Smyrna times., 1855-11-07
Communication.
Correspondence Of The Smyrna Times.
The Old Fire Engines Speak. I

Be not surprised, Mr.. Times, when you re-
ceive this epistle from us-the aged Fire.
Engines of Smyrna-with the request that
you give it publicity be not startled, for,
remember, this is an age of Improvement, when
" strange and mighty things" should not be
wondered at, but considered as mere natural
developments. After such protracted lives of
retirement, we feel great delcacy in appear
ing before the public in our present capacity,
and would certainly refrain, were aot such a
course dictated by sense of urgent duty jus
tice to ourselves and the community.
Lying inertly by for years, we had nestled us
into lethargy, consoling ourselves with The idea
that "active service" " would no more be re-
quired at our hands-that our day of labor had
fled, never again to return; but, these were as
vague "dreams Of idle moments we only
SuPinely slept on account of the gross inatten-
ton OF our "town authorities "-as we very
recently discovered when moved, awcke, and
informed that our presence was required at a
scene of confiagration, which evinced a dispo-
slton to gnaw at the very vitals of our much
beloved town. Having been SO long forgotten
and hidden in the dark caverns of neglect, we
were loathe TO be thus ushercd into the broad,
meridian light of ciU,Iity-being sensible of our
pacity to act in accordance with the require
Inenls of the exigency; feeling, as we did, the
iHfrmities Of age and the debilitating hama
Of disease bearing hard upon US. Presenting
these pleas-being the fruits of most unwar-
rantable negligence upon the part Of our " towT
fathers we besought the throng, not III yer.
bal strains, but with folded arms and an implo
ring, emaciated countenance, to let us rest il
the secluded spot where, in the wisdom of ou
OOrthy & GUARDIANS, it had seemed best to pac,
US. But, deaf ear was given to our entrea
ties, and we were led, nay, dragged by the mex
orable concourse, as " lambs to tho slaughter" t
do the bidding of an excited crowd. Manned
aud forced ITO make an irrigatng Gppea
to the igneous element, that it be staid, W
began to speak, though with but a feeble roic
our every nerUe being unstrung and ou
frames quite inbecile; in consequence Of th
diseases under which We labored, the buruin
flame felt not the eloquence Of our quouchin
words--lhey fell, as it were, harmless at III
feet of the greatest devastator. Irritateds q
our weakness aud inefficiency, the multitud
around aud about" hcaped their anathema ,
5 displeasure upon these devoted heads. Con
manded to wind up our well-directed, thoug
| Intellectual arg uments, cur words were hushe,
} with sand our mouths were closed, and "
, deserted jeff alone to contend with the scot
{ and jeers of an exasperated assemblage, and
suffer an unutterable pang of grief that quicl
ened our inmost souls. Nor was this al
after time, and when the more evil forebodinl
Of the occasion had been somewhat allaye
,. one Of us--the most stalwart in appearance
was arraigned before Judge Lynch's tribuni
and doomed to die an ignominious death; whe
with view of executing sentence speedil
their adopted fellow citizen, Friendship" W
committed TO the flames; but, happily, a vol
whispered,
"Peace, troubled soul thou need st not fear,
and he was rescued by some merciful bystan
ers, whose "bowels Of compassion" We
opened in his BEHALF Notwithstanding Smyr
being his naitUe home, this display of pity
doubt, prevented harsh measures being TAX
towards effecting the total demolishion of I
other of us-that little, puny, deformed " De
ware," who never had a tongue. Thus del
cred from the hands Of our enemies, we year,
+, for a safe return to the stately mansion .
3 which we could conjointly boast then, as
were escorted by " gleefal band" alsng 4
. public thoroughfares, HOPE gilded our dejec
( spirits; but. alas this. inspired hope was SC
very soon blighted; The hour, of maltrc
iaent had arrived, when we we're to be ielled
With one blow to the earth, have our arms 1
+ ken, rendered helpless, and then IA beaten w
l many stripes" By the bob-taii gentry, who
their utmost to make themselves ppear f,an
even at the, risk of iirEslrievably running
z already impaired constitutions This day
persecution, however, passed by, and we W
not qni,e inundated; whilst mastering cour,