American fiction; Detective and mystery stories, American; Narrative poetry, American
But when we came to Skagway, then I saw
Another Elenor Murray. How she danced
And tripped from place to place--such energy!
She almost wore me out with seeing sights.
But now behold! The White Pass she must see
Upon the principle of missing nothing--
But oh the grave of "Soapy" Smith, the outlaw,
The gambler and the heeler, that for her!
We went four miles and found the cemetery,
The grave of "Soapy" Smith.--Came back to town
Where she would see the buildings where they played
Stud poker, Keno, in the riotous days.
Time came for her to go. She looked at me
And said "Come on to Fairbanks." As for that,
I'd had enough, was ready to return,
But sensed an honorarium, so I said,
"You might induce me," with a pregnant tone.
That moment we were walking 'cross the street,
She stopped a moment, shook from head to heels,
And said, "No man has talked to me that way."
I dropped the matter. She renewed it--said,
"Why do you hurry back? What calls you back?
Come on to Fairbanks, see the gardens there,
That tag the blizzards with their rosy hands
And romp amid the snows." She smiled at me.
Well, then I thought--why not? And smiled her back,
And on we went to Fairbanks, where my hat
Blows off, as I shall tell you.
For a day
We did the town together, and that night
I thought to win her. First we dined together,
Had many drinks, my little school ma'am drank
Of everything I ordered, had a place
For more than I could drink. And truth to tell
At bed time I was woozy, ten o'clock.
We had not registered. And so I said,
"I'm Mr. Kelly and you're Mrs. Kelly."
She shook her head. And so to make an end
I could not win her, signed my name in full;
She did the same, we said good night and parted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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