Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-11-02

Read at the New England Societies festival at \
'rk, December p, 1876, by ALLEN C. sPooNER, of
iy.l
Twas in my eas7 chairat home,
About a,week ago,
1 sat and puffed my light segar
As usual,.you must know.
Unused upon the Pilgrim flock,
Whose luck it was to land
Upon almost the only rock
Among the Plymouth sand
In my minds eye saw them leave
Their weather-beaten bark
Before them spread thelwintry wilds,
Behind, rolled ocean dark.
Alone thatilittle handful,stood
While savage.foes lurked nigh,
Their creed and watchword. Trust in God.
And keep,your powder dry"
Imagination's pencil then
That first stern winterpainted,
When morelthan half their number died
And stoutest spirits tainted.
A tear unbidden flled:one eye,
My smoke had filed t he other;
One sees strange sights at.such time.
Which quite the senses bother.
knew was slone-but 10
(Let him who dares. .ideride me0
Hooked, and drawing up q chair.
Down sat man beside me.
His dressIwas ancient, and his air
Was somewhat strange and foreign;
He civiliy returned my stare,
And said, I'm Richard ,larreni
You'll find my name among the list
OF fhero,,sage aud martyr,
Who in the Mayhower's cabin, signed
The first New England charter.
could some curious facts impart-
Perhaps some wise suggestions
But then, I'm bent on seeing sights,
And running DER with questions.
ASK on" said I. " I'll do my best
To give you information,
Whether Of private men you ask,
Or our renowned nation"
Says he, " First tell me what is that
In yon oompar tment narrow,
Which seems to dry my eyebals up,
And scoreh my very marrow"
His finger pointed to the CRATE
Said l, " that's Lehigh coal,
Dug from the earth."-he shook his head
1T is, upon my soul."
then took up bit of.stick,
One end as black a. night,
And rubbed 1t quick across the hearth.
When 10. a sudden light
My guest drew back, uprolled his eyes.
Aud'strOve his breath to catch
What necromancy's that" he cried
Qloth |, :" A friction match"
Upon pipe Just overhead,
turned a little screw,
When forth With instantaneous fash.
There streams Of lightning few.
Uprose my guest; {" Now Heaven my save"
Aloud he shouted, then
Z" Is that hell fire 2" "'Tis gas" said I.
Z" We call it hydrogen"
Then forth into the fields we strolled,
train came thuudering by,
Drawn by the suortinx iron steed
Swifter than eagles fly.
Rumbed tue wheels the whistle shriekei,
Far streamed the smoky cloud,
Echoed the hills, the valleys shook,
The flying forests bowed,
Down on his knees, with hands upraised
Ia worship, Warren fell;
" Great is the Lord orr God" cried he,
" tie doeth all things we'll"
I" I've seen His chariDts of fire.
The horsemen, too, thereof,
o, may meier forget His ire,
Nor at HIS threatening scoff ."
" Rise up, my friend, rise up" said 1,
Your terrurs all are vain;
That was no chariot of thu sky,
Twas the New York mali train"
We stood within chamber small
Men came the!news o know,
From Worcester Springfield and New York,
Texas and Mexico.
1t came it went-silen t.and sure
He stared, smiled, burst out laughing;
what witchcraft's that ~" It's what we call
Magnetic telegraphing."5
Once more we stepped into the street:
Said Warren What is that
Which moves.alongiacross.th way
AS softly as a cat?
mean the thing upon two legs,
With feathers nits. head
A monstrous humpIbelow its waist.
Large as feather. bed.
1t has the gift of speech. L hear;
But sure it can'tlbe humanl"
My:amiable.friend, said l.,
That's what we call a.woman."
Eternal power it cannot be-"
Sighed he, with voice that faltered;
I" / loved the women in my day,
But, oh they're strangely altered"
/ showed him then a new machine
For turning eggs to chickens,
A labor saving hennerV,
That beats the very dickens.
Thereat, he strongly grasped my hand,
And said, '"Tis plain Ito see
This world is so transnogrifed,
Twill never dofor me.
Your telegraphs, your railroad trains
Your gas lights. friction matches,
Your hump backed women, rocks for coal.
Your thing which chickens matches.
Have turned the earth 30 upside down,
No peace is left within it;'
Then whirling round upon his heel,
He vanished in a minute.
Forthwith, my most veracious pen
Wrote down what had heard
And here, dressed up in doggerel rhyme.
You have it, word for word.
From the Boston Cour