Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-02-05
Old Times and New.
BY A. c. sPooNE a

While savage foes lurk,d nigh,
Their creed aud watchword, Trust in God
Aud keep your powder dry
Imagination's pencil then
That first stern winter painted,
When more than half their number died,
And stoutest spirits tainted.
A tear unbidden filled one eye,
My smoke Ind filled the other;
One sees strange sights at such a time,
Which quite the senses bother.
l knew | was alone-but 10!
(Let him who dares deride mo-)
l looked, and drawing up a chair,
Down sat a man beside me.
His dress was ancient, and his air
Was somewhat strange and foreign
He civilly returned my stare,
And said, ''I'm Richard Warren!"
"You'll find my name among the list
Of hero, sage and martyr,
Who, in the Mayhower's cabin, signed
The first New England charter.
/ could some curious facts impart-
Perhaps, some wise suggestions
But then, I'm bent on seeing sights,
And running DER with questions"
"Ask on" said |, an do my best
To give you information,
Whether OF private men you ask,
Or our renowned nation"
Says he, First tell Inc what is that
In yon compartment narrow,
Which seems 10 dry my eyeballs up,
And scoTch my very marrow.
His finger pointed TO the CRATE
Said l-'Ihat's Lehigh coal,
Dug from the earth"-he shook his head
alt is, upon my %soul!'
] then took up a bit of stick,
One end was black as night,
And rubbed it quick across the hearth,
When 10, a sudden light!
My guest drew back, u%prolled his eyes,
And strove his breath to catch
"What nectomancy's that!" he cried
Quoth |, "A friction match"
Upon a pipe just overhead,
turned a little screw,
iOlhh w. hNSAh
Three streams Of lightning flew.
Uprose my guest; Now Heaven me save,
Aloud lie shouted, then
''Is that hell-irel' Ills gas" said l,
"We call it hydrogen"
Then forth into the fields we strolled,
A train came laundering by,
Drawn by the s%norting iron steed,
Swilter than eagles fly.
Rumbled the wheels, the whistle shrieked,
Far streamed the smoky cloud,
Echoed the hills, the valleys shook,
The flying forests bowed.
Down on his knees, with hands u~praised
In worship, Warren fell
sGreat is the Lord our God" cried he
"He doeth all things we'll"
"I've seen his chariots Of FIRE,
The horsemen, too, ther, of;
o, may | ne'er revoke his ire,
Nor at his threatenings scOI."
''Rise up, my friend, rise up" said I,
"Your terrors all are vain
That was no chariot of the sky,
Twas the New York mail Irain."
We stood within a chamber small
Men came the new 10 know,
From Worcester, Springfield and Ne'
York,
Texas and Mexico.
1t came-it went-silent but sure
He stared, smiled, burst out laughing
alVNL-. ..,ul-.. IS. ,I.,1fS k.,f. ..l-, -
call
Magnetic ,e~legraphing."
Once more we stepped into the street;
Said Warren, "What is that
Which moves along across the way
AS softly as a cat!
mean the thing upon two legs,
With feathers on its head
A monstrous hump below lis waist,
Large as a feather bed
1t has the gift Of speech, | hear;
But sure il can't be human! :"
"My amiable friend" said !,
"Thal's what we call a woman"
"Eternal powers! it cannot be"
Sighed he, with voice that fdltered ;
al loved the women in my day,
But oh! they're strangely altered"
l showed him then a new machine
For turning eggs to chickens,
A labor saving hennery
That beats the very dickens,
Thereat, he strongly grasped my hand,
And said, "'IIs plain 10 see
This world is so frGnsmOgrJfed,
Twill never do for me-"
"Your teIegraphs, your railroad trains,
Your gas lights, friction matches.
Your hump-backed women, rocks for &C
Your thing which chickens matches,
Have turned the world so upside down,
No peace is left within III
Then, whirling round upon hIS heel
He vanished ina minute.