of grief, unheard by men. Her pain Was great but brief. "This awful thing is done, And done by me," soliloquized or thought 1 ' i^' 30 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Young Roger, as alone he sat one night, Refusing to be comforted by wine. Or wine's resource. " My plan succeeds : that's plain. Hear what the people think, and what they say. And what the papers print. It's false ; but lies Are better far than truth, when used to hide Much crime. They print, with head-lines black and long. The tale of Nellie's grief ; all wrong, but right For me. It runs this wise : — " * The suicide Of Nellie Waite ! Though fair in life, yet FOUL In death. She dies to hide her crime.* I ^ir "Thus ran The head-lines, bold as false ; and others quite As these were added on to give display. Then followed lines in common print ; to wit, — " * We're pained to be compelled to write of things So sad. Fair Nellie Waite, whom many knew, And knew to love, in some dread evil hour Gave heed to wrong advice. She fell ! To hide '■*i ^ THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 3« Her fall, .she drank the fatal drug, and died. The man — not man, but beast — who led her on To shame is strangely hid from view. She leaves No words behind by which to trace him out. Yet we predict his villany will be Revealed in time, and he to punishment Be surely brought in chains.' " Young Roger read, And trembled more. The prophecy might yet Be verified ! He shook with fear. I came That way, on duty bent, and offered wine. He drank, and drank again. This nerved his mind, And gave him strength. His fear o'ercome or gone, His conscience dumb, he walked erect, and smiled A victor's smile. 'n .-■if I Poor Nellie's death came not By her own hand. Perplexed with grief, and warned Of coming shame, she counselled Roger for Escape, relief, or plan to overcome The sad mishap. He gave attentive ear, U'<' $2 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, And then advice, and then a phial of death. He called it by some other name. The dose He ordered her, in undivided form, To take just after secret evening prayer. By this she was to gain relief ; but by The same she died. Thus managed Roger well ; Or rather I, not he. This was my plan, Not his. But thus died Nellie Waite ; and thus Have thousands, fair and good as she, by me Been led to early, shameful death. XIV. — FAIR ELSA S DREAM, AND MORE. The night of Nellie's death, fair Elsa dreamed Herself in Nellie's place. She thought her shame Was hers, and that some fiend, the author of Her woe, had sought to take her life ; in which Attempt by poisoned draught his purpose reached. The fiend she did not know or recognize. In one short night she dreamed the same thrice o'er, And morning: found her weak from fear. She wrote At once, revealing all to Roger's mind. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 33 • The dream, she said, was plainest at the point Of death. ' Twas hard to die. She tried to call For aid, but nothing aiding came. She cried In sobs of grief, not loud but deep, for him Whose slave, by dream, she had become. But no Response from him. At length she died ; instead Of which she woke. With this, fair Elsa asked, " My love, what can it mean ? " and closed. Such news Brought grief and hot remorse to Roger's soul. He sank in stupor, self-condemned, and would Have died from self-inflicting wounds, had I Not sped to bring redress and cheer. " My dear Sir Roger," first I said, "what means this woe. This sad complain } Why languish here } With thee There's nothing wrong, but much to cheer." if " Foul fiend ! " He answered back, " the worst of devils thou ! Depart ! Return no more ! I hate thy name. Thy face, thy voice! I would that thou wert dead. 34 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. No more thy councils shall I heed, no more Thy poisoned gifts receive. Depart, depart I O cursed fiend, depart I " " Why, Roger, wilt Thou thus abuse my name, reject my aid ? When fast in trouble bound, with coming shame. In floods quite mountain high, I found thee lone And helpless, in much want, thou didst not scorn To thank for aid. I gave my counsels free. And counselled wise. To-night you're free by might Of mine, and durst thou scorn me thus ? Beware I I have thee in my power somewhat. As friend, I wait to serve thy needs ; but make me foe, And chains of fearful strength shall bind thee low." -. 11: "Boss Devil, leave my sight ! This once, not more, I'll drink with thee at my expense. It is The parting draught. I trace thy hand in ills Gone by. To thee my every fault and sin I owe : to thee I'll owe no more but hate. But come, we'll drink farewell, and part." THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 35 "Tisdone, Whate'er thou wilt. To be dismissed is hard : To be dismissed and then recalled is not So bad. To-day I'll go, obedient to Thy word. When time brings sober thoughts of this, My aid will be recalled. I venture this, And wait ; meanwhile, good-day." XV. — YOUNG ROGER REFORMS SOMEWHAT. Young Roger, rid of me, by wise resolve — ' But wiser still if longer kept — began Anew. 'Twas time, indeed ! He hid the past As best he could, and best was poor enough. He saw approaching ruin in the glass. Or dram, — approaching } nay, at hand ! Deep in His soul he cursed the social glass of wine Or beer, and swore by all his sin and crime Already done, by all the good he yet Might do, by all he dared to hope or wish, By all fair Elsa's worth, never, never, Again to touch or taste the liquid fire ! Young Roger reasoned well, resolved as well, 36 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, But did not carry out his honest wish Beyond the mere resolve ; but fell again, And rose, and re-resolved, and fell again ; And rose again to make his vows anew, — But vows he never acted out beyond The wish. Thus going on he paved his way To hell with good resolves, but leading none The less direct for that. ^ In struggles hard To gain relief from my infernal grasp, He battled well with treacherous foe, but fell As all must fall who dare to meet my sword In strife. He gained, at times, some vantage- ground. And seemed a while to win the fight. For weeks, And once for months, his lips were kept in pec^ce, from all Unholy liquors dry. But lo ! when least Expecting me, I came, — not by myself. But one (and not the least) of many, all His friends, professed. Yet Roger did as well As most could do. He placed the cup beneath THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 37 His feet for weeks in stretch, and grew in strength Of moral grace. Thus, step by step, the man Reformed somewhat ; yet all the while in my Control, with my consent. Had I not wished To pull down better men, and women too. With Roger's fall, I had not yielded thus. XVI. — FAIR ELSA PREPARES TO WED. A few short months, not more, the wedding-day Would come; therewith young Roger's merry smiles Once more appear to cheer and bless her life. She had not seen his face for many days, Or pressed his hand, or kissed his lips ; but soon She'd meet the chosen one, with him to part No more. In busy preparation for The nuptial day, approaching near and fast, Fair Elsa spent the few remaining weeks. At much expense, with greater skill and taste, At length the wardrobe was complete, of silks The richest and the best, all other things To match. Fair Elsa's outfit was excelled By nothing save her love. 38 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, ^ The father gave Of worldly goods, to bless his child and him She loved, without restraint, — piano square And grand, the richest silver-plate, and gold A fortune quite, or more. The loving, kind. Devoted, wealthy father could not have done more, And would not have done less. Fair Elsa loved Young Roger all a noble heart could love, And longed to spread, a willing offering, at His feet, the least of all, her wealth ; and more, A long, devoted life of loving, kind, And generous deeds. For such unselfish work An opportunity came soon enough, — Alas, too soon ! With Roger kneeling at My shrine of lust and wine, and she at his, But blind to all because deceived ; — with this I prospered well. '^^ \\ XVII. — YOUNG ROGER WEDS. The wedding-morn had come. Young Roger, bright \ THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 39 As varnished, gilded sin can look, when at Its best, came forth to meet his bride. He looked A very king, but must have felt much worse. Fair Elsa, blushing, pure and white and sweet, — Her only fault, she loved too well, not wise Enough, — came forth in queenly grace, to meet Her lord, once worthy much, but now much less. The solemn vows were made. To love, and her Alone ; to cheer with constant hand, defend, Protect, support, forsaking all but her, — He promised well : performing half as well Would have been manly, placed in line with what He did, or failed to do. Yet promised he As all men do, in truth, in hope, in love. M : i Fair Elsa also vowed to love, revere. Obey, respect, and serve devoted, to The end of life, till death should part her hand From his. To keep her vow, her solemn pledge. She consecrated body, mind, and soul ; And, when she fell, she fell defending truth, Protecting virtue, and rejecting vice. Thus vowing, both were wed ; and, wedding, both L» SI 40 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Were one, or should have been ; and were, except What I of him possessed, the union of their hearts To mar. Fair Elsa, led by such a man, — *Twas shame ! Young Roger, leading such a bride, So pure, so good, for him too good by far, — Was also shame ! But leading thus, and led, They started forth as man and wife, — she good And true ; he trying to be quite the same. But trying much in vain, because of me. !i, XVIII. FAIR ELSA S FIRST-BORN. ■H? !■ !' • rl'l ) In course of time, the marriage brought forth one To make the number three, and bless the whole. With kiss on kiss, in multitude beyond All count, the new-made parents crowned their babe. And loved it much. The young and sweet And anxious mother pressed it to her heart, Then held it up to God, and prayed that he Would mould its tender heart, and guide its life. In love. This prayer might have been answered by THE BOSS DEVIL VF AMERICA. 41 The gift of much beyond the prayer, had I Not, later, stepped between the child, its God, And her. The child was no small blow to my Success. It won young Roger's heart from me, To home ; and oft upon his knee, in love. He fondled him, his infant son, in great Delight. This holy pleasure almost won Young Roger from the cup ; for which, in turn Of hateful spite, I bent with greater rage To ruin all, with special aim at her Whose greatest pride was mother. With intent, No less to claim the child when older grown As my reward, that all, with all who might Thereafter come to them by birth, might meet Below to swell the drinker's woeful, dark, Eternal home. ^11 « t- n m XIX. MY DEEP DESIGN. To make sure work, to be in time, I called To aid young Roger's scientific mind. In practice wise for me, but woe to all For whom physicians thus prescribe, he lent I 42 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. % I \% \k ♦ His aid. Fair Elsa's frame was weak and worn, And needed strength. Her doctor-husband, quick To apprehend the want, was ready to Supply. The chief of which he gave his wife To bring renewing vigor on, to give Her health and strength, was brandy, wine, and gin. In turns, to meet the complicated needs. Such treatment filled the mother's breast with seeds Of wicked appetite, by nature's plan Transmitted to the child. My double scheme Worked well. The nursing mother thrived in strength. And gained in health. The threefold treatment sowed In her, and him 'she fed — as noble, honest moth- ers will — With milk her yielding breast supplied, the germs Of sin and shame. With such a plan contrived With doctor's aid, — and doctors aid me much Beyond their knowing, — I could see her doom THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. And his, and his she nursed, approaching near. Prospered my work of death, Boss Devil's only Joy, and only bread. 43 ' a I XX. SUSPICION WORKS FOR ME. I work in many ways, through many men. And by a thousand faults or traits of wrong. At times by envy's hand I make much game : A jealous mind or heart is always worth Much pains to me. Ambition, rightly watched, Will yield returns of human woe complete. Not less suspicion's arm will turn the wheels Of crime, if armed by my control. Thus did Suspicion now, as you may see. A month Had scarcely passed since Nellie Waite* — by her Own hand, as people thought ; but really by The fatal drug young Roger gave with foul Design — passed on from life, when, lo ! and sad To meditate, a clergyman, young and pure, And brilliant none the less, and pious more,i Was thought to have contrived the shame which led \-k I/) ( - 1: 44 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. To crime and suicide. The whole was deep In myst'ry hid, and hinted at but here And there in whisper-words. Suspicion stooped Perhaps, for him, and acted kind, compared With what it does by rule. It cleared him full Of part or knowledge in the wicked death, But held him to account for shame by which The crime was bred. I But few can tell, in truth, Suspicion's birth : all men suspect in some Degree, all women greatly most, yet most Deceived. Suspect is infant slander born And sucking at the breast of doubtful pride. Suspect of Rev. Nathan Field, pastor, — The clergyman spoken of, — began without A cause, and where, no one could tell. To find The source of such report, is wisely left Alone. My spirit orooding o'er the heart Begets a passion to traduce, to wound ; And people thus possessed can think and speak Of evils never done. ill THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 45 i* .1 The talk broke out By women in his church. At first by two Or three the secret close was held. Alas ! The women keep their secrets most by help. A secret's no light thing, — too much for one To hold. A woman's back is slight : she needs Decided help, and, most of all, when needs Must be to hold some naughty secret tale. In such a case they summon ready help ; The neighbors all turn out as volunteers : To slight their proffered aid would be unkind. Such is the way so many people hold What seems to them untold. ■'*l f.; 1! , At first his church Was full ; then came a spell of dropping off. This gave the preacher pain. He said his prayers With double force and length ; but one by one, And two by two, he missed familiar names. To many empty pews he often preached And prayed. Each time brought more. His mem- bers shunned His presence, giving no excuse ; and, worse Than all, young ladies turned in cold retreat From every path he trod. 46 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, ^. 1^ I Poor Field ! he could Not preach. Disheartened by a thousand slights, He reached well-nigh despair. Beside all this Young Field had sorrow none could feel Or share. He truly loved sweet Nellie Waite, And sought to win her heart and hand ; when, lo! She died in shame. At length, distressed beyond All name, he sought to solve the mystery. T^ Mrs. Huntington, his friend both true And tried, he went to find relief. He thus Began : " Good lady, tell, in Heaven's name, What means this chilling wave of coldness in My church, — the members leaving one by one } An explanation I will have> — must have, from God Or man ! " ** Good parson, rumor says — There is A rumor quite unkind of thee : it floats Amid the air. No person says it all ; Yet all are saying some. The whole is bad Enough." THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 47 *' My friend, you fill me with surprise. Declare it all at once : the worst I'm bound To know. Say on, say on ! '* i:l " Some man will tell You what is said. It is not right for me To speak of matters half so foul : let this Be my excuse, I pray." " Good lady, tell Me all ! I must have quick relief. Let words Be guarded well, yet speak at once ; delay No more. Deny me this, and thou thyself Art guilty of traducing my good name." " You know the sudden death of Nellie Waite, And how she died in shame, by one unknown, Misled ; to cover which, she drank, and died By her own hand," she said. iJ " I know, I know ! But what of this } That I'm the author of Her death, her sin, her shame } Pray hurry on And say ! " .1 I 48 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. " The author of her death ? Oh, no ! You v/rong yourself somewhat. They say, or some Suspect, you planned and brought to pass her shame. M % % The reverend Field was thunderstruck, dismayed. He turned away in rage, surprise, disgust, And half revenge, and half despair. I came That way by plan, and offered wine. He drank, And drank to drown his woe, but all in vain. His grief, unkind suspicion took for guilt. And shunned him more ; from which he drank The more. And why record the end } 'tis all The same with all who drink. ill iHl!! XXI. — GRIEF MEETS GRIEF DISGUISED, In my high calling labor must be love. Or shunned. I'm ruled by none. Whate'er I do, I do but for the joy it brings. With Field And Roger well secured, I planned to lead Them slowly on, whereby I might enjoy The work, and taint as many lives by them As pleased my royal wish. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 49 On pleasure bent One day, I brought young Roger hand to hand With pastor Field ; the latter bowed beneath His load of grief, the former smarting by His inward guilt, yet each unwilling to Admit himself, in any sense, at my Command. Since this was so, I offered wine To both ; and both partook, which pleased me much. Their conversation pleased me more. Poor Field Began : " Say, doctor, tell me how it is. I must believe in fate. Without a sin To stain my life, but this accursed drink In which Fve sought to drown my woe, — But sought in vain, — I'm branded villain, fiend. And driven from the sacred desk to pine And die." S\\ "'■.i.' I! r I I " Dear Field, you wrong yourself, and, worse, The God you preach. If guilty of no wrong. Then stand upright and bold, a man. 'Tis sin To languish or despair, or lose one's hope ; so THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 'Tis crime far worse than that with which they charge Thee falsely. Be a man ! " " Your words sound well, But do not fit the case. Were I as you A doctor, then they would apply ; but, as I am, they do not. Preacher's name and fame Are sacred ground : whoever steps thereon To rob or to traduce, defiles the man, — If not with God, with men." "Is there no way To clear yourself, and stand once more quite free From all suspecting taunts.? You preach that right Prevails, not wrong. '* ♦ ■ " There's just one way, not more : In this I'll spend my life, to win or lose. The prospect now is dark ; but hope invites. And I respond, and struggle on." "What is That way, pursuing which, succeeding well Will set you free, and prove your innocence ? »i THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 5^ u ** To track, detect, expose, and bring to law And chains, the author of poor Nellie's woe And death. To this intent I live, and this Alone. In this succeeding, I shall die In peace. And, Roger, listen well. I here Predict I'll find the man, and prove his fault. This day I'm on his track ; this day I meet Him face* to face. Base Roger, you're the man ! The author of her shame and woe, and, more, Her murderer by foul design ! No man Save me has knowledge of the deed ; and, armed With proof, I'll bring thee to account." <\ XXII. — ANOTHER CRIME CONTRIVED. Young Roger turned from pastor Field in rage, And fear as well, but turned with oaths by which In vain reproof he strove to hurl, in death, Tl^e charges made. No time to lose : I flew To Roger's side, and counselled what to do. I found him friendly, and all ready to Be taught. At times his body shook from fear, At times from rage. i If.* k Sa THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, \i 'ma He grasped my hand ; his mind In wild excitement flew from thought to thought ; Then half subdued, as watching out in fear Of being heard, he cried in smothered voice, — ** The awful deed at least to one is known ; And how ? Oh that I knew, or he knew less I " k '!?; !:i' V ill," ' In '. ::!' ill! " Come, Roger, come ! Compose yourself : your mind Is ill at ease. I thought you brave and true ; But coward thou dost seem. Be strong, and fear Nothing but fear. To falter now is to Be caught and hanged. To stand against each foe, With s.vord in hand, means conquest sure and quick. Come, Roger, drink, to stay your nerves, and give Your mind more play." He drank. His nerves were firm, His mind as clear and cool. By these improved, I thought him ready now to hear my talk. " One thing is certain, Roger, sir, — that Field, By some way hid from us, but wise (that's plain), Knows of the deed Ijy which fair Nellie fell. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. S3 This knowledge makes him fit to die, unfit To live. Just let him drink ot Nellie's dose, And die, in people's eyes, as she hath died By rumor well confirmed. The crime enlarged Is more a crime, I must admit. But think Of wife and child, their name and fame. Should Field Succeed in finding propf, — in which perchance He may, — you hang, arid they in shame must live. Your only hope, your only chance, is held In one affair : the reverend Field must die, — Die soon. Consider well. How opportune The case ! Suppose him dead by trick of yours And mine : the people will declare his guilt The cause which led to suicide. What more Is needed to complete our plan, to make Success secure ? " " You reason well and sound," Young Roger said, "but deeper lead to crime. Is there no way of getting out, instead Of deeper in } I hate your plan, but must Relieve myself from him. Suggest your best, Your wisest plan, evading crime." J' .rt 'Mei Ml 1r i 54 TJ/E BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. " No way Presents to kill a crime, except by crime Again. If Field survives my plan contrived For you, expect swift woe. Good-day. I'm called Elsewhere." XXIII. — elsa's fear and trial. " What keeps you out so late, my dear, — so late From babe and I .^ He waits with me for your Return, tlien falls asleep, or cries. I wait And hope, and hope and wait, expecting your Return.' At twelve I fear; at one I doubt ; At two you come to banish both, yet leave Me with suspect that all's not well. I wish Jr honor bright, my love, to know the cause Of this delay, which almost every night Confirms my fear." Thus Elsa pleaded, still In love, in hope, in prayer ; to which, with blunt Reproof, young Roger did reply, — . " My wife, You fret and worry much beyond the need. A doctor's time is not his own. At ten m\ ^ii:6 f THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 55 To-night, I rose to leave my office-rooms For home, when some one called in haste. A man From over-drink had fallen from his horse, And broke his back; or hurt his spinal cord. I hastened to his side, and did my best To savv^ his life. I called physicians to My aid, but all was vain : he died." "My dear. He fell from horse, and died, but died from drink. May you not fall some other way, and die As well from drink ? Think well ! Your breath is strong. Your eyes are red, your gait forebodes a fall. O husband ! quit the drink of wine, I pray And plead!" " Come, Elsa, stop ! you quite, indeed, Mistake your man. Fm slave to no one here Or there ; to drink, or thee. I rule myself. And go and come at will, and drink when drink I need. I hate complaining wives : complain No more to me. Fm sick of life, if life 1 S6 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Must needs be broils and faults. In peace my home Must be, or home no more for me." 1 1 ft':: f '\ j 1 ''. ii She wept And sobbed with grief. Poor Elsa prayed : she could Do little else. The infant cried : it knew Not why, except because the mother cried. Young Roger sighed, and suffered more than all. XXIV. — A PASTORS SUICIDE, SO CALLED. " O ma ! did ever mortal see such awful news ! " Spoke little Bess in great alarm, her eyes Intently fixed upon the "Morning Star." "That man who used to preach for us so nice, But since who fell to drink, to drown what folks Declared his guilt or sin, is poisoned by His own device. The paper calls it — Well, I'll spell it out ; its su-i-cide." With such A fearful theme, the scandal-mongers thrived Right well. The story floated far and near ; THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 57 The children heard what parents said, and talked It o'er among themselves with eager taste For sensual food. No blame to learn what's taught By mother's tongue, yet often no less wrong. The pastor's death, so sudden, unexplained, Revived the talk of Nellie's iate. If doubts Were entertained before of preacher's guilt, . They vanished now. The story went the rounds. In style this wise : " Poor Field, before the bar Of his own conscience proved in guilt, condemned To shame, and scorned by public eye, sank by Remorse, and sought relief in death. He'll meet The victim of his foul deception at The bar of God." I 'ill m u •1 Such are my plans to bring To shame, eternal woe, the innocent ; To blacken virtue, honor, truth, and make The pure impure, — the object not so much My present joy, but more to people hell. XXV. FAIR ELSA S SECOND DREAM. At breakfast late, say nine o'clock, or more, Young Roger and fair Elsa sat, in no '1 ill- !■ 58 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Mean style. The home she made was rich and grand With all that noble wife could do by taste Or means. The doctor read the morning sheet, And talked the news condensed to suit his wife. At length he found what he was looking for, And said, — & " O Elsa, hear ! The parson Field Has suicided too. Last night, — this morn At two, I mean, — he drank some fatal drug, And died. Alas, alas ! that men will drink Themselves to madness thus ! How strange ! " * *' My dear, I had a fearful dream last night. To keep It secret, I resolved ; but lo ! this news You tell relieves my mind somewhat. In this It is fulfilled, I hope and pray. The dream Was much the same, almost the same, as that Of which I wrote to you some months before We wed. I thought some one had poisoned me In manner much like this : I seemed to live Alone. At twelve o'clock, midnight, I sought My room for rest. It seemed so strange ! I had THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 59 Been drinking hard all day and night till then. I walked with reeling step ; my eye was dim ; I feared no one, nor cared for any thing : My thirst was great beyond compare. Upon The table in my room, a pitcher small, With water cool, awaited my return. How strange to say ! it seemed a custom old To find the pitcher there. I drank full half The contents down before I stopped, so great My thirst appeared. This done, I fell upon The bed. Then seized by fearful cramps, I groaned, And did my best to call ; but something tied My tongue ; my jaws grew stiff. The noise I made was dreadful. Oh, how great my pain ! In this condition some half-hour I Remained. At length a lady came from fright, And rapped upon the door. I could not speak, Or rise to let her in. She called my name. I partly heard ; but much confused and in Much pain, I helpless lay. The door, by force. Was broken in. They found me at the point Of death, and ran for aid. Physicians came, But much too late. I died. m 1 : ■' ; 6o THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, *' This dream, my dear, So much akin to that I spoke of at The first, excited great alarm, and filled My heart with fear. The news you read ex- plains My dream, I hope. But why should I dream thus And so } Can you explain }'' \i. I* " My dear, your dreams Are strange enough. The first you had the night When Nellie Waite committed death upon Herself; this one last night, — the fatal night For Field. These dreams keep sacred to thy breast, — To none reveal. They strangely point to what The people all suspect, — that he contrived Her death to hide her shame and his." ** But why, My dear, should / have dreams so sad, so full Of woe .-* My sleep was haunted by the scene. I fear you read my dreams but half aright. They come to warn me of approaching woe, It seems to me." THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 6i " Pshaw ! Elsa, take some wine And egg. Beat well the ^^gy then mix with wine; Or brandy, better still. You need it much ; You're weak, much indisposed, — the cause, perchance, Of all your dreams." " My dear, you wrong yourself, And me as well. No brandy, wine, or ^^'g Can cure in this. I feel a mighty wrong Is somewhere hid, and soon will come to light. By rule, I don't believe in dreams : in these " Of mine, I do. The preacher and the girl Whom all suspect of self-inflicted death Have died from other hands. I feel it more And more, — I cannot tell you why, — that he. And she as well, were true and pure and good Until misled, until abused. They fell by foul Design, is my belief." i " It may be so, My wife. Speak not of such abroad, I pray. The tongue of scandal now has work enough, And more : mix not yourself with this." •I 62 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. " I fear To mix in such a plot ; but, love, hear me. If intuition tells the truth, I'll mix In this against my will. It has some claim On us. Oh that it were not so ! " " Oh, pshaw ! The women always prophesy, and dream, ' And tell of coming woe. Elsa, adieu ! Give me a kiss till I return." This said, Young Roger left the house. % I XXVI. — MY FATHER AND MYSELF. Dear reader, turn a while with me, and leave The story partly told, of Roger's and Fair Elsa's fate, for other scenes : when done With these, again we'll trace their fortunes to The bitter end. My father and myself I'll speak of now. I 't ';|. \ ■ I shall not speculate In thought, or dabble in deep themes beyond Demand. If what I write is dry, or lacks The juice of romance, still, I beg you, read ; THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, For, failing to amuse, I'll give, without Display of words, instruction rare, worth more By far. 63 At first let me repeat What all must know. My father, once in rank Exalted high, was God's chief counsellor, The premier of heaven. The story of His foul revolt, defeat, expulsion great Of him and all his host, is wisely told By Milton, not inspired less than those Who wrote divine. The same deep thinker pens My father's wisely planned attempt on man .And wife in Eden placed. He tempted Eve, And Eve herself in sJn drew Adam on ; And both in sorrow feU. "-I Much later on, When mercy's scheme Ws ripe, a Saviour born. My father met the Son, and challenged him To fight. Three deadly rounds proved quite enough; My father fell, and fled back to his home. Away from light, the haunt of fiends. h • ffl m % \ 64 r//E BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, He called A council great, the greatest ever held, And wisest too by far ; so great, so wise, So full of great events, it marked the start Of a new era in my father's realm, — An era much the same, the start of which Was marked by birth of Christ. The council did Not rise for years : in study deep and long, Debates progressed in secret halls. At length My father, wisest of them all by far. His silence bi'oke. He gave instruction deep And grand, at which applause was freely made. "To meet the wise," he said, "without defeat, We are compelled to meet them with their own. Wise only can confront the wise, and win. Or shun defeat. The High and Great whom once I served, in rank but one degree below Himself, has sought to pluck from me my gains At Eden's fight, by incarnation of Himself. In this great plan he links himself With man, and may communicate thereby With him, or he with Him, at will. This stroke THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 65 Means my defeat, unless with equal stroke, So much like his, I meet him on the line Cf his own plan and thought, and thus divide The spoil. " Let this be done. Like my great foe, I'll bear a son, the incarnation of Myself. In him I'll link humanity To my own heart, and lead the race as He Has planned to lead, by spirits* power." J I am That son, the equal too of him by whom I'm sent. And lo, I come to do his will ; I and the father one ; the spirit we Impart proceeds from both alike : we give On equal terms. Thus one in three, and three In one, triune, we stand complete. XXVII. — WHAT INCARNATION IS, AND WHY. This word is misapplied, and made to show Or signify much less than I perceive It means ; or else we lack a word complete Enough to set forth clearly what I mean. 66 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Externalise would do, perhaps, as well And better too, yet it's not broad enough. A cross between the two, embracing all That's signified by both, would do, and would Apply with equal force to matter and To mind, and both at once. But, of thei two, I'll use the first, elastic quite enough To serve the end in view. This world Is full on every hand, miscalled by me, Of incarnation, — incarnate God, Incarnate man, incarnate devil too. The rocks, the hills, the seas, the stars, the sun And moon, the light, the heat, the air, and life In every form, are traces of the mind Of God, — his thoughts externalized. They show His work, his mind, portray his style and taste And skill, and disposition quite as much. The ships that sail the mighty seas, the rail That spans the continent, the cars that roll. The cities proudly built, eleciric threads Of wire, girding earth to move our thoughts THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 67 By flash, — all these and thousands more ; the ' words We speak, are traces of the mind of man, His thoughts externalized : they show his work, And imitate his mind ; they are the man Lived out, developed by the nerve and will. The envies, spites, and quarrels, deceits, and crimes. The murders, suicides, and wars, and sin Of every sort ; the brandy, wine, and gin. Tobacco, and ten thousand other things, — Are traces of the Devil's mind, his thoughts Externalized. These are the Devil's secret plans Made manifest. Thus God and man *— not less The Devil too — are in a race, it would Appear, each bent on incarnation grand, — Externalize both new and great. The heart and soul of each are coming forth Revealed in things of form and shape, expressed Or made. In this grand race or enterprise I came, the Devil's great incarnate son. To mark hell's grand achievement of all deeds By far exalted most. Since hell began. 68 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. .11 ' % % My birth of all events is greatest ; yes, By many times the chiefest thing of all My father's mighty works. To earth I came On mission grand and high and great, if viewed From devils' stand and aim. XXVIII. — MY SON, THE SECOND BOSS. To incarnate Myself I sought to do, on mighty plan, On mighty scale. My plan, excelled but by The sweep of its success, has filled the world With traces of my mind, with forms to match My soul in shape. My incarnation was Too wide, too great, to be confined to one, A single son : the plan required more, In number beyond count. The chiefest of . Them all, the second boss of devils has Become, although my son, grandson of him Whose will I do, who rules below. His name Is Debt. In rank on earth he's next to me. In crime of different sort, but quite as rich With spoils for hell, he spends his mighty power. uill THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 69 His royal sway extends to all mankind, But chiefest felt in the New World. His throne Is there, and there his form is chiefest seen. To tell But one of many deeds of his, by which He fills the earth with woe, I needs must write A book for that alone. To separate The man and wife, is not of small concern To us : in this he often prospers well. The home to undermine he seeks. To pull It down, and scatter all its sacred scenes Abroad, is his delight to do, and mine To see it done. I'l Of all my sons, I love This one called Debt the best. To him I lend Most aid, in him I take most pride. If e'er, As time rolls on, men should subdue my throne (Which cannot be while time endures), this son Called Debt, the second boss, must needs succeed To wear my royal crown, and rule as chief. He is beloved by better men than I, And has in human heart far more esteem. While I compel, coerce, enforce, he wins, — 70 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Ofttimes the better way. But he's restrained By laws of men, which make his progress slow At times ; while I evade, defy, defeat The law, and run my course at will. if v \ il Hi He gives Employ to many men, and grades, by ranks Or class, his help. The first, the highest of Them all, are lawyers, called by name. This class Include the wisest, smartest men of earth. They plead, in every case, in his behalf, On legal grounds, and give him greater speed. Among this class, the best of men, a few, Above the rest in skill, and versed in law The most, called judges to define their grade Of special rank, decide for- him. The grade Or class below the first is less esteemed And less revered, but feared somewhat the most. They go by many names, which people speak With awe. Constable, sheriff, and police, In turn they're called. Of other classes I'll Refuse to speak just now. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 71 Thus held in high Esteem by best of men, and aided by Their skill, their laws, he prospers well, well earns The rank of second boss. If .1 XXIX. — MY SECOND SON, AND BOSS THE THIRD. My second son is great in being held, By men, of small account. By this he leads His victims unobserved. By much unlike His brother Debt, he seldom works alone, But mostly pulls in line with my designs. I often call him roper-in, for short. Admitted, often, where I cannot go, '^' He talks of me in due respect, and makes Me many friends ; and later on they call To see the father, in respect, of course, that's due The son. This boss the third is stationed on The line that leads from me to honest, good, And sober men, half way between. If he Succeeds in finding favor at their hands, He seldom fails to bring them on for my Embrace. A go-between would be a name 4M-. i! y> 7a TJIE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Appropriate indeed, for whom you've called Tobacco or Cigar. The name I'll leave Unchanged to suit your taste. This son, and boss the third, By climbing slow and sure, — yet not so slow When we compare success v/ith proper speed, — Has reached great eminence, — a source, by no Means small, of revenue for nation and For state, and merchandise for safe and sure Investments. Thus he has become and is An element of power on earth ; in worth His value next to bread, compared with gold. My son, this boss the third, is wise and shrewd, The wisest of my stock in some respects : His service I could part with little less Than life. No less the foe of man than I, Yet less regarded so, he gains no small Advantage thus. He makes demand for me By secret work, so well contrived that few If any e'er suspect his plan. He learns The child to smoke. This learned, the boy is half Way learned to drink. And smoking much cre- ates THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. A kind of thirst, that nought but rum can full Supply. If men would crush the drink, let them First kill tobacco ; for, should they slay me And spare my child, but little then is done. Enough of this. 73 XXX. — MY CHILDREN AND MY WIFE. My son called Debt, the second boss, I've spoke Of at some length ; as also of my son Tobacco or Cigar, boss third in line Of devils' rank. These are but two, by no Means all I have. The others I'll not speak Of now. Their numbers are too great by far. Their names, a list of which would more than fill This book, I must omit to give ; but chief Among them are the cards, the chess, the dice, The keno, faro, and all games of chance. The race-course, and the bets that win or lose. All these, a thousand more beside, belong To me, were born to suit my will and serve My wish. if,. llli |l!T !:l If » 74 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, My wife, if wife she should be called, Or wife she is or was to me, of which I have my doubts, since if I call !ier wife I must abridge the term, or make her to Appear the mother of my children ; but If as wife she failed in this, then this Were all. With hand in hand, since I began My work at first, we've journeyed on as one. We make a perfect match. Each lacks and needs What each can give. Her age exceeds my own By many years ; yet, always young and gay, It matters not. With lis, so well preserved, The greatest age improves our youth the best. ;■ [\i \ \ • ■ > She shares the rank of boss with me. We reign Conjointly on a double throne. The crowns We wear are joined, attached, — an emblem of The perfect unity of aim and life which we Embrace. Her queenly robes in royal folds Entice, attract, and lend a charm by which I profit much. The millions bowing at Her shrine and mine are puzzled much to know Just whom they worship most, or most adore. A few, and few indeed, embrace my wife, And turn their backs on me, without respect THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 75 Enough to take my hand, or recognize My rank. A smaller number still make out To worship me, ignoring her. But all Mankind, with slight exceptions named, embrace Us both at once with equal force and love. The homage paid my wife the queen is much Improved if warmed by heat of mine ; again, The service paid to me is much enlarged, Improved, if gilded by the touch of her I love. The world has given many names, All odd and queer, to designate my queen ; But one broad term is quite enough to make It plain : that term is Sensuality. On her I can depend for ready help, If help I need. At once both queen and wife, By some called Lust, she matches every wish And purpose of my life with counter-plot So well contrived as to secure success In every plan. Such is my wife. • XXXI. FAIR ELSA MEDITATES. I'll speak more of myself, when farther on. But meanwhile let us turn again, and bring i ill' 76 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, The story of fair Elsa's life of love, And that of Roger's fate, to further issues. Young Roger turned in rapid haste, and left The room. The dream fair Elsa told was more Than he could bear. Out in the morning air He felt relieved. Alas ! how soon he met The knowledge of his latest deed abroad I But let us leave him to his fate a while, And wait with Elsa in her solemn doubt And saddest fear. * A woman has a gift To understand what men would never know But by their aid. Fair Elsa had this gift On tio mean scale. Her double dream, compared With double crime, gave fear that would not be Dismissed. She meditated long and deep ; Her fear increased by doubt and by suspect Of whom she could not, would not name. VI if Her doubts Gave birth to plan, and plan to bold resolve. She loved her husband more and more, despite His faults ; but, woman Why, Roger, you fear more, and tremble more. ^ :'«: THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Explain the cause of this, I pray : why should This be ? " 83 " Because your fear excites my own. Aside from this, I've been dissecting Field's Cold form, to find the drug from which he died. It moved my nerves. That's all : ask on." "Well, tell Me this : Did you know Nellie Waite, who died Some years ago, from poison drank, — who died The night of my first awful dream ? " "I did. That is, I saw her pass from day to day ; And may have met her once or twice, not more. At hall or church. But why this question, pray ? " " O husband, that's not all I Confess the truth, I pray. My heart is breaking fast. My love For thee is stronger as I sink ; I'll love Till death; but, ere this monster deed shall break My heart, confess to me the truth." :••,!! ! t!) i tfe: •^1 II m 84 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, " What truth Shall I confess ? Explain yourself ! Be quick ! What mystery hid from me is this that tears Thy breast ? I*ii stand suspense no more." " Shall you Confess to me, or I reveal to you What you already know ? Come, husband, tell The whole to me, your truest friend, your wife. What secret should you keep from me ? *' >■ XXXIV. — I PAUSE, MY WORK REVIEW. I'm anxious that in giving Elsa's fate. And telling Roger's end, the reader will Become informed of me, and how I work The work of woe and death. In order to This end, I'll change a while, and speak more of Myself. Returning soon, we'll bring the tale Begun to scenes of greater woe. I'll show You how I work the work of sin and death. 'Tis easy told, yet hard to understand. I'm not confined to any place, or time. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 8S Or special form : all times and places are At my command, all forms and shapes I own. I work on system well contrived, and well Arranged, adapted well to human wants And human weakness. I begin on men While yet unborn. As God has linked himself To man by his grand scheme, uniting two — The natures human and divine — in one, And giving course for spirit force to flow From heart of God to heart of man, the last To warm and bless thereby, — so I by birth Contrived, by incarnation fixed and done. Have linked the Devil's heart with heart of man, And made a track or cord on which may flow The Devil's spirit from the mint of hell, • Where it is forged to fill the Devil's heart, To hearts of men ; and, flowing fast and broad And warm, has well infused the stock of man. But few can boast complete exception from My blood. There's scarce a man or maid on earth In whose pent veins some 4rop of blood sur- charged With breath of mine, flows not. If not received By my embrace themselves, they brought it with • I 86 TJ/£ BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Them by their birth, from mother's veins. Thus man Has mixed his nature with my own, by hell's Wise scheme of fiendish incarnation of My birth before described. I live and work Opposed to Christ. He is my foe by birth, By nature too. We met in conflict sore, And fought alone. He left me prostrate on The sands of that wild wilderness in which He fasted forty days and nights. I rose Resolved to conquer yet, or, failing this. To capture half the spoils of earth. We meet. The two incarnate sons. Our weapons are The same, only reversed : the truth his sword ; The lie is mine ; and both are wielded by A spirit sent. Men love, embrace us both. And hate us both. On this we are at par. With difference yet in favor of my case. My latest dodge has been to dress in white. To imitate the saint of God, and, armed With a physician's recommend, to gain r ! THE BOSS DEVIL VF AMERICA. «7 Admission to the Saviour's ranks. In this I meet with great success, and push with ease My trusted subjects in as born of God. From first to last has been my plan and aim To follow each design of Christ, my foe, And meet him everywhere on line with his Own scheme. He sent forth preachers: have I. He builds and sets a house apart to teach His way and will : I've ten to one of his. He bands mankind in circles held m form By cords of love and fellowship : in this I more than match him everywhere. so I In Boston, Mass., his churches number up To fifty-five and more. In that same Hub Mine number thousands nearly three. In this I am ahead, you see, by far. Again, The numbers that attend on his are few Compared with those who come in multitude To worship at my shrine. But why compare ? If numbers tell, — and count them here earth Or down in hell, — I've far outran my foe. on 88 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, The fall of Elsa, and of Roger too, The fate of Nellie Waite, and doom of Field, Are only sparks that fly from my machine Which turns out human woe. V\ XXXV. — POOR ROGERS CONFESSION. Young Roger, though by Elsa pressed with tears, Would not confess, but stoutly met the whole With cunning artifice. Alas ! How soon His race was run ! Suspicion fell on him ; And, e*er he knew the rumor was afloat, Detectives got the proper thread, and, stitch By stitch, unravelled back, revealing all The crime. Young Roger, bound in chains, was cast By cruel hands behind unyielding bars Of iron stout and strong, to try his hand At prison life, and wait the coming trial. This gave him time to meditate, to weigh The case. I sought admission to his cell. The jailer would not let me in, in form ; And so I sent my spirit, to reques*: A message stating what, if aught, my hand THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Micrht do. I did this but to mock his woe. «9 He howled with pain. The trial soon came on. I stood in high esteem with judge, and with The counsel for the state, and for the man Arraigned. The jury, all but one, were friends Of mine. By this good fortune I was asked To take a seat beside the judge. I did, And was in greatest measure entertained. i 1 The trial was short : the counsel finished soon ; The jury all agreed that he commit The crimes, and, thus believing, said through one Who's styled foreman : " Guilty ! " The judge pronounced, with great effect on all Who heard : ** Young Roger, you have sinned against The majesty of law, and you must hang Until you die. May God have mercy on Your soul ! " k Young Roger wept, then nerved himself To die. The fatal day soon came. With rope if I 90 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. ^' '-'M. t L.v'i.' .:t Around his neck, he stood about to take The last long leap, or plunge, that leads to hell ; So full of me, he could not, would not, yield To God's demands, and bow repentant at His feet. He held out stubborn to the last, Or nearly so. But just before the rope Was cut, before the scaffold fell, they asked Him what he wished to say. His lips began To move and jerk by wild emotion's wave. He stammered out, — " All men who hear or read, Give ear to me : I have a right to speak. My life to-day I give in answer for My crime. 'Tis just ; but, oh that this were all! I give my soul to hell, to suit the law Divine : that is far worse. The crime for which I die, with which I'm charged, I did through ill Advice. I owe it all to drink : 'twas wine And whiskey led me on. Had I not heard To these, then I were free. Beware, take heed And warning by my life ; avoid strong drink. To touch it is to die. To this cold world I leave my children dear, and wife who loved Me far too well. To God I would commend , t THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 9> Their lives. Oh, may they never meet the one They loved on earth, beyond the tide of death I But find a home beyond, above the land Of endless woe to which I haste, — a home With God. Again, beware of drink ! Good-by ! M The scaffold fell ; Young Roger struggled once, And died, and passed beyond the bounds of time To pay the debt a murderer owes. XXXVI. — WORSE THAN ALL. To pull fair Elsa down was most my aim. That Roger fell, I could rejoice ; but joy For me was incomplete while Elsa lived From sin. Her woe at Roger's loss was no Small satisfaction : yet to see her thus O'ercome, subdued, was not enough. I gained In this. She came forth as a bride, all fair And pure, beloved, esteemed, and good. To-day, From deeds of mine, she stood a wreck in mind, A widowed slave to public odium. Once sought to grace and lend attraction to The grandest entertainments of the rich ; But now, alas \ evaded by the high ; I ¥ n 1I^ 'd . 92 T//E BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. And shunned by those, beneath her real worth By far, she bent beneath my rod. There were A few who sympathized, and came with hearts And hands to spread the down of sacred love And fellowship along her thorny \vay. But these were they who hate the sight and name Of me ; the few whom I have failed to bring Beneath my rod, whom my grand Foe has caught To fill the gospel net. I long in wish, And work in wise design, to conquer these ; But all in vain. And yet, why fret for these 1 I have the most by far ! iM if- I lit ^11 til There's one last way To win a case, with me, which seldom fails. I move the multitude with dark suspect Of him or her whose life I seek to win For hell. There's nought so hard as to be thought, By honest folks, the fnend to vice, the foe To good ; to be thought guilty of a crime From which you'd shrink with holy fear and shame. This mood breeds thirst for drink ; nay, more, a thirst THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 93 To leave the good, by which it falsely seems You are despised, and take the wrong by which You are embraced. 'Twas plan like this by which I caught the reverend Field, 'Twas plan like this By which I sought to ruin her, whose lord I led to blackest death before. Two months. And scarcely that, had passed, when Elsa saw A strange neglect in all her friends. They came Seldom, and merely called to say ** good-day," And leave. Her heart, already well-nigh broke. Could ill put up with this. She must have one Or two true friends to lean upon, or sink. To those who still remained her friends professed. She spoke her grief out plain, — a grief well-nigh Despair : " What have I done ? What have I done^ That all should treat me thus ? That God would take The children and myself to him ! *' In this Complaining way, despairing mood, she plead For consolation, help, or sympathy. But none of these they gave. No : poisoned with Suspicion's breath, they smote and blessed at once With either hand. They said, — IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT 3) 1.0 1.1 L&|2j8 |25 |io ^^* MH ■^ Uii 122 g 1^ 12.0 lyi 11^ ugi ^ 6" > FhotDgFaphic Sciences Corporaition 23 WBT MAIN STRIET WiBSTIR,N.Y. MSM (716)872-4503 94 rj/£ BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. . 3;; " Dear friend, beloved, Forsaken one, thy children and thyself Need care and love ; and both we bring, in full Supply to give. But tell us first, hast thou Contrived and played a part with him in crime, To aid thy husband on ? Didst thou assist Or plan in either crime ? Or art thou free And innocent ? Prove which of these thou art. And clear thyself of foul report, or prove It true. • If pure and good, as we suppose, While many more deny, then count on us : If not, we leave thee to thy doom."" « f , >•? f Twas quite Enough. Poor Elsa screened her face from view, Reclining motionless ; and made but one Reply, — her moans. They hit on these as proof Of guilt ; and colder grew, and bolder spake. Demanding explanation. '-:K' f- t • f '\\- : < "Yes, 'tis hard. If thou hast sinned, or helped thy husband on, Then fail not to expect the grief, its sure Result ; and bitter woe, reward of crime. But answer, else thy moans we must infer To mean a wail of guilty grief." t . . \: THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 95 'Twas hard, Indeed, — too hard to bear. Poor Elsa moaned Again, — a requiem of woe, — and that Was all. She answered not a word. Her friends Began to fear. One bent herself beside Poor Elsa's couch, and whispered words of hope. The words were heeded not. The ear for which They came was closed to all without, that all Within might best be heard. This was an hour Of great solemnity. The girl and boy Clung to the mother's skirts, in tears. The girl, The younger of the two, with sunny curls Just budding out, cried, " Ma, ma, take me up ! " And reached its little hands in attitude Of earnest pleading. But the boy, somewhat More grown, had sense of shame and fear, he knew Not why ; and hid his face, and cried aloud. To all the sinking mother answered with Repeated moans, as dying from despair. I ,' ■-'/ r^' i » » . s m » I 96 r//E BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, Of all the devils I am boss. Of this I spake before ; and this you now may see In horrid order of display. To add Or multiply a woman's grief, a wife's Despair, a mother's woe, is that in which I prove my title to my special rank. All other grief but mine may be withstood. But that which I contrive will break the best Of human hearts ; will disarrange and craze The best of human minds. / \ By grief like this I slay those whom I cannot win, destroy Those whom I cannot prostitute, or bring To degradation. And with grief like this I captured Elsa, by a plan as wise As black. !!■» :^- XXXVII. — FAIR ELSA S DEED, OR MINE. When left alone, fair Elsa rose, and closed The windows down, and shut the doors. She took The youngest child of two, a little girl But one year old, and clasped it to her breast ; Then held it up to God, and bade him claim u. 1. 1 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. 97 His own. In frantic mien, she pressed her boy The same. Then from a secret till she took The fatal phial, (obtained we'll mind not where), And mixed a dose for each. This done, she knelt And prayed : " My God, who knoweth all My woe, hear thou my prayer. I'm guilty of No crime, yet crime is in my heart, and crime I mean to do. My grief has reached a pitch I cannot bear. For me to live is shame. Reared by a holy mother's hand, I grew To love the right, and hate the wrong. By some Sad fate, I loved a man who loved the cup : That love has sealed my doom. A widow of A murderer, suspected too of crime Myself, I cannot longer live. I raise My hand to cut the thread that binds my life To earth. Oh, grant this as thy will ! To leave My children here, alas ! I never can : I'll take them hence with me to thee ; and, one In either hand, I shall appear. Forgive If this is sin or crime : to me it seems The right. If wrong, if sin enough to shut Me out from God, then take the children home ; ■! i !l 98 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. And send me down to join him whom I loved On earth, and, while I have this h^art, must love In all the ages yet to come, in earth Or hell or heaven. If he must suffer there For evermore, to pay for crimes strong drink Induced him to commit, then, if I am To choose, give me my lot with him ; but take The children to thyself. Amen ! " This prayer — If prayer it was — completed, Elsa rose, And sat herself to write the world a last Farewell. " Adieu, cold, cruel world ! Farewell ! I leave to-day, and take those whom I claim A right to take, — my girl and boy. To save Them from such grief as I have met, is cause Enough, excuse enough, for this. To give A reason further for the deed against myself, Would be to speak against accusers whose Vile accusations make my grief as hard To bear, as they are false. I die as free From crime, except the crime which ends My life and theirs I bore, as infant child. \ THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 99 Those who suspect me of complicity With crimes which proved my husband's death, I charge As guilty of all crime which I commit. God bless my ma and pa, and all the friends At home, — a home once dear, yet dear, but which I cannot mar by presence such as mine. I bid that home, and this, and all the world. Adieu ! " This note she left where all who came Would see and read. She dressed the little girl For bed, and gave the dose in full supply. Just after prayers were said. The boy was next Prepared ; and, taking his, was placed beside The girl. The mother drank the portion left, . Intended for herself, and took her place Between the girl and boy, with head of one On either arm. In triune sleep they fell, To wake no more in time. XXXVIII. — CONCLUSION. To estimate The crime and woe I bring to man each year. 100 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. Just multiply the whole that I have said Throughout the pages of this little book, Five million times. The sum of this will fall Below true estimate of yearly gain To hell, from earth, by work of mine. To find The total sum of all I've done to man Since I began, increase or multiply The whole a thousand times or more, and still The half is yet untold. If ' If man were rid Of me, the earth would be a paradise. Nine-tenths of all the ills, of all the woes, That men inflict, would disappear, were I Dismissed. To rid the earth of me would be To conquer hell, to put an end to plans My father fitly makes. It can't be done I I challenge all mankind, the angels, and Their God, to drive me from the earth. The law, As made by men, has tried to prohibit My stay with th^m. A farce indeed ! I can Defy all men, all law, all powers, all states. And nations too. Not God himself has yet \ THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, loi Contrived a way — or if, his way is yet Untried — to put me down. I live, and work My work of death, defiant to all law And God. A few, called temperance men, — a lot Of sorry fools, — assail my throne with blast Of trumpet to attract, with pledge and law, To bind them back from sin, and me from deeds Of crime. Their cause is good enough, — the best Of all but one except. But by a plan Contrived and put in force by me, the cause Has been disgraced by men below its rank. So much is this the case, that men of means And rank of honor, or of name, evade A place amid their ranks, and keep silent Concerning me, which means for n:.ie to thrive. The temperance work, so called, has aims all right, But fails in wisdom to attain the right It seeks. Its plans are slim, unpopular, And weak. The men who seek to execute These plans are not the men for any work, Except a very few. They've left the church Of God because they could not lead or speak and pray I02 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, I EH- The most ; and sought another field in which Their talents to display. In this they make The most of what they have the least. They do More harm than good, " excepting here and there A man," more good than harm to me. These stand Between all danger and my throne. Would men succeed In driving me from earth, let me suggest The plan. If wisdom such as mine has won The race this far, may not the same contrive A way to overthrow itself } Since all The efforts of all time, or nearly so, Against my crown have failed, I'll condescend, Myself, to tell what must be done to win In fight when I oppose. It may seem strange, That I impart advice against myself : It only seems. Advice against myself Will do no harm except you heed ; and heed You never will. I must be fought by man, Assisted by his God, this way, if he Would win : The army must divide in two, A right wing and a left, — the right, the Church ; THE BOrS DEVIL OF AMERICA, 103 The left, the world. I am a foe alike To Christian, Jew, and Gentile. Hence the Church And man without the Church, should stand against My arms. The first, the Church, must take a step Of bold resolve, and make the pledge to keep, A test of membership. While Christians drink Without expulsion from the ranks of God, No hope is left to rid the world of me. The second step the world must take, and form The army's strong left wing. It must provide A place, a time, a plan, at which, by which. The young, in social interchange of thought And word, may meet, and spend their leisure hours. Mankind was made for intercourse, as well For fellowship. Man cannot live alone. The sexes are alike in this. To meet Each other often here, and talk and laugh And joke, is simple nature working out Its grand designs. I come to meet and cheer The stranger on his way, and find him friends. There's not a day of time in which, because of me, A thousand do not meet who never met 104 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA. >:li |!".< t Before. I place their hands in mutual grasp, And call their names, and recommend their style. The Church of God is cold ; not by design Of God, but fault of men. Here people go, And starve for social bread, and turn away As from the chamber of the dead. They seek A place of smiles, of freely flowing words. Of kind remark, advice, and cheer. Do I Not furnish this, and more t Let him who would Die great in name, excel in deed of good For man, contrive a mighty plan, divine A mighty scheme, by which, in village or In town or city great or small, the young. And all who wish, may meet at will, at rooms And hall, where all amusements, sports, and fun Will give a bloom to health, and strength to mind, And wholesome cheer to every heart. Divide Or classify the whole, and make a place Where both the sexes, on a common plane, May share each other's inspiration. It Is lack of such a place, that makes demand For me. Until the world can give the joys That I impart, the world will drink for joy Which turns to pain. Not one in ten who drink. THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, I OS But feel its wrong ; yet do they drink the less ? Nay, but the more. Then give a reason why They drink at all ! Just here your wisdom fails, And here I will explain. Men drink, as rule, To find a cheer, to feel a joy, to think In hope, that liquor gives : that's why. They do Not stop to think or care about results. Now furnish, if you can, a fellowship Enriched by melody, whate'er you will, To take my place, and I'll resign and quit. But until then the world wants me, and could Not well dispense with what I give ; though what I give is worse than death. Young man or maid, whoever reads, take heed From what I say. Beware of me I If young, Then all the more evade my path. Of those Who learn to drink in youth, by far the most Succeed in reaching woe, or early death. A few may drag their lives to ripe old age. But not the less to waste. No man is safe Who drinks. No man is wise who drinks. drink . Is to support a work of death ; to help The man who seeks to ruin you. With this To io6 THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA, i mi I'll dry my pen, and write no more. You have My first attempt to write a book : it's long Enough, and bad enough, but not so bad As I. Thus saying, reader, I withdraw, And bid adieu, but leave my card. Keep this : You yet may wish to call on me, to quench Your wicked thirst. If so, and you have cash, — But not unless, — I'll entertain you well With wine, or what is better still, — but which I cannot call by name without offence. I don't advise a call, but rather warn You not to come : yet all the same, and more, You'll come, and taste, and sin, and die at last In shame. Please keep this card, in case you lose Your way. I write it plain : — The Boss Devil, — King Alcohol. POSTSCRIPT. De^^ reader, have you heard the story of that Italian artist, who, meeting with a child of exquisite beauty, wished to preserve its features for fear he should never see such loveliness again? So he painted the charming face upon the canvas, and hung it upon the wall of his studio. In his som- berest hours, that sweet, gentle countenance was like an angel of light to him. Its presence filled his soul with the purest aspirations. "If ever I find," he said, "a perfect contrast to that beauteous face, I will paint that also, and hang them side by side, an ideal of Heaven and Hell." Years passed. At length in a distant land he saw, in a prison he visited, the most hideous object he ever gazed upon, — a fierce, haggard fiend, with glaring eyes, and cheeks deeply furrowed with lust and crime. The 107 if io8 POSTSCRIPT, \m \ I artist remembered his vow, and immediately painted a picture of this loathsome form, to hang beside the portrait of the lovely boy. The contrast was per- fect: his dream was realized; the two poles of the moral universe were before him. What was the surprise of this artist, on inquiry into the his- tory of this horrid wretch, to find he was once that lovely little boy ! Both of these pictures, the angel and the demon of the same soul, now hang side by side in a Tuscan gallery. „ Blind reader, you need not travel to a foreign gallery to see the transforming power of drink, and its attendant vices upon the body. That brazen- faced, wanton-looking wretch of womanhood was once a sweet, modest little girl, who blushed at the slightest indelicate allusion. That obese, bloated, brandy-burnt visage was once a joyous-hearted boy. I need not ask what strange alchemy has wrought this bestial transformation. They have been in the hard battles of appetite and lust, and carry the marks of their warfare. In the basement-cells of inebriety, and saloons of licentiousness, many youth- ful forms are sitting for their portraits. The demon artists of lust and intemperance are gradually mould- ing them into fiends. You may, young reader, \ ^4 te POSTSCRIPT. 109 Steal secretly into these hells of inebriety and har- lotry. Your kind parents and friends may not sus- pect your waywardness, but your " sin will find you out." Vice cannot long remain concealed : the soul has no place to hide it. Soon the foul flame, through some rent or fissure of the body, will find expression. Strong drink is the one great curse of America, of the worid. Young lady, shun the wine-cup as you would a serpent ; and fall not into the hands of the young man that loves his glass, lest you are bruised by his fall. Shun liquor, and you will shun three-fourths of all the ills of human life. t m r~ THE REAL-LIFE SERIES BOSTON: N. H. WHITNEY & CO. No. 1. Now READY. * "THAT YOUNG MAN." A young man whose wonderful career in business, literature, and love, will be instantly recognized by every reader who has the slightest knowledge of the history of his country. A most wonderful and remarkable book. Fiction sur- passed. 40th thousand. 220 pp. Paper, /o cents. Cloth, 75- cents. No. 2. Now READY. "THE BOSS DEVIL OF AMERICA." A neat little book in blank verse, setting forth the career of sin and destruction of the most wicked being that ever existed in this world, — unworthy to be called a man. You know the person, and have seen him, and have heard him preach. Who is he ? Just published. , 120 pp. Paper, 30 cents. Cloth, bo cents. No. 3. In preparation. "THE GIRL TO MARRY." This little volume will present something entirely new. THESE BOOKS CAN BE HAD AT ALL BOOK AND NEWS DEALERS. THE TRADE SUPPLIED BY N. H. WHITNEY & CO., 93 FEDERAL STREET, - - - - BOSTON, MASS.