BILL NYE AND BOOMERANG; Or, The Tale Of A Meek-Eyed Mule, And Some Other Literary Gems By Bill Nye Chicago, New York And San Francisco: Bedford, Clarke & Co. 1883= ```"And now, kind friends, what I have wrote ```I hope you will pass o'er, ```And not criticise as some has done, ```Hitherto, herebefore." `````Sweet Singer of Michigan. [Illustration: 0001] [Illustration: 0007] MY MULE BOOMERANG, |Whose bright smile haunts me still, and whose low, mellow notes are ever sounding in my ears, to whom I owe all that I am as a great man, and whose presence has inspired me ever and anon throughout the years that are gone. THIS VOLUME, this coronet of sparkling literary gems as it were, this wreath of fragrant forget-me-nots and meek-eyed johnny-jump-ups, with all its wealth of rare tropical blossoms and high-priced exotics, is cheerfully and even hilariously dedicated By the Author. THE APOLOGY. {In my Boudoir, {Nov. 17,1880. Belford, Clarke & Co.: Gentlemen:--In reply to your favor of the 22d ult., I herewith transmit the material necessary for a medium size volume of my chaste and unique writings. The matter has been arranged rather hurriedly, and no doubt in classifying this rectangular mass of soul, I have selected some little epics and ethereal flights of fancy which are not as good as others that I have left out, but my only excuse is this: the literary world has been compelled to yield up first one well known historical or scientific work and then another, careful investigation having shown that they were unreliable. This left suffering humanity almost destitute of a reliable work to which it could turn in its hour of great need. So I have been compelled to hurry more than I wanted to. It affords me great pleasure, however, to know what a feeling of blessed rest and childlike confidence and assurance-and some more things of that nature-will follow the publication of this work. Print the book in large coarse type, so that the old people can get a chance at it. It will reconcile them to death, perhaps. Then sell it at a moderate price. It is really priceless in value, but put it within the reach of all, and then turn it loose without a word of warning. The Author. Laramie City, Wyoming. OSTROPHE TO AN ORPHAN MULE. ```Oh! lonely, gentle, unobtrusive mule! ```Thou standest idly 'gainst the azure sky,` ``And sweetly, sadly singeth like a hired man.= `````Who taught thee thus to warble` ``In the noontide heat and wrestle with` ``Thy ceep, corroding grief and joyless woe?` ``Who taught thy simple heart ```Its pent-up, wildly-warring waste` ``Of wanton woe to carol forth upon` ````The silent air?= ```I chide thee not, because thy` ``Song is fraught with grief-embittered` ``Monotone and joyless minor chords` ``Of wild, imported melody, for thou` ``Art restless, woe begirt and` ``Compassed round about with gloom, `````Thou timid, trusting, orphan mule! `````Few joys indeed, are thine,`