Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-01-07

lmagination's pencil then
That first stern winter painted,
When more than half their number died
And stoutest spirits tainted.
A tear unbiddcn filled one eye,
My smoke had filled the other;
One sees strange sights at such time,
Which quite the senses bother.
knew l was alone-but 10
(Let him who darcs, deridc me-)
| looked, and, drawing up chair,
Down sat a man beside me.
His dress was ancient, and his air
Was somewhat strange and foreign
lie civilly returned my stare,
And said "b'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.
ronid some curious facts ilnpart--
Perhaps some wise SUGGESTIONS
But then, IN bent on seeing sights,
And running DER with questions
"Ask on, said | "Ill do my best
To give you information,
Whether Of private men you ask,
Or our renowned nation"
Says he, "First tell me what is that
In yon- compartment narrow,
Which seems to dry my eyeballs up,
Aud scorcl my very marrow
ffis finger pointed to tive CRATE
Said I-"That's LeIrigh coal,
Dug from the earth"-hc shook his head =
at is, upon my soul -
then took up bit of stick,
One end was black as night,
And rubbed it quick across the hearth,
When 10, sudden light
Ny guest drew back, uprolled his eyes,
And strove his breath 10 eatcII--
"Wbat necromancys that" he cried
8uoth /, "a friction match
Upon pipe just overhead,
turned little screw,
When forth, with instantaneous flash,
Three streams of lightning few
Uprose my guest SNOW heaven me save, v
Aloud he shouted. then,
ais that hell fire "."'Tis gas, said I,
ave call it hydrogen"
Then forth into the fields we stroled,
train came laundering by
Drawn by the snorting iron steed,
Swiiter than eagles fly.
Rumbled the wheels, the whistle shrieked,
Far strcamed the smoky cloud,
Echoed the hills, the valleys shook,
The flying forests bowed.
Down on his knees, with hands upraised
In worship, Warren fell
"Great is the Lord our God" cried he
ale doetll all things WE'LL
ave seen his chariots of fire,
The horsemcn, too, thereof
o, may ne'er provoke his ire,
Nor at his threatenings scoff.
"Rise up, my friend, rise up" said l.,
"Your tcrrors all are vain
That was no chariot of the sky,
T. was the New York mail train"
We stood within chamber small
Men came the news to know,
From Worcester, Springfield and New York
Texas and Mexico.
IL came-it went--slent but sure
10 ofu L.,
"What witchcraft' s that ?" s'it's what we cal
Magnetic tclegraphng."
Once more we stepped into the street;
SAID Warren, "What is that
"Which moves along across the way
GAS softly as cati
81 mean the thing upon two legs,
"With feathers on its head
"a monstrous hump below its waist,
"Large US a feather bed
at has the gift of speech, hear;
'But sure IT cant be human -
"My amiablc friend" said /,
"That's what we call a woman"
External powers it cannot be-"
Sighed he, with voice that ialtered
81 loved the women in my day,
"But, oh they're strangely altered.
showed him then a new machine
For turning eggs to chickens,
a labor.saving honnery
That beats the very dickens.
Thereat he strongly grasped my hand,
And said, 'Tis plain to see
"1hs world is so troBs,no nogrifed,
"Twill never do for me-"
"Your telegrophs, your railroad trains,
"Your gas lights, friction matches,
"Your hump-backed women, rocks for C oal,
"Your thing which chickens matches,
"IIave turned the earth 50 upside down,
"No peace is left within a.
Then, whlrling round upon his heel
lie vanished ia a minute
Forthwith, my most vcracious pen
Wrote down what had heard,
And here, blessed upin doggercl rhyme,
You have Il, word for word.