Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-10-01
TemDora Mutantur.
BY JANIS RussRLL Lo".n

Inc world turns mild, democracy. theynv
Rounds the sharp knobs Of character Avn.
ana no great harm, unless ut great expsss
49, rnss needs edss OF proof, the morxi ssss:
TOT man or race Is Oh the downward path
whose noer grows TO soft for honest wrath
anu tnere subtle influence that springs
from words 70 modify our sense Of thing
plain distinction Is obscured of late;
men, II they Will, may pardon; but the stats
rofgets ITS functions II not fixed as Fate.
20 thought our sires; 4 hundred years ago,
II men are knaves, why. people called them %.
ana crime could see the prison portal bend
It's brow severe at no long vista's end;
In those days for plain things plain words al
serve;
Men had not learned to admire the yracsfunvx
wherewith the Esthe;ic Natures genial mooa
Mskes public duty slope to private good
NO muddled conscience raised the saving doubt,
soldier proved unworthy was drummsd out.
An officer cashiered, n civil servant.
40 matter though his piety we're .erventO
Ds9raceiully dismissed, and through the lad
Ca. Zach bore Tor life a tigma from the brand.
" y mhose iar-heard hiss made others more svsrss
10 take the faciIe step from bad to worse.
Inc len Commandments had q meaning then,
reit In their bones by least considerate men.
because behind them Pubic Conscience stood.
And without wincing mode their mandates good.
But now that 'statemanship" Is Just way
10 dodge the primal curse and IN AXE it pay
since ottice means kind OF patent drill
10 force an entrance to the Nations till.
ana peculatiOn something rather less
Risky than :. you spelt II with ans;
Now that to steal by law Is grown au art
whom roSues tee sires. their milder call sMAx
And slightly irregular dilutes the shame
W what had once a somewhat blunJer name
With generous curve draw the moral line,
Our s~indlers are permitted to resign;
Ineir guilt is wrapped in deierential names.
And twenty sympathize for one that olames.
Acd national disgrace to private crime,
confront mankind with hrazen front sublime.
Steal but enough, the world is unsevere,-
Tweed IS n Statesman. Fisk fnancier,
Invent Il mine and be-the Lord knows shzt.
Secure, at any rate, with what you've got.
The Dablic servant y no has stole or lied.
IL called on, may resi- IN with honest pride.
As unjust favor put him in, why doubt
lisiaYOr as unjust has turned him euts
Even II indicted, what IS that but fudge
To him who eOun.ed-in the elective Judge
nhliewashed, he quits the politicians strife
Az esse In miud, with pockets hlled :or life.
lis lady glages with genus whose vulgar blaze
The poor man thrOu sh his heightened taxes pup .
Himself content If One hugs kOhinOor
bulge from a shirt-ront smpler than De Ore
But not too candid, lest il hapy tend
10 rouse suspicion OF the Peoples Friend
A public meeting, treated a. his cost,
Resolves him back more virtue than ne lost
With character reSiit, he counts his = ms
what's gone was air, tae solid gOud enna'ns,
For wh4l IS good except what Trend snd .os
Seem both unanimous in thiakinz 50.
he stocks and bonds whi-h 10 our aze o. loans
Replace the stupid pa z4n's stocks and si0aes'
With c3Oker white, wherein no ryRic eye
Dares idealized a hemuea tie
At parish meetings he cuuddcts IA prayer.
Ana pays :Ur missiOus-td b5 sent elsewhere
IN Change respected, 10 his frieucs sndeared.
Add hut Sunday -schoUl-ci Iss he's reyerud
And his Too early tOmo vii uot DO dunno
70 point a mora for our yo1th to come.
III Mia.