Jenks' Portland Gazette

POETRY

OLD TIMES and NEW.

When I was a younger, our women were prudent
Our printers demure, and our maidens sedate,
In Economy's School, every wife was a student,
And seldom contentions arise, or debate:
By our chimney side, lit the good thrifty bride.
At her rock, at her wheel, at her books of the mart?
Then the family board real joys could afford,
And pleased the fond husband at night to remark it.
Then we laugh'd away, quaff'd away,
Age threw his staff away.
Health rosy health of each countenance shone,
Our girls of their beauty,
Though less than their duty,
And fathers were certain, those girls were their own
Your quality misses, how different we find them-
No powers can their profligate humors restrain,
From assembly to balls, folly beckons and calls,
Hark! their summons, and see how they pant to obey.
While no longer industrious their husbands notorious, it,
Girls! it drives a plain man nearly mad to survey it.
Dash away, splash away,
Squander their cash away
Visiting twenty score friends of a night;
With their harps, pipes and tabors,
Distracting their neighbors,
Common sense stands confounded, and reason takes flight.

Portland.