Who Struck Bill Patterson?

His name was Billy Patterson

     He joined the Mason’s lodge;

Said he, “I’ll take whatever comes

     And never try to dodge.

I’ll ride the goat or let the goat

     Ride me, upon my soul;

I’ll walk the plank, fall down the stairs

     Or climb the greasy pole.”

“I’ll take a ducking if it comes,

     And kick not if I drown;

I’ll sit upon a red-hot stove

     Until I’m roasted brown.

I’ll sink or swim, root hog or die,

     I’ll whistle, dance or sing;

I’ll take whatever comes my way,

     And bear not anything.”

And so he took the first degree

     And thought it pretty fine;

Says he, “I’m sorry heretofore

     I never got in line.”

He took the second – better still

     He thought of Masonry;

“‘Tis not so rocky after all,

 It’s quite a cinch,” quoth he.

He got half through the third – alas!

     He thought it all was o’er;

Said he, “no mortal ever was

     Promoted thus before.”

Alas! for all his youthful hopes!

     A darkness smote the land;

He saw his temples fall to earth

     Felled by a giant’s hand.

Days passed – a wreck of former self

     He crawled about once more;

He looked in every haunt of man,

     He searched at every door.

“Who seek ye?” cried a friend one day,

     Who found him pale and wan;

“I seek the man,” he made reply,

     Who struck Bill Patterson.”

c. Dec. 16, 1905