Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-10
Selrff yflisfenanp.



THE OLD MAN.
! love to dream, the old man sighs,
love 10 wear the sweet disguise
That Fancy wraps around the form
Through which the life-blood gushes warm.
Infettered then, the heart may roam
From lowest vale 10 mountain dome,
heedless Of weary, aching limb
Of faltcring speech or yiaiOn dim
Unconscious Of the weight Of years,
Their woes forgot allayed their fears,
Tie lives again, a merry child,
Repeats the sports Of boyhood wild,
And. bathing In the rosy flush
Of loves sweet dawning, feels the blush
llngling his checks, aud mounting where
u hides beneath the raven hair.
lie sees again the hazel eye,
or one that's cUlored like the sky,
or one that rivals darkest night,
It's blackness or IT, starry light,
Or that onthrllling, arctic grey,
In which are blended night and day.
The hair he sees il Natures crown,
whether Us golden, black, or brown.
Remember he L. sweetly dreaming.
Ana conscious only Of the seeming
lie asks not " those cunning curls
Were made 10 order for the girls,
OR II that bright bcwitching coil
Grew once la quite dill derent soil
hAt tint 50 delicate and iaint,
L. real blood or only paint.
That pearly whiteness, virgin snow,
Or such as druggists can bcstow,
Whether the ruby Of the lip
Has felt the brushes gentle dip.
Or Mother Nature had to sweryc
10 round that undulating curve;
whether laugh or sneeze would rout
And throw the cleaning ivory out.
On, no. his dreams are Of the Past,
Au honest age, receding fast,
When rosy health was all tho fashion,
And Tore controlled the pulse Of passion;
When honest sugar could command,
Without a modicum Of sand
Sufficient sale, and men could drain
The bnnming bowl and not complain,
Or ever even raise the question,
What caused that III Of Indigestion
Aye even rum, they say, was pure,
And though TO kill It then was sure,
II had its friends in every station,
Aud gave the tippler long probation
But now Il skullss In darkest holes,
Aud drags 10 lIades crazy souls
The cloth the dreamer wore 10 school
His mother made Of honest wool
While ouTs, II destitute Of cotton,
With fiimsy, shoddy rags is rotten
With tea fwm China they were favored
With grass or clover never favored
And coffee roasted then and ground
Our beaming matruns never found
While all the luscious cup applauded
That hungry swine had been defrauded
o. men were strong and women fair
Mighty TO win and bold'to dare
II sickness grasped the stalwau frame,
And glowed hot fever's burning flame
To loose the sharp, imprisoned pain,
lhe lancet pierced the swelling vein,
Aud out there gushed the boiling food,
red Niagara Of blood
II that was not enough 10 start
The sullen foe, he felt the smart
OF rasping blisters, pond rous pills,
Calomel, bitter aloes, squi,ls,
Or drugs that were more potent still,
Aided the patients giant will
But now, the pill must wear a coat
OF sugar, biting blsters float
In soft, sweet cream, and Doctors fear
a drop OF blood may cost them dear.
Content are they to let Us die
A natural death, if they may ply
Their soothing art b make us sleep,
The while the shadows o er us creep.
The homeopathic doctor brings,
What darling little harmless things
The children thrOng him in the street.
And beg with tears for pellets sweet
How nice the patient thinks it is,
10 greet the sage's smiling phizl
Disgusted, he don't turn aside
His rising nausea 10 hide.
The least is mightiest they say.
Aud costs but little, any way.
The Preacher used to thunder out,
Aud hurl his fiery bolts about
To frighten sinners from the path
That leads TO never-ending wrath
But now, with smooth and dulcet tones,
With soothing sighs, and velvet groans,
lie moves the wretches, sin-enslayed,
And coaxes rebels TO be saved
Murder was sure Of punishment,
And thieves to prison then were sent;
Bat now we pity the insane
Who cut the thread Of life in twain,
And ch0sten rascals for their good,
Who chance to shed their brothers blood
While Mtle thieves are handled rough
lis only safe TO steal enough.
The aged love TO dream said
OF times when people used TO wed
Before their shining locks were gray
liie's morning. not declining day,
Beheld the sweet betrothal then,
And lovers soon were married men
But now, all me, the painful years
Are filled with changing hopes and fears;
Alternate fnith, and wasting doubt
Wearing q Job-like patience out.
OF old, the birds would both engage
To build and nest the bridal cage;
But now they wait, while time is dying,
And faith declines and hopes are dy Ing.
The old man dreams Of golden days,
Aud listens through the misty haze
Tor voices that were wont TO thrill,
That, waking, he will find are still.
Instead Of flowers Of fragrant May,
lie sees the almonds snowy spray;
Sprinked with silver once brown locks,
Naked and bare the yine-clad rocks.
kemorseess death has left him lone,
The early loved, the mossy stone
Tells when they died and where they sleep,
And darker, darker shadows creep
over the pathway, near the place
Where soon will end his earthly race.
q blame him never II the present
Has less TO make his journey pleasant;
The past is bright with life's sweet dawn,