The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-01-28


opened 10 them WITH ialr prospects, and
Tor a while they 70 ou happily together.
But few months, however, pass away,
ard the unfortunate wife detects tie
smell ~ ire on tic garments Of her
husband She soon finds il appearing
AN bis coHutenance and sees it striking
IN upon his soul HIS whole api eArance
is soon entirely changed. The marks
oi tho burning gather rapidly upon him
bis countenance ~ fallen aud mad
ness and delillum drive him irom what
was 50 recently the home Of ais comfort
the Paradise Of bis Joy while he
steals away TO light up anew tho FIRE
that CONSUMES him. Soon All that re-
mains Of the castle of their early hopes,
is bat pile Of charrsd and baekened
RUNS Indeed, no exhibition Of suffer
ing no picture 81 domestic woe no
wreck Of human expectation, could pre-
sent any adequate view of the misery
and dosolaiion which this IRE had plo-
duced, while it swept on, unchecked,
from year to year among our hills and
mountains
But, notwithstanding all this misery
had been endured to an increased de-
gree for long time--and though the
inhabitants OF this as well as other
towns, bad seen these fires burning in
every direction sweeping over the
whole territory and eating up every
green thing, they did not, till late pc
riod, seem to think it desirable, or ex-
pedient, that they should be extinguish
ed Even the State Government, from
the beginning, deemed this fire essen
tial to the convenience and comfort OF
the people. Aud with a view to secure
TO us all the advantages of our situation,
| this Government was induced early To
adopt measures to keep up a perpetual
burning. Several individuals were APP
pointed in the different towns, whose
special duty it was to superintend this
fire, and see that it did not go out 1t
was held TO be especially important for
the accommodation OF strangers, that no
want Of fuel should occur. The civil
authority of the town, too, sat in grave
assembly, to examine the qualifications
of these agents, aud solemnly invest
them with the rights of Office.
| Few public agents, il is due to say,
were ever more faithful to their trust.
All the necessary, and many of the va
rious and fancy combustible materials
which compose the base, or yariegate the
hues and colors Of this fire, were care
4 fully and seasonably procured, and gen
orally, on the night of their investment
with Office the various points they oc-
cupied became Illuminated, and the sig
nails that they were all at their posts Of
duty were seen IN every part OF the
\ town.
The fire then lighted up was kept
burning through the whole year. On
some particular occasions it exhibited
wider extent and greater brightness,
throwing off from its radiating points
rays of light Of various hues, III differ
ent directions; being at all times, how
ever sufficiently conspicuous to com
mend the fidelity and the zeal of those
whose official duty II was to provide for
and sustain It.
A few years ago, however, the ques-
ton began to be publicly considered
whether indeed il were necessary that
all this work should be continued. On
this point, at first, there was, generally
/ but one opinion. 1t was claimed that
the fire was necessary both III summer
and in wInter--necessary for the sick
and the poor-for the laboring man
and the man OF leisure for those that
we're sick and those that were we'll
those that were weak and those that
were strong, and particularly desirable
for the stranger that might be within
our gates Some rehearsed the benefit
they supposed they had received from
ii. and stoutly affirmed that it could moi
be dispensed with. They affirmed thai
it was lighted up by kind Providence
to be considered as designed for tue
benefit of mankind, und ought, there
fore to be regarded as one of the good
things of God, while to extinguish it
would indicate great insenslbility tc
divine goodness. In some cases 1t NIGH
be inferred that evil had resulted from
it, but this was all TO be ascribed to ex
cess, rather than to any injurious Gle
ment in the nature of the fire ITSELF
Moo crate heat, at any rate, was though
to be very desirable 1t was found
however, that the nature of this fiT,
prevented It's effective control whereye
it was kept burning. Many individual
who had intended to derive only lit
tie genial warmth from it, had sudden
" and unexpectedly found tnemselve
completely enyeloped by it, and strange
" losing all control over themselves
were hurried inrther aud further int
the midst Of the flames. In this way
the fire continued 10 spread, and n
conservative rules Of procedure could
keep it under any satisfactory regula
ton.
1t became very apparent therefore,
a moderate heat from this fire was de
sirable, 1T was impracticable TO secur
it--that 1T must be entirely extingulsh
ed, or the people must be continual.
! exposed to danger On further exam
ination, a very considerable number o
the inhabitants Of TINS and other town
, became satisfied that the utility Of thii
, Ere had been altogether oyerrated-
! that il was not only unnecessary an
! useless, bat IN the highest degree dan