The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-01-15

Instead OF thy pale, slclily blaze,
Give me the light of other days.
"Modern improvements" are "hum'v
Things are not what theylused TO bel
These new inventions, when they come,
We welcome them with boyish glee
But when ] see a candle blaze,
| banker for the good old days.
The good old days of open fires,
Wood fires with bright and cheerful
blaze;
The stately manners of our sires;
Their palmer speech; old-fashioned
ways;
The buXome DANES; the lusty men,
Would we could have them back again.
When | was young we used to hitch
Old Dobbiu up to ride to town.
There never was IA misplaced switch"
We never from the track were thrown.
The trolley-car is not for me;
l have no use for the sc. VI"
And when we took Il journey, too,
We logged along with sober pace;
Our progress, to be sure,;was slow,
But ''slow and steady" wins the race
We had no ''smash-up" nor disaster"
Like railroad trains that travel fasterl
Montpelier was quiet town;
ct had not got to be a "city';)
| wore ''linsey-wolsey" gown
They're out of date-the more's the pity
There were no ''furbelows' nor "frillsn;
And when we danced we danced "uua-
drills "
We never "waltzed," The chaste quadrille,
"Twin-Sisters or Virginia Reel"
Could make our sober pulses THRILL
We "took the steps" with toe and heel"
The prompter did the Figures" cali
For dances, at the old-time ball.
Our dresses were not "decollete"; 7
We wore them high upon the neck.
Bare arms we never did display
At parties; nor. our heads bedeck
With that outlandish, barbrous style
Called "Pompadour.n 1t makes me smile
Our parties closed at nine o'clock,
They did not last till two or three;
Each damsel wore muslin "frock,"
Or, at thelmost, plain ''pongee.'
And am sure we looked us well
As any dressy modern belle!
We did not always play at cards;
Drive whist" ana ''euchre' were UNI
known.
We had 20 prizes orirewards
For winners when the play was done.
We played-I have forgot the name)-
The points, were high" low Jack"
and game"
We sang-but not the sickly airs
our modern singers do affect;
The tunes that pleased our simple ears
With "sharps" and flats were not so
packed
With ''tremolos,' and trills, and "shalles,
That give uncultured ears the "achesl"
We married-(when the right one"
came)-
For love, aud not for placelor pelf;
Each maiden felt Loves tender flame,
And loved her lover for-himself
Aud ne'er demurred in.church to say
The vow "to honor and obeyl"
We kept our homes ''spick-span" and
neat;
We never were ashamed to work
We were not always ION the street."
Or at the club No wife did shirIl
Her duties on servant girl
To join the gay and giddy whirl
OF what is called SOCIETY"
(Whateer that mis-used word doth
mean.
We went, sometimes-(not oft)-"to tea"
And twas gay and jolly scene!
We talked-and laughed-and played 'all-
fours"-
And then went home to edo the chores"
And we were happy. Happier far
Than modern damsels and their beauX.
We lived and loved, and never were
Disturbed by meancholic woes.
We were too healthy TO repine
And always went to bed ut ninel
The good old times! drop tear
TO think they never will return.
"Old books to read; old friends to cheer
Old wine to drink; old wood to burn;
Old fields are best Zen an old shoe
Is easier than when It's new!
Therefore | say, and say il strong!
Things then were better, every way,
Than now. when every thing goes wrong,
And Might, not Right, must have its
sway
And so | end my simple rhymes
With blessings on the GOOD OLD Tines"
""Put out the light" Thieves dialect, }
PLEASE pronounce "day -col-tay' for the
sake of the rhyme.