The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-05-11
The Drunkard's Dream.

ne l'Iunkefd7 = Dream.
~ VIRGIL W. BLANCHARD. MD.
Methought stood upon an overhang-
ing rock, where beneath swept the cur
rent of a mighty, impetuous river.
Over the brow ofa precipice, 1t fell into
the yawning chasm below with re-
sistless fury.
In roar as of many thulders its aw-
ful voice was heard.
The solid rock beneath my feet shiy-
cred and trembled as though ii felt the
earthquakes power.
AT the bottom of the rock-walled
chasm, scething and foaming, as if in
a fiendish rage, the mighty torrent,
like a maddened, writing serpent,
swept onward in its course.
As gazed down--down to the bottom
of the rifted chasm, on either side could
be seen the rock-fiinged margin against
which the rushing waters seethed and
foamed
Piled against the projecting lodges,
and dashing against their ragged edges,
were innumerable lifeless forms that
bore the human shape.
| Within the channel, with the speed
of arrows, thousands were being sped
from sight.
Here and there, a hue of crimson
seemed to tinge the snowy foam.
lnnumerable fragments of shattered
life-boats with the lifeess forms were
borne along.
The death-strewn, wreck-strewn,
blood-stained, seething torrent, down
in its deep and rock-walled chasm, froze
my soul with fear and awe.
| h.
rent, thousands like myself were rush
ing TO doom.
turned to the mighty cataract.
Upon its verge. in the midst of the
curling vapors, scores of life boats
trembling hung.
With extended arms and ghastly faces
their living freight swept into the deep.
Above the dreadful verge of the tor
rent innumerablc life-boats dotted the
current.
Plying the oar with the strength of
despair, some of their inmates seemed
to struggle.
Others with folded arms swept on TO
their doom.
The cries and shrieks of these help
less victims were drowned and lost In
the thunderous roar.
! Their imploring hands and their
ghastly faces as they swept the brink
was sight of woe.
The blood in my heart seemed cur
died with horror, as my eye beheld the
dreadful scene.
Above the brink, extending inland,
smooth and placid shone the water.
Bright and placid as mirror lay this
quiet nook of water.
Inland from the rushing channel
spread its smooth unruffied bosom.
Save here and there circling eddy
near the rushing torrent, sedge.
This pleasant nook Of placid water
seemed alive with human freight.
Flashing oars and song and laughter
seemed to fill this Joyous scene.
Round and round, in widening cir
cles, ever sped the merry fleet.
The silver notes of song and laughter
rose abeve the torrents roar.
The outward boats in the outward
circle were being caught in the eddy's
grasp.
Within the arms of the giant eddy,
they,were quickly borne to the chan
nel's edge.
And there the scene of joy and glad
ness seemed to change to dread and woe.
The affrighted inmates tugged at the
oar.
Alas no boat could cross that tor
rent, and not one in a thousand could
escape its grasp.
Down, down they were swept on tbs
rushing rapids to the terrible brink of
a dreadful deep.
Lost lost lost!
The few who escaped seemed breath
less with terror.
With anxious faces, they attend their
warnings.
They told of the mighty power of the
torrent
|. But their voices were drowned by
song and laughter, joined to theroar Of
the raging deep.
i The merry feet still swept its circle,
bearing victims TO their doom.
Though the terrible scene was vivid
before them, still those that remained
betrayed no fear.
Still, with shout and song and laugh
ter, the merry feet swept on its course.
The shore was lined by countless
thousands.
Thousands hurrying, launched the
life-boat.
That with them they might be num-
bered, gliding on the pl.cid water.
OWcoPihS oSer Wluenth rclrCl6Sp ullu
the roar of so-g and laus shter.
had found the dreadful secret of the
death-strewn stream below.
| Oil the dreadful scene before me,
on that woe-resounding shore.
Fathers, mothers, wives and children.
to the forms of loved ones clinging.
Pointing to the scene before thsm, to
a certain fearful fate.
beckoning loved ones near the shore.
n Others froze with woe and horror,
viewing loved ones swept to doom.
stIil Pse see the s dfeadiuii' SC Scene. aa' "'
Burnt into my brain its features, and
its horrors still see.
Had it not hidden meaning; did
not angels paint the scene?
II Yes, II came in time to save me, save