Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-08-27
How to Warm us.-A Dream

HOW 10 warm uS.-A Dream.
dreamed dream one summer night;
The full moon walked path of light;
The stars their watch were keeping;
The criokets sung their shriil craik, craik,
And maybe, was half awake,
And maybe was sleeping.
Idreamed that in certain town
Where all the virtues gained renown,
There dwelt a certain people,
goodly people. they appeared,
Who built church and on it reared
A beltry and steeple.
Then. all at once the question rose.
When earth is wrapped in wintry SHOWS,
How shall we ever warm us
We'll call a meeting and decide.
of ways and means. how to provide,
/. some one will inform us,
Then all the people answer yea,
And flock to gether, grave and gay,
All classes and all sizes.
They choose president. then each
In their peculiar style Of speech
What suits them best advises.
The first proposed no fire to make.
But each heated brick could take
Or skillet filled with embers.
Then each one for themselves could care.
Providing their own bill of fare,
Nor burden other members.
5 The next one thought 'twould better do.
To build a good fireplace or two,
And set the chimney roarIDg.
The roar might help the singers sing,
And drown the sleepers' snoring.
I Dame Thrifty said. she rather guessed
good box stove would warm them best,
And be the least expensive,
A stove. cries Pride with flashing eyes,
rwould blister worse than Spanish hes,'
And be far more offensive.
8 A stove indeed. the things absurd.
I'm sure l could not hear a word
of preaching or of singing,
A hOrrid stovepipe overhead.
Why | should sit in perfect dread,
My nerves in torture wringing.
Q Then Fashion thought the matter DER.
And said furnace meath the floor.
Had been to her suggested.
A monstrous pile of wood 'twoud take,
But then, if done for her sweet sake.
1t would be well invested.
10 Aunt Careful, from her corner pew,
Said she would tell them what ter dew
To keep their blood from chilling.
She said she always thought twas pest,
In winter to go warmly dressed.
In clothes that had some filing
II The girls good quilted hoods should wear.
Instead of so much forrin hair
A dangling round their faces,
And long cloth cloaks. both thick and warm,
To shield them from the cold and storm,
Were better than fine laces.
II But Folly cried you ancient goose,
Who from the farmyard set you loose.
With fancies so appalling
Il your quaint notions should prevail.
For practice would the doctors fail,
Or choose some other calling.
Cried spare the dame. she's kin of mine,
We were brought up together.
And though her speech sounds odd to you,
Her heart is gentle, kind and true,
And warm as summer weather.
Il Just at this juncture, Bacehus rose
With watery eyes and flaming nose,
And breath with brandy reeking,
And said I'll tell you of a fire
That's lighted many funeral pyre,
New victims daily seeking.
Is Above the holy Cradle Hymn
flash the wine cups flaming rim.
And mock the praying mother.
And. on my smoking altar stones.
scorch and scar, mid walls and groans,
The conscience that smother.
16 Fond fathers weep FER sunken graves
Where lie my inundated slaves;
My path with crime is blackened.
For every deed of foulest art,
To warp the soul and steel the heart,
Ny hand is never slackened.
II l bid the victims of Strong Drink
Tonever pause and calmly think,
For Reason thrives by thinking
And Reason on the judgment seat,
Would crush my power beneath her feet
And stop the drunkard's drinking.
IS Then Bacchus, reeling through the hall,
Flourished brand of AtcohoL
Shouting, behold my fuel
Each trembling mother to her breast
Her fair-browed nursing closer pressed,
And cried, Lord save my jewel.
10 Then Justice, Mercy Truth and Grace.
Spurned the foul demon to his face.
And drove him from their border;
And. grateful for escape from harm,
They sung a soul-inspirng psalm.
And called the house to order.
20 When every one had freed their mind
And all the ways and means combined.
To meet and bear expenses
They all agreed that plan was best
That most utility possessed,
And bore the least offences.
q Just then, behind the mountains crept
The moon and stars. the crickets slept
And as the hours were f1eeting,
Their business done, at duty's call,
The good towns people, one and all,
In peace dissolved the meeting.
% Ny dream is done. Forgive my muse.
Accept the wheat the chat refuse,
And, if you re poor or weakly.
And need coat, if this will fit.
You're welcome to the loan of it,
If you will wear it meekly.