, 1882-06-02
"The Guards of the Town"


of January last 1t is as if some muse
inspired soul of fifty years hence had re-
counted the virtues of those sentinel
trees that had successfully warned evil
doers through all the years. 1t will also
serve to reveal the true state Of affairs
to people at distance:
Not more than ten thousand miles
away,
Adown from the hills, to breezy bay,
Which is much like this, city stands,
Filled with thinking heads and with
skillful hands,
With a forest of masts afloat on her
tides
And a network of railroads piercing her
sides,
With wise men, and rich men, and good
men and preachers,
Her courts full of lawyers, her schools
full of teachers,
Her jails full of-nothing she needs
not your pity,
For she's remarkably peaceable city.
In the triangular square of this proud
old town,
Facing it on the north and frowning
down
On the passer-by, stand two maple trees,
Sturdy and old; the evening breeze,
AS it ripples and sways their branches
wide,
Sweeps aside for q moment the leaves
which hide,
Or almost hide, two beams of pine
Placed together line in line
And side to side, srln-dried and old,
Bleached with the rain and the winters
cold,
Scared and cracked in the sur's fierce
rays,
Scanned and furrowed with length of
days,
Whitened like some bleak skeleton,
AS they gleam in the flush Of the sinking
sun.
For these trees with their burden 80 long
have stood,
The ends of the beams are incased in
Which, growing as grew the naples
stout,
Has encircled the ends Of the beams
about,
To the casual beholder they seem to be
Mortised into the solid tree.
They add no beauty unto the town
But no man so bold as to cut them down.
Years ago, so long they say,
That the infant then. now is old and gray,
This city was not as it is today
In the "peaceable,' orderly" business
way,
But its streets were polluted with men Of
crime
From many distant shore and cline
And i'll many spot its pavement's wood
Was dyed with innocent human blood;
And the the sighs of the widowed and ia
therless,
Poured out in their woe and helplessness,
Had formed cloud, which settling
down
Hung like a pail DER that wicked town
That the prayers of the good people left
in the place
Could not reach the throne of heavenly
grace,
Through the accusing cloud Of sighs and
tears:
Then message comes to the worshippers,
"What behooves it to idly trust and pray?
"Arouse ye! and wipe that cloud away,
For many and many a deed OF sin
"Your city's accursed and those within,
Who's hands are stained with innocent
blood,
Must be brought to Judgment, before
the cloud
THAT shadows your beautiful town like a
pail
"Shall be lifted up from off you"
1t ceased, twas all.
The judges sat on their thrones of state,
The lawyers argued in full debate,
The jurors pondered DER line and clause,
But they all forgot what their duty was;
The preachers thundered from pulpit and
desk,
The teachers taught, and the wise men
vexed
Their brains for way to save the town.
From the awful cloud which kept settling
down;
While the wicked and cruel without re-
morse
Scoffed at the law which was not enforced.
When the rich men, the wise men, the
good man and teachers,
The jurors. the lawyers, the judges and
preachers,
From every part of the frightened place,
Were gathered together, a message flash
ed
Through the terrible cloud, and loud and
clear,
1t spoke to each awe struck heart and
ear:
why stand We idle, like blocks OF stone
"There is blood on your hands, will ye
not atone:'
Then the rich men, the wise men, the
good men and preachers,
The strong men the brave mon the
schoolmen and teachers,
When the voice had ceased, and the air
was still,
As one man arose, with terrible will
They seized the scoTers who caused all