Smyrna times., 1934-07-12
"a DREAM OF DUTY"
story Written by Mrs. Lucy Smith
Guseman, Clayton, Delaware


one night, amidst my dreams,
1 thought 1 saw a spire-tipped,
dome crowned city, that had
found a haven where two deep riv-
ers. rushing to the sea, had blent
in one safe, commodious bay. Here,
from many a land came white pin
ioned ships, that lay with folded
wings fiuttering in the breeze.
Far inland, caught a glimpse
of sunny slopes and fertile values,
crowned with a bountiful harvest,
sheltered alike from the frosty
arctic gales and the parching
winds which scorch tropic soil
Summers fierce heat blent with
cool breezes from the wide spread
ing sea; no night too sultry for re-
pose; no fever breeding pools nor
miasmatic swamp was there to
blight with ague's chill or fever
fraught with death. Health was
spread on every breeze.
Throughout the land, religious
temples stood beside the fanes of
learning. Men lacked not strength
nor courage, nor was there dearth
of women, good and fair Yet in
my dream a vast cloud, like a pail,
hung Ger the land and from it
mist seemed falling; a mist dis
torting truth, yelling righteous
ness, and fertilizing the germs of
sin. Heavier it grew, dimming the
luster of the altar, and chilling the
love of God. Thence, followed a
perfect tempest, wrecking all
earthly peace, and lave and cen
the hope of eternal happiness. A
whirlwind, red and blood and black
with crime, sapped the strength
and wisdom of mankind, blasting
the fairness of this gardenspot.
Death itself to the lives and souls
of men, yet in this fair city many
tanks I saw in which to treasure
up this deadly dew; and on these
tanks dame wisdom had set a tax
to be used in part, as the means of
lessening crime and want and to
further justice in her sublime ends!
While from the country far and
near, I saw men coming with Gods
RICHEST gifts to barter for this
poison, which each day brought
death and destruction on land and
sea. And as I saw, voice came
unto me, so strong, so calm: Mark
well the curse! Filled with awe,
1 faltered, ''Who can fail to see the
evil of such a curse 2" Then the
voice answered: Though the
mourner's wall daily ascends, for
youth cut off IN all its early prime
and manhood blasted; for the
hearts that break, shattered by dis
grace; for the hopes turned to hate
and love repaid with blows and
curses; and though children learn
to fear a fathers step; and friends
see friends transformed to brutal
enemies; though on each hand is
seen this work of destruction, the
| people seeing all are blinded still" I"
Then asked I earnestly: Hath
no one told the horrid truth and
broken thus the spell 2"
Answered He sternly: They are
manifold who warn in kindness and
Of ENJOYS the list is long. Want
famine, remorse, despair, madness,
death, each the sad tidings pro
claims"
Then unused 1 sadly: useless il
be to warn this doomed country
when cen deaths voice passes un-
needed"
Again came the voice in encour-
aging tones: ''Knowest thou not
that ages since, beneath shatter-
ed archway, a raindrop quivered
DER a massive stone. What use
it thought, to fall where myriads
more like me have splashed upon
the flint, in vain seeking the
thirsty earth beneath Fall and
fear not" the Sender of the rain
answered The raindrop fell upon
the flint and on it still fell other
drops, until now the rain finds
neither arch nor stone but heaps
of mellow earth and waving grain
growing amidst it. Now let thy
work be done cen as the rain.
drops; for a mighty wall ever as
cendeth to the Great White Throne
See it accuseth nor thee"
My dream was DER, but strange
though it seem, deem it a true
picture and feel it but a moiety Of
my duty done in telling you it:
strange fancies.
Oh, friends, in this, Gods faires'
land, are we unable to see this so
cial curse?