CONTRIBUTOR WAXES POETICALLY ON ERIN'S LAST HURRAH

Twas the night before Election, when all through the house
Not an envelope was stuffed, not even a stamp.
The list of voters were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Politiqera soon would be there.

The voters were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of stolen elections danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long hot nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen votes
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature van, and eight tinny politiqueras.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Politiquera.
More rapid than eagles her coursers they came,
And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Herminia! now, Sonia! now, Joey and Norma!
On, Sylvia! On, Tomasita! on, on Quito and Ralph!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Mail in Ballots, and St Politiqueras too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each fat foot.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney came with a bound fat Erin bouncing off the ground.

She was dressed all in black, from her head to her foot,
Her clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of chicken plates flung on her back,
And she looked like a peddler, just opening the envelope.

Her eyes-how they twinkled! her dimples how scary!
Her cheeks were like sand paper, her nose with boogers!
Her full mouth was drawn up like a cute little hog,
And the beard of her chin was as dark as the night.

The stump of a pipe she held tight in her teeth,
And the smoke it encircled her head like a wreath.
She had a broad face and a big belly,
That shook when she laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

She was chubby and plump,
And I laughed when I saw her, in spite of myself!
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,
Soon gave me to know I had everything to dread.

She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
And filled all the envelopes with prefilled ballots.
And laying on her finger a booger aside of her nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney she rose!

She sprang to her van, to her team gave a whistle,
And away they all drove like the down of a thistle.
But I heard her exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Stupid County People, I am Erin Hernandez and I am a JP no more.