Smyrna times., 1868-09-09
DEAD IN THE DOORWAY.

-SSs OSSs--
Found dead in a doorway on Chestnut street,
Just when the night and morning meet.
An elderly man, with white scant hair;
And all that told what had brought him there,
Was bottle of brandy or gin. rum
To show that the murder by drink done.
Drted the cruel snow Der his form,
Peted adown all the merciless storm.
Icicles formed in his tangled hair,
Froze TO his temples and crusted there.
Stlh were the fingers so wrinkled and thin
Through rags rents and taters the icebreah crept
Blue, cold and frozen, the poor tired feet
Covered alone by the bitter nights sleet.
Down in his eyes the gaslight glared-
And nobody knew him. and nobody cared
Out in the whrng. binding snow!
Who was the Oucast? Does nobody knowP
Nobody knew and nobody cared
How either the soul or the body Jared
Only the bottle the story told.
Homeless and helpless friendless and old.
Supplied, starving, suffering, sckl
Begging bed and getting kick.
Showed to the side by selfish world,
Careless how to Eternity hurled.
0, the usherng out of that lonely soul!
No bell in the tall, grand steepe to toll
No mOurners to gather and weep around
Only the wind with its wailing sound,
Only the trees tossed their skeleton arms
Against the sky at the winds alarms!
Long, long ago, a fond mothers breast,
He may have pllowed to innocent rest
Mothers love bent over him, over him wept-
Over him long vigil kept;
Fondled him tenderly, lovingly smiled.
For. in the past, he was somebody's child
Somebody darling somebody's pet
Sure motherove then was as mOther-love yet
Smooth back the scattered locks from the poor brow
As did that mother Once-straugers do now.
Lift him up tendery, bear him away
Jeer not at his weakness nor cruel words say,
For the sake of the white hairs though fallen Owl
How much he was tempted, of know
After him, long years, the foe may have crept
Watching him while waking still watched as he slept.
Robbng him. tOrturing, stealing his youth:
Sowing the seed for thus last hours ruth
Taunting him, sneerng crushing him down.
Sending him staggering out on the town."
Out of happy home. out of its light,
Into despair darkness gloomiest night.
We only with earth vision weak.
As mOrtals we Judge and as mortals speak.
Above there is One, all true and al-wise,
Who, ooketh adown from the upper skies.
And reading each heart in its secret thought.
Understands, comprehends. when discern not;
And out in that lonely night. staress and cold,
With that poor wanderer, weary and old,
He may have been and forgiven all
Heeds he not even the sparrow's fall?
Saved he not even the thief on the treep
such was our lesson Of dear Calvary.
But weep for the living ay. shudder for them,
Weep for the fallen and tempted Of men.
Moan moan for the widows and orphans rum makesI
Moan, for the hearts that the rumseller breaks
Think you OF the lives he has wasted and spoiled!
Look you at his garments with bood-sains how soed
Well do the knife, and the rope and the ball,
Owe him tithe, for he feedeth them all!
look on the pubbes that dance on the edge,
And see shudd ringy, the dark precipice ledge!
look at the color ruby and bright,
And see just below it despair's darkest night
In that cups honeyed depth there is drest of woe
Do doubt do you doubt DEAD MAN FOUND IT 81
Dead, dead in a doorway on Chestnut street,
Thence to final Judgment seat!
Thence to the steps of the Great White Throne
Into His presence who sits thereon,
The greatest maker of greatest laws:
The truest Judge of the criminals cause.
Dead dead in the doorway: alone, all alonel
Only the nght-wInd to echo his moan.
But above, from His great throne the Great Judge SAW
The Just Judge who judged the liquor awl
The liquor itself, accursed thing!
The liquor slaves. and the quOr king!