The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-06-25
PROTIIBITION.


Nj. II, &. WALL editor Of the Rockingham
Rocket, read the following poem
PRoHIBITION.
Propitiots Muse the gift alone is thine
To tune Alright this infant harp of mine
Since, uninvoked, thou still dost visit earth
TO smile on him Of consecrat,d d birth,
Then sure, invoked, thou fain wouldst rem
der aid
To one not poet born,' but poet made.
My theme is old-how Old | cannot tell;
Perhaps it dates from when old Noah fell
For, since that day, vain man has need to
shun
Temptations way, and after virtue run,
And, sure, this theme Of mine embraces all
The greater sins that followed Noah's fail.
In looking back Ger Man - eventful life
Since first the Devil set the world at strife;
In summing up the ills that curse mankind
And tracing each its proper source to find;
Thou, lntemp' rance, must herald forth the
plan
Entailing direst woes on crring man.
See tLat young man, by happy fortune
blessed,
The pride of home-by loving friends ca
reSSedi
The sky to him is one unbroken blue,
No clouds as yet Obtrude to mar the view;
And trained in virtues ways, he little
dreams
How drear is life which now pleasant
seems.
Beneath his native roof no sins betray
To lure his unsuspecting soul away,
Guided his footsteps by Il fathers care
Shielded his young heart by mothers $
prayer;
And anchored thus, his dreamy youth fits
by,
Spotless indeed from evils lurking nigh
Perhaps for years the father dreams of fame
With which that son will illustrate his
name;
The mother, too has dotted on the child
And stirred his heart with admonition mild;
Now, strong in faith, they soon would bid
him find
The wells of Truth from which to fill his
mind.
The tears, the tears, that flow in anxious
rhe heartfelt yearnings DER that timid boy!
| How careful they, of whom love makes him
To teach him well his evil passions guard,
| Thus armed with hope, the living God his
guide,
He quits that roof to stem life's rushing tide
Well may he cast a wistful eye behind,
The fast recedlng scenes of youth to lind
To catch the glow Of inspiration mild
From lessons taught him when a wayward
child;
Unconscious vet of life's besetting sins,
Homes portals passed, ter ptatlon's course
begins.
| To classic college halls his steps repair;
! Ambitions hopes have all been centered
there:
| To win the need of praise his highest aim
a well earned plaudit dignites his name;
| And, deep Impressed with cOunSels learned
at home,
| He has no bent in ways of vice to roam.
! His upright walk adds lustre to his name;
His gifts of mind! how rings the voice of
Famel
To sins alluring song he gives no heed
His guarded steps to solid virtue lead;
Alone intent on gaining dutys prize,
| To pleasures tempting shapes he shuts his
eyes.
Mid scenes of mirth he firmly holds his way,
conscience free from guilt his constant
stay;
Though pleasures form should wear an
! angels face
And vice appeal, he dares not to embraces;
| Thus well assured is he of strength within
| To check at will the least approach of sill.
See that grim Fort on yonder sea-beat
| strand
| The fercest charge of foes it may withstand
| Let war direct its ordnance to the shock,
| 1t proudly stands: tbs founded on rock!
| Still the mOat is passed, the citadel gained
| For 10, a traitor vile its walls contained.
Just so that heart, tho outward fortified
Admits to counsel free a trator-g guide;
To please friend, perchance, the draught
is drunk
In which the hope of brighter days is sunk
| And now to vice he falls an easy prey
This one dread step dissolving hopes fail
dream
The ways of sin now less revolving seem;
For habits vile, repulSed with ease before,
| Temptation now makes entrance at tins
| door
Int mp rance sure, a deeper curse must take
| For grosser sins that follow in its wake.
Now step by step he plods transgression
Each added st of con tn,
OF Christ-like WILL by which alone frai
Immersed in drink, may yet reform his plan
Until at length, beyond all hope to save,
He sleeps in death and fills drunkard'
grave.
The scene is closed and yet the drama lives
Intemp'rance still the grave its thousand
gives;
And thousands more, who walk this stag
of strife,
Are acting parts, alas, too true to life
The first and second Acts already past,
The third and closing Act will come at last
And now, my friends, task | would essa
To thwart sin fragrant in its sway;
To serve my race, would some mode 1nNen
To chain the vice by which our land IS rent
l would, were't mine, invoke Il heaven-len
will
To crush for aye the devil of the still
In vain have men, through all the flight Q
years,
Fair women, too, Spurred on by Sighs an
tears,
This demon fought until in sheer despair
They check pursuit and leave him III his lail
Where, safe enscOnced, his blazing eve
shoot fire
!, At tender son and hoary- headed sire.
In vain has man, with gifted tongue, POI
traycd
The scenes of woe the drunkard's life ha
made;
In vain the darts, which ridicule doth fine
l To pierce at will the Scape-gOat of his kinC
The tide flows on-the Stygian flood dot
2 pour:
While angels weep, the drunkard calls fe
more.
The pulpit wakes--the rostrum thunder
loud,
Wit hurls her shafts like lightnings frol
the cloud;
> While science stands and, with her prou
acclaim,
6 Attests disease that's wrought in whiskey
name;
The courts meantime alas, that man
s vile
t Are summoned in, the Inquest of a "smlle.