The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-10-08
AffSGEbfANY ,
From the Massachusetts, Life Boat.
TIE TWO INcENDIARIES,

A Gre alarml The cry oG"Flre ~
SweIIs on The night air. higher. higher
T,,t,rhed by the lightning, every bell
EyyIlps in its tower, The tale 10 tell
Forth rush the fremen, one and all,
AT duty's Or at dauget's 5 cali
The per and The pfaise TO share
Their engines play-theiT iOIehes Hare -
The light OF tie devourlhg hie,
Reflected from the Churobs spire,
Piercing The cloud with ruddy glow,
Tells Of the ruin wrought belnw.
Vby sounds tn midnight tOCsiOn dread
WHY lowers that column, black and red,
Thai, leaning 70 the leeward, Shows
The way, that the destroyer goes
Let your hnagi nation stTelCh.
And you shall see a bastard wretch,
Skulklng away hOnI human sight,
And, wrapped up in the cloak of night,
Putting loco f0eO match,
Where he is sue tbs blaze wall catch,
That when the crowd is thither drawn
He may, before "the peep Of dawn"
With his light fingers, force loan
From others pockets to his Owl-
What are to him, the laTum bell,
The fire.wrapped roof, the dreadful yell
OF horses, roasting in their stalls,
or firemen crushed, by tumbling walls?
What are, to him, the crash and din
or states aud Talters falling in,
The shreks OF hOuseless females flying,
The fee Bile gasp OF children dying,
And the loud wailings Of despair,
That load the sutfOcating all
What are all these to him 7-his turn
BY them Is served-sO-''Iet 'em burn :"
What is all this to him !-Why, sir,
He wakes up people, and they stir,
And, ifthey catch the villain, he
Is tried and hanged TOR used 10 be.
laws may, but justice does not, alter;
He 'scapes, though he deserves the halteTT
And were he doomed TO It again,
The people all would say-"Amen"
and yet-now, coolly let's inquire
What does this villain set on fire2
Boards, shingles, timber, "wOOd, hay, stubble,
The bOdy's hfe,-an empty bubble.
"A vapOr, that appears" day.
Or hour, "then vanisheth away
T'kars ALL The iRcendary ieOB
Does nothing more we need to dwell on.
But, he that fills his neighbOT's cup
With liquid ere, is burning up,
Not ediices framed of wood.
Not prinCely mansions, fair and good.
B9t that, for which such mansions rise
The heir apparent Of the skies
MAN who from heaven derives his birth,
Man, Gods vicegeTent here on earth
house, that only God can build,
temple, with his Spirit filled,
A tenement indeed, ofelay,
That holds its dweller, for his day,
A house that falls, in time, TO dust,
As other earthly dwellings must,
but, one that holds, If not burnt dorm,
The heir of an immortal crown.
But, let the FIRE, that fills the cup,
And strength, and peace, and pure desirey
And manly purpose feel the FIRE,
And Reason stumbles on, and grOpes
Darkling mid smouldering joys and hopes
And Faith aad every upward aim,
And heaVenward impulse, feed the flame;
And childhood rOams in tatteT'd rags,
And Virtue falls, and Courage adgs.
And haggaTC Want makes Earth his bed,
And homeless Hunger begs his bread,
And scottish Dizziness mOpes along,
And maniac Mirth baws out his song,
Aud Frenzy stands, with CHASTITY stare,
And Madness IendS his matted hair.
And murder stabS his weeping bride.
Then dies himself saCide
And yet, what is all this to him,
Who fills up, toits sparkling briR.
The glass, tRat glOws with hquid 6re.
Drowned in whose poisonous depths, expire
Wit, Wisdom common Manhood even,
All earthly joy, all hope OF heaven?
Aye, to his inmOst self, says he,
"Wch, what Of that l--What's that to me?
'tWhat is to me the depth OGwOe,
That follows where my liquors howY
SO long as the match can get,
$50 long as the fire may set
'SJ long as can have my way
$50 long as those vino drink, will pav
SO long aS they will serve my turn.
"Whlt is't to me how much they burn7
$50 long as they, with bank notes, cram
''My pockets, don't care, a damn
SO long as they my Golfers swell,
. Let the poor devils gD to hell
These two GnCendiaries stand
Before you, neghbOTs, torch in tHndl--
Each plies his trade, each fills ais purse
Tell me-Uh'ch Of them is u87soFSs