Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-06-03
y o ct r v.
OLD TIMES AND NEW.


Whcse luck it was TO land,
Upon almost the only rock
Alrng the Plymouth sand
In NY minds eve | saw them leave,
Their weather-beaien bark,
Before them spread the wintry Wild,
Behind. relied ocean dark.
Alone that little handful stood,
While savage foes lurked nigh.
Their creed aud watchWord, Trust IN &c
And Keep your powder dry
lmaginations 9 pencil then
That first stern winter painted.
When more than half Their number die
And stoutest spirits tainted
A tear unbidden filed one eye.
My smoke had filed the other,
One sees strange sights st such time.
Which quite the senses bother.
knew was alone, hut 10
Let him who dare deride me,
looked. and drawing up chair
Down sat man beside me.
HIS dress vas ancient. and hrs air
Was somewhat strange and foreign,
he ci,illy returned my stare
Aud said, "l'm Richard Warren
You i ind my name among the list,
pf hero. sage, and martyr,
Who IN the MayfoWer cabin signed,
That first New England charter
- could some curious facts Impart.
Perhaps some wise suggestions.
But then I'm bent on seeing sights,
And running Ger with questions"
Ask on, said I. I'll DO my best
To give you information.
Whether OF private men you ask;
Or our renowned nation.
Says he, "First tell me Eha; is that
In yon compartment narrow
Which seems 70 dry my eye-balls up
And search nv very marrow"
His finger pointed 10 the crate,
Slid | that's Lehigh coal.
Dug from the earth. - be shook bis head
1T Is upon my soul.
then tock up bit Of stick.
One end wa black as night.
Aud rubbed II quick across the hearth.
When 10. . sudden light
Ny gues, drew back, uprolled his ey,s
And strove bis breath 10 catch.
What necromancy' that. '' he cried
Quoth | "a friction match
Upon pipe Just overhead
turned a little screw.
When forth with instantaneous fash
Three streams Of lightning few.
Uprose my guest, now heaven ne save,
Aloud be shouted then,
lis thai hell-tre 2'' T'is S,s. said 7.
W call il hydrogen.
Tbsn forth into the fields We strollei.
4 tram came laundering by,
Drawn by the snorting iron steei
SWlfter than eagles fy.
Rumblei the wheels the whistles shr1ekei,
Far streamed the smoky cloud,
Echoed the hills. the vallie's shook,
The fving forest bowed.
Down on hIs knees with hands upraised.
In worship Warren fell,
Great ! the Lord. our God. he cried g,
' He doeth all things well
" I've seen his chariots OF frc,
The borsemen too thereof,
o nsy I ne'er provoke his ire
Nor Al his threat 'nings scof-
&c Rise up my friend. rise up, said /.
Your terrors arc all in vain,
That was no chariot Of the sky.
Twas the New York maj! train.
We stood within a chamber small.
Men came the news to know.
From Worcester, Springfield and New
York.
Texas and Mexico
II came, it went, silent and sure.
He stared. smiled, burst ont laughing,
" What Witchcraft's tbst''' " It's what
We call
Magnetic ielegrsphing
Once more We stepped into the stres.
Said Warren What is that.
Which moves along across the way
As softly A. a cat
e mean that thing upon two legs,
With feathers on its head.
A monstrous hump below its waist
Large as a feather bed;
1t has the gift Of speech, hear.
But sure IT can't be human
Ny amisble friend, said 1,
That's what we call woman.
- Eternal powers, II cannot be,
Sighed he with voice that fsltered
" loved the women in my day,
But oh, they're strangely altered"
showed him then a new machine
For turning eggs to chickens.
4 labor-saying heDnery,
That beats the very dickens.
Then he strongly grssped ny hand.
And said "T'is plain TO see,
This world is so trsnsmogrifed
Twill never do for me-
Your telegraphs, your railroad trains,
Your gas lights, friction matches,
Your hump-backed women, rock for coal.
Your thing which chickens hstches.
Have turned the earth 50 upside down
Nc peace is left " thin IL.
Then, whirling round upon bis heel.
Re vanished in a minute
Fprthsith my most verscious pen.
Wrote down what I had heard,
And here dressed up in dosgerel rhyme
You have it word for word