Northern star, and Warren and Bristol gazette. [volume] (Warren [R.I.]) 1826-1830, 1826-02-25
3poetrp.
From tn. U. 8. Literary Gazette.


From the u. 8. Literary Gazette.
REFORMED TOM BELL,
I never knew man profaner
Than him they call reformed Tom Bell
Or one who more became gamer
In worldly goods by arts Of hell. -
He cheated all, but most affected
Those easiest ruined by bis guile ;.
fine but found one unprotected,
Few were his yean and briefhis smile.
His father, mother died Of sorrow
Brought on by his unkind career;
His wives, one, two, three, could not borrow
Of nuptial life, a single year.
And many maiden, fondly trusting,
Heart in bis VOW her funeral knell;
And many an orphan with heart bursting,
.Asked Heaven for vengeance on Tom Seii.
And as for orisons and preaching
In the bright temple where man scars,
Tom would be sooner seen bescechinS
For entrances ut a wanton's doors
r He held religion a mere bubble,
. An idle tale made by the Priest;
Got up to gull with little trouble
The loving fools who would be feeced."
And thus Tom Bell went on despisins
Religion, virtue, God, and good;
He cared not, so his wealth kept rising,
How other debts and credits stood. "a
Hccame to thirty, vile as ever, TX
one, TIVE were added, bali third. -
When 10! Tom Bell, the unbeliever,
Became a lover Of the Word. -
Il was nishi in cold November,
Five days or more before its close,
When shrll-voiced winds the oaks dissmber
And hazy clouds fortell the SHOWS;
When beasts 20 to their coverts creeping,
When birds of passage seek mild skies.
When the rough waves the cliffs arc sweeping
There stood form before his eyoo.
He sat, that awful moment, resting
Upon bank OF leaAts frs,
Watching to see soft form breastipr
The chilly night-wind. even hers.
When all at once as he sits gazing.
He feels the air grow deadly cold;
And he beholds tall form raising
Itself from out the frozen mould.
It's dress was white damp grave-clothes 6owin;
All heavily upon the gale;
Its eyes no more with life were glowing,
It's brow was ghastly, and check pale.
It bent itself, that cold corse, o'er him.
Upon his shoulder lAid its hand;
With this thing from the tombs before him
All shudderins did the sinner stand.
And when it spoke. IFS tones were hollow;--
"What dost thou here, this..chilly night :
Why, base seducer. dost thou follow
A gentle girl, to work her blight!
1perished by thy base pursuing:
Does not thy sool my secret tell
The earliest victim Of thy wooing--
Thou know'st me now, lost Isabel,
I come, bad man, to give thee warning,
Thy sins cry out, and Justice hears;
For wouIdst thou see another morning,
Did not fair Mercy plead with tears.
But, on /! her voice is growing weaker.
Her pleas are by thy sioning crost.
She bushes to become the seeker
Fer grsce on thee---she deems thee LOST
IF by the time that morn discovers
Her yellow light to the brown hills,
No angel guardian DER thee hovera,
No other spirit thy frame fills,
Thou shalt lie low; and ere the goinS
Ofthe bright sun adown the West,
BY him that said 1.-THE All knowing,
Thou shalt be gone, but not to rest"
sTis hushed he looks with horror round b
There . but himself with life that stirs
One groln, and the next nomeat found hin
Living low beneath the nodding frs.
And then, while the cold moon was sheddr
Her silver light ON the brown sod,
And twinkling stars, their maze were thread
He, weeping, thus addressed hi, God.
al kneel-to pray-i who have never
Yet hnelt 10 prayer, kneel to beseeoh
Forgiveness Thou didst say that over
Thy pardon pentencs should reach.
Now in the dust behold me humbleds
And shuilering at thyjust rage lie;
The worm that feeds on bodies crurnblsd
h hstssr in thy sight than |.
All-righseous Judge! recall thy sentence,