The Islands: Island Stories: Howe Island Poem

Howe Island Poem

I don't know who wrote this poem or when, if
anyone knows please email me!
Please also let me know if you know of any
other such poems or stories!

A HOWE ISLAND EPISODE
(60 years ago)

Now come all you good people,
And listen while I tell,
About what really happened
In a place you all know well;
'Twas on friendly Howe Island,
Where honest faces beam;
You would think they all were gentle
Things aren't always as they seem.

'Twas in glorious Autumn,
Of a happy bygone year,
The crops were being gathered,
In the farmer's minds no fear;
The trees were heavy laden
With apples red and fine,
When Peter Goodfriend's porkers
Crossed the Driscoll line.

Now it was our friend Tim Driscoll,
Who woke up that Autumn morn,
To find his piles of apples
'Neath the trees all chawed and torn
And Peter Goodfriend's porkers
With bursting sides, at ease,
And feeling quite contented
'Neath the Driscoll apple trees.

Says Tim, I'll see about this,
Ane he hies away to town,
A-telling all his troubles,
And he wore an awful frown,
He went to Lawyer Farrel,
In Kingston city there,
To have the law on Goodfriend
And collect what's right and fair

Lawyer Farrel heard the story,
Tim told the damage done,
Now get your Township by-law,
And the case we will have won;
Tim hurried home to get it,
From the Island Township Clerk,
And back to Kingston quickly
So his lawyer'd get to work.

Then Farrel read the by-law
And looked he long at Tim;
"Now Mr. Driscoll tell me,
The story of the men
Who in our Township Council,
Ever put this by-law through,
For in all life's experience,
This thing is something new."

And Tim he scratched his forehead,
Said I've heard my father say,
That all of these old timers,
From the Island moved away.
But I've heard on good authority,
What happened to them all,
And I'll tell you, Mr. Farrel
What really did befall."

Clixby, back of Kingston,
Committed suicide,
He took his life by hanging
That's how that man died;
And Melville died in Kingston,
So I've heard it said,
What happened him, I can't recall,
I only know he's dead."

Peter Cassidy's the last one,
Who put this by-law through,
He's living here in Kingston,"
Said the lawyer, "Is that so?"
Can we find him, Mr. Driscoll,
Please tell me where and how
Said Tim, "That's very simple,
He's in the poor house now."

Then up spoke Lawyer Farrel,
"Some advice I'll give you free,
Mr. Driscoll, for your benefit,
That the future black I see,
If men like those you've told me
Is the Island business run,
Take very careful warning,
With Cassidy you'll all be soon."

Peter Goodfriend got the summons,
To appear in County court
To answer all the charges,
While his porkers held the fort;
He got an able lawyer,
From Gananoque town,
J. Arthur Jackson was his name,
He's now of good renown.

Lawyer Farrel did his best,
With the case 'fore Judge Revell,
The by-law stood no test of law,
Although he pleaded well;
The case was thrown right out of court
Goodfriend paid no fine,
Though the porkers chawed the apples,
O'er the Driscoll line.

The Islands: Island Stories: Howe Island Poem

Howe Island Poem

A HOWE ISLAND EPISODE (60 years ago)

A HOWE ISLAND EPISODE
(60 years ago)