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From: waltt@tekecs.UUCP (Walt Tucker)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Whisperin' Bill
Message-ID: <5368@tekecs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 29-May-85 11:00:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekecs.5368
Posted: Wed May 29 11:00:52 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 00:20:29 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 31

There was a poem called "Whisperin' Bill" I found while in junior high
and took an immediate liking to.  I had a copy of the entire poem once,
but lost it through various residence changes.  Since everyone was so 
helpful with the T.S. Elliot poem "The Hollow Men", I thought someone 
might be able to tell me the author of this one, since I have long since
forgot.  

The poem was written shortly after the close of the civil war.  The premise
is that of a census taker approaching a rural household for the 1870 census
and finding "whisperin' Bill" at the house.  I remember the first two stanzas,
but would like to find the author so as to read the last 30 stanzas.

The first two stanzas go:

                      So you're the census taker, Mister?
                      There's three of us livin' still --
                      my wife and I and our only son,
                      the one folks call whisperin' Bill.

                      But Bill couldn't tell ye his name, sir.
                      So, you see, he's hardly worth givin'.
                      For a rifle ball killed his mind,
                      and left his body livin'.

(the poem goes on for a longer time, reflects on the horrors of civil
war battles, lost loves, etc.)

                          -- Thanks,

                             Walt Tucker
                             Tektronix, Inc.