Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-03-27
OLD TIMES AND NEW.

fmagination's pencil then
The first stern winter painted,
When more than half their number died,
And stoutest spirits tainted.
A-tear unbidden filed one eye,
My smoke had filed the other;
One sees strange sights at such time,
Which quite the senses bother.
1 knew was alone-butlo!
QIet him who dares, deride me->
looked, and, drawing up chair,
Down sat a man beside me.
His dress was ancient, and his air
Was somewhat strange and foreign.
He civilly returned my stare,
And said, sim Richard Warren!"
"YouT find my name among the list
OF hero, sage, and martyr,
Who, in the MAYFLowER's csbin, signed
The first New England cIarteF.
al could some curious facts impart-
Perhaps, some wise suggestions
But then, I'm bent on seeing sights,
And running DER with questions.
ASK on" said 1, "I1l do my best
To give you information,
Whether of private men you ask,
Or our renowned nation"
Says he, First tell me what is that
In your compartment narrow,
Which seems to dry my eye-balls up,
And scorch my very marrow.
His finger pointed to the CRATE
Said T. That's Lehigh coal,
Dug from the earth"-he shook his head
" It is, upon my soul !"
then took up bit of stick,
One end was black as night,
And rubbed it quick across the hearth,
When 10, sudden light!
MY guest drew back, uprolled his eyes,
And strove his breath to catch
What necromancy's that ?" he cried
Quoth ], "a friction match"
Upon pipe just overhead,
turned little screw,
When forth, with instantaneous flash,
Three streams Of lightning flew.
Up rose my guest" Now heaven me save"
Aloud he shouted, then,
" Is that hell fire ?" "a It's gas said I,
We call it hydrogen"
Then forth into the fields we strolled,
A train came laundering by,
Drawn by the snorting iron steed,
Swifter than the eagles fly.
Rumbied the wheels, the whistle shrieked,
Far streamed the smoky cloud,
Echoed the hills, the valleys shook,
The flying forests bowed.
Down on his knees, with hands appraised
In worship, Warren fell
Great is the Lord our God" cried he-
" He doeth all things we'll"
1--we seen his chariots of fire.
The horseman, too, thereof.
o, may ne'er provoke His ire,
Nor at his threatening scoff."
:" Rise up, my friend, rise up" said [,
Your terrors are all vain
That was no chariot of she sky,
Twas the New York mail train"
We stood within chambcr small,
Men came the news to know,
From Worcester, Springfield and New York,
Texas and Mexico.
1t came-it went-silent but sure
He started, smiled, burst out laughing;
" What witchcraft's that 2" ats what we cal
Magnetic teleQranhnp"
Once more We stepped into the street;
Said Warren, 50 What is that
Which moves along across the way
As softly as a cat?
- mean The thing upon two legs,
With feathers on its head
A Inonstrous hump below its waist,
Large as a feather bed.
at has the gift OF speech, hear,
But sure it can't be human ?"
My amiable friend" said I,
q That's what we call woman
External powers. it cannot be-"
Sighed he, with voice chat faltered:
loved the women in my day,
But, Oh! they're strangely altered"
I showed him then new machine
For turning eggs to chickens,
labor-saying heunery,
That beats the yery dickens.
Thereat, he strongly grasped my hand
And said, % It's plain to see
This world is SO transmogriied,
Twill never do for me.n
Your telegrapht, your railroad trains,
Your gas lights, friction matches,
Your hump-backed women, rocks for coal,
Your thing which chickens matches,
Have turned the earth SO upside down,
No peace is left within it,
Then, whirling round upon his heel,
He vanished il : minute.
Forthwith, my most veracious pen
Wrote down what had heard
And here, dressed up in doggereI rhyme,
You have it word for word.