Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-07-28
For fhe Journal.
Fashion.

Fashion.
The world yet boasts q goddess, who, un-
dimned,
Still keeps her ancient spiendor, though her
mates,
Like Hebrew Dagon. have been all unlimbed
On their own thresholds: hurled from their
estates
or power aud glory. by rude Time, who
waits
Neither for gods nor men; while helping
truth
Ever PLAYS havoc with such magnates;
But aiding error serves them much, in sooth,
As rogues serve moth -gnawed coats, guisinc
them in mock youth.
So that, when garbed in falsehood, like a
nap
Scratched from their rotting glories, at the
OF the last wreck of strength, each forms a
trap
To catch vain fools; and he who's caught is
lost,
lie trusts to ragged shams. as frail as hoar-
frost.
The world is full Of new .old lies: old gods
Labeled with new names; the foul hend'S
latest boest
To cheat mankind right cheaply. and tn
odds
Are he'll succeed. and millions, trap'd by
glitter, rush hellwards.
or shams and falsehoods queen, does Fash
ion reign,
And high, almost as holy Heaven. her shrine
Il reared: upon her affairs ever fame
Costliest incense. That she is divine,
Millions undoubting hold; and all sublime
Her beauty, grace and might they dream
and bow
With true devotion, believing her to shine
A peerless deity, and sinking low,
They crawl beneath her feet and Worship
but show.
Though but the falsest sham, yet few pre-
sumo
To doubt her power; and their awe is sucl
That though the scepter which she weilds !
plume
Plucked from guady peacock, and its toucl
but light as gossamcr, yet tits cen too muci
For stalwart manhood; and so down he bow
All powerless. The sword from tn ir0I
clutch
OF the mailed warrior drops, at that plume
blows,
Although in fight that warriors heart n,
terror knows.
WELDING a power that seems omnipotence
Der every land she reigns, yet reigns alon
In captive minds, and there but by pretense
But by the semblance of farce. A thron
Formed out of shadows, by the sunligh
thrown
Upon the drifting columns of fog,
To hers were strength immense; vet q
twas shown
OF old !, when croaking millions feared log
A show of power may govern man, as vel
Us frog.
A passport given by Fashion all in all;
Taking the place of learning, wit and sense
Or honored names, best loved in cot an
hall,
E'en of true virtue, and of wealth irnmens'
Holding but that, men may with all di:
pense;
BE but mere bulldogs, in the shamblt
raised,
But vile, coarse bullies, tits no consequence
The brutes will seem refined, their manner
praised,
Make them the fashion, to be unlike, wi
be TO be disgraced.
Let Fashion smile, and tn impure courtezaI
Who for a score of years has been the shan
OF her own sex, the toy and snare of man
Will, all at once, become another name
For honor; her dress, style and words Wi
fame
Assert to be the dress, the style. the speec
Quite "a la mode;" and all the worlds
flame
To be her mimic; do as she shall teach,
Der act her follies, and, it may be too, h
sins o'trreach.
Queen Fashion tempts, and man, almo
divine,
PLAYS IDIOT; for when she fills the cup
With the sweet poison of the serpent-win
And bids him for her sake its contents su
Down TO its noxious dregs, he'll drain II u
Though his brain reel, and the curbed bru
within
Will break through all restraint, shameless
ly vile;
Reason give place to madness, 30 that sin
Nauseous and damning, does o'er Writ
victory win.
Alas that man, in Eden made TO be
Partaker of the image Of his God,
To do his holy will, then rise to see
His face in Heaven, should thus leave Z
road
: OF purity and peace, which Christ once tro
And for such treach'rous pleasure, true bli
sell;
Because, fcrsooth, false Fashion with no
Or smile, or frown Of anger, weayes a sp'
L He fancies strong, and so, resistlessly mt
follow down to hell.
lie sows his strength, to reap but palsi
weakness,
2 Barriers for folly, God-like reasons light
Beclouds over with gross rayless darkness
His days bright dawning; till in deep
night,
All terrible and sudden, his soul tai
fight,
c As its strained cable, in a moment. breal
And ever tossed by the last tempest's mig
He drifts on that dark sea, where morn ne
> wakes,
Hope never shines, and JOYOUS voice
c echo makes.
Beliepiiie, July 4, 1889. A. l.
The Lost Diamond.
ny mrs. y. d. GAGE.