Ah, once, in sooth, in days of youth, I longed to be a pirate; the
corsair’s fame for deeds of shame—all boys did once desire it. At night
when gleamed the stars I dreamed of sacking Spanish vessels, of clanging
swords and dripping boards, and bloody scraps and wrestles. Then
“One-Eyed Lief” the pirate chief my hero was and model; in dreams I’d
hold his stolen gold till I could scarcely waddle. But father took his
shepherd’s crook and lammed me like tarnation, till I forgot that sort
of rot for milder aspiration.
And still I dreamed; and now I seemed to be a baseball pitcher, adored
by all, both great and small, in wealth grown rich and richer. My
dreaming eyes saw crowds arise and bless me from the bleachers, when I
struck out some pinch hit lout and beat those Mudville creatures. I
seemed to stand, sublime and grand, the idol of all fandom; men thought
me swell, and treasured well the words I spoke at random. Ah, boyhood
schemes, and empty dreams of glory, fame and riches! My mother came and
tanned my frame with sundry birchen switches, and brought me back to
duty’s track, and made me hoe the onions, dig garden sass and mow the
grass until my hands had bunions.
In later days I used to raise my eyes to summits splendid. “I’ll hold,”
I’d swear, “the White House chair, before my life is ended.” The years
rolled on and dreams are gone, with all their gorgeous sallies, and in
my town I’m holding down a job inspecting alleys.
Thus goes the world; a man is hurled from heights to depths abysmal; the
dream of hope is golden dope, but waking up is dismal. So many dreams,
so many schemes, upon the hard-rock shiver! We think we’ll eat some
sirloin meat, and have to dine on liver. We think we’ll dine on duck and
wine, with garlands hanging o’er us, but when some dub calls us to grub,
stewed prunes are set before us. And yet, my friends, though dreaming
ends in dark-blue taste tomorrow, build airy schemes! Without your
dreams, this life would be all sorrow.
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