The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-05-23
From the elias. to the Ganows.
By MAX o'RILEr.

(aead before the Temperance Union at Bolivar
Tennessee, Monday night hsy Goth
Within prisons walls, where shadows veil decay,
In letters on heap of straw a wasted convict lay.
Heart broken, weary and ferlorn, with short and
feverish breath,
He waited mid prisons gloom. to die felon's
death.
His minds eye travels distant back to bOyhOOd's
rosy morn.
He sees the green on which he played, he sees the
fields of corn;
He sees the reapers 'mong the grain, he hears the
He sees himself bright-eyed boy mid ali this hap
Ply throng.
He sees the brook the wood the glen, where deepest
shadows fell;
He secs far down the lane the birds, he hears the
tinkling bell;
He upon the bough the birds he hears the song
they sing,
He sees the oak with elinging Vine and meath the
bubbling spring.
He sees the church. the spire, the people he hears
the school bells chime,
His heart for q moment melts, and feels as 1t felt
ere calloused with crime;
Hiseyes grow Rdi and tear drops steal down cheeks
pale, hagagrd and thin.
Would that they could wash the stain from life 50
lest in sin.
His mother dead with sudden grief, his father bow
ed with care,
He pictures yonder round the hearth, each in the
old home chair;
Again they smile upon their boy, with hearts brim
full of hope,
A sisters arm seems resting where soon will the
hangman's rope.
He hears the gentle Gliding voice. he catches words
of praise,
He sees love looks from loving eyes, CLEAN through
the half rent haze;
He sees the bud of boyhood's morn immerge to
blushing bloom,
He quits the dewey skies of youth for manhOOd's
ripen noon.
Out on the rostrum OF the world he makes his first
debut,
He feels new vigor in his veins, the world itseli
seems new;
He floats upon air of ease mid pleasures gilded
train,
He lives the moment but to please, fears, mol
dreams Of pain.
The red wine flows the glass is raised, his mind IN
| humorous train,
He sips its nectarine sweets and feels it courslnl
through every vein;
1t quickens the braIR-hes brilliant now, his words
| incessant flow,
He scars in realms of numerous songs his eyes will
mirths aglow.
Who that has drank cannot recall, the potent spell
it drew
Who that's long drank remembers we'll, the thirs
| that with it grew.
Where's the inebriate whose strong nerve, though
fed on wines the best,
Are firm as he who drains the glass, that's file,
from natures breasts?
He reels and staggers, stOops and grasps, again h
drains the bowl
serpent's fangs are in his heart, and fastened OIL
his sOui
The midnight revelry runs high, debauchery run:
deep;
High carnival dissolves the hours and whisky muir
ders sleep.
He seeks his homo, his brains fire. fends feed tn
demon of hate;
Reasons dethroned and IoOsened rage high lifts tn
dagger of hate,
1t falls and sheahes its point of steel in the yer!
While angels veil their faces and bear back t
heaven his wife.
Ali this in awful quickness rolls across the fame
| time,
He sees as 'twere the sense of guilt, and feels tn
weight of crime
But twas not he who murdered her, 1t was tn
fiend within;
But be, alas! must pay the debt and suffer for tn
sin.
The strong door on its hinges turns, he's to tn
scaffold borne,
Ten thousand eyes upon him gaze, but none ez
pressiye MOURN
The cord is fixed, the cap is drawn the world, tn
light has hed
blow, a drop, struggle or two, and he is wit
the dead.
Twas strong drink brought the strong man there
twas strong drink that done the deed;
Twas drink that fills the journal of crime, wit
blasted things read.
Twas strong drink fills prison cells, drink
the scaffold's friend;
1t gives to crime the hideOus glare which only d.
mons lend.
1t smothers the social existence of man, it gives
whitsness stain;
1t adds to suffering, leads to want, and chang
D pleasure to pain;
1t sickens the health creates disease destroys bot
body and mind,
And fills the world with evil to curse all grades
human kind.
It kills out virtue, kindles shame it drass pul
women low,
And fills her life cup to the brim with very dru
, of woe;
1t steals way sunlight from the eye, it scads the
I out with tears;
It fills up graves with broken hearts, ere half the
length of years.
It sends the orphan about to beg, it leaves IL
widow in want;
1t peoples the homes of starving poor, with spectr
grim and gaunt;
+ It Ellis asylums with shattered minds whose gla
| ing maniac ey~s,
Stare senscleis the things that pass, and all tn
round them lies.
i. Intemperance takes the royal crown, and covers
- with disgrace;
Intemperance robs thepurest heart of every virtue
trace;
n Intemperanee takes from mansions fine and sen
i to the lowest cell;
incompetence rObs from heaven and gives its sol
u to the prison of hell.