Part 2

Little Ada now has gone To that land above, Where no trouble ever comes, All is brightness, all is love.

A DREAM.

On the summit of a mountain Stood I in the twilight gray, There were many standing with me In the closing light of day.

Two paths led out from the summit-- One to lands so clear and bright, And the other to a dark land Where reigned eternal night.

Many chose the road to darkness-- Pathway leading down to hell; Few there were that took the other-- They that chose it, chose it well.

’Twas a dream I dreamed in slumber, But ’tis real every day; Many take the downward path, Few that go the brighter way.

THE LAST DRINK.

An old man entered a dram-shop, He staggerd and stumbled in; His face was as hard as granite, His hair was light and thin.

The bar-keeper’s daughter entered In a dress of purest white, And she looked as sweet as could be In her nice new clothes that night.

The old man stopped, and reasoned, For his own dear child he knew Was shoeless and cold and ragged And his wife was starving, too.

So the dime that lay in his pocket, Bought bread for his wife that night, And the old bar-keeper’s daughter Still dressed in her snowy white.

But soon ere the winter was over The drunkard was drunkard no more, And the wife and child were happy As they never had been before.

IN SPRING TIME.

Oh, fresh from the woodland comes the breath-- The breath of the beautiful spring; And the gentle zephyrs that float about Scents from the meadow and forest bring. And in every tree A robin in glee Is chanting a joyous melody.

Oh the sweet calm breath of beautiful spring-- And the azure sky is bright above, And the warm sunshine makes the whole world glad For every beam is a message of love. And in every tree The robin in glee Is chanting a joyous melody.

The warm sun shines and the sweet flowers bloom, But ah, the wild winds will be raving amain, And the cold gray winter will ravish our joys-- The beauties of earth will be vanished again. From every tree The robin will flee And fly to the South with his melody.

But let us enjoy these transient delights And gaze on their beauty while linger they here. Let us thank our dear Father such grandeur may come While spring claims her place in every year; And in every tree A robin will be Chanting a beautiful melody.

THE RAIN STORM.

Through the din of patt’ring rain drops Comes the thunder in the night, While the bold electric flashes Dazzle for a while the sight.

Patter, patter come the rain-drops Streaming down the window-pane. On the roof, unceasing, patter Noisy little drops of rain.

All the stars have left and hidden And the cresent is no more;-- When will come the day and sunshine As it came in days of yore?

But the patter of the rain-drops Music to my thoughts they make, When the rumbling peals of thunder Rhyme and even rhythm break.

May we thankful be for sunshine May we thankful be for rain;-- Come again, oh patt’ring rain-drops, With your music come again.

SOLFERINO.

_A Poem of Six Stanzas in Blank Verse._

SOLFERINO.

I.

On Solferino’s dizzy heights there grew The bright green grass and here and there were seen The golden hues of flow’rets shining fair, The bright, warm sunshine sparkled on the world And all the cloudlets of the azure sky Dark shadows threw upon the happy scene.

II.

But on the crest of that tall cliff there frowned The battered walls the battlements and tow’rs, And in the castle Solferino’s prince Walked to and fro and ’round him stood his men. And ere the heart had time to falter once Was heard the deafening rolling cannon’s roar.

III.

“The foe has come!” They flew to arms, and ere The echoes quite had died away, they gave Forth shot for shot and shout for shout. Then was thy life-blood spilt! That day Was one of woe to thee Sardinia! Those lives have left forevermore this earth.

IV.

Then came the awful ravage of the fray: The cannon’s roar, the dying’s groan, the sounds of war. And ev’rywhere was blood--the verdure was Beneath the hard foot trampled and the day Turned dark beneath the reign of chaos wild.

V.

The Mincio’s waters drifted toward the sea. But ever on its bosom wild was borne The life-blood of the soldier’s in the fray. Ah! red as blood its once clear waters were, And on its banks the same dread curse prevailed.

VI.

Thus man shall slay and man shall die until The time when his wild fury thus unchecked Shall spend itself and once relapse away. Oh! may man’s conscience soon awake to learn The wild disaster that his fury wrought.

POEMS.

THE TEMPEST.

The cold gray mist crept o’er the shore, And hung about the bay; We saw the foaming of the surf Within the twilight gray.

But through the twilight cold and still We heard the hum from yonder town; We saw the path around the hill Come winding ever slowly down.

The wild wind rose as night came on, We heard the waves beat on the shore; The tempest wailed and moaned about Above the distant roar.

Sad night, alas! was that to some Who, on the dreary ocean wide Heard far and near the tempest come-- The wailing winds on either side.

A dreadful night--a stormy night-- It swept the wrecks ashore; It was a time--a dreadful sight-- Forgotten nevermore.

That night was one of woe, alas! The wild wind whistled by; And seemed to be as it did pass Some struggling sailor’s drowning cry.

THE PEACEFUL LAND.

Far in the west is a peaceful land Where the golden sunset fades away, And fast as the twilight shadows come The sunset bids farewell to day.

The snow white vapor in fragments flies, And the gold-edged clouds near the sunset move; But the twilight, dim and dark and gray, Steals fast from sight this land of love.

The zephyrs stir and the soft leaves wave And sigh for the loss of the sunset sky; But even the beauties that shine in the west Must ever fade till the glories die.

THE LONELY CITY.

In the distance dim a valley lies Where flows a deep dark river; On the farther shore a city stands, Where the tide flows on forever.

A cloud hangs o’er the city fair By day in the valley yonder; By night in the streets, devoid of light, Wild phantoms ever wander.

No sound comes forth from the vacant domes That gleam in the quiet air. No living thing breaks the solitude-- But the phantoms wander there.

In the distance dim a valley lies Where flows a rolling river, But the phantoms wander by its side As time flies by forever.

THE COURSE OF THE STREAM.

When the sunset in the west Gilds the landscape far and near Wraps the sun within his shroud Dies he on a glorious bier.

When the night falls o’er the land, Comes the cresent from the sky; Silence reigns upon the scene, As the brooklet hurries by.

When the starlight cold and still Falls upon the earth below-- Falls upon the church-yard hill, By the saddened brooklets flow.

Slower come the drifting waters Ceasing once their noisy glee. As it passes by it sings on In a plaintive melody.

Ghostly rise the marble spectres O’er the beds of those who sleep;-- Ever in the night or day time Still their solemn vigils keep.

When the sunrise in the east Gilds the sky with flames of light, Runs the brooklet fast to meet With its waters ever bright.

Onward to the flowing river, And its waters mingle there; Oh! when shall they return agan To the brooklet shining fair?

THE STAR.

When the Christ was born on earth, Then wise men the star did guide, Till with riches they appeared By the great Messiah’s side.

And the angels ever echoed Songs of happiness again, And a voice from heaven answered PEACE ON EARTH GOOD WILL TO MEN.

Still the star whirled in its orbit Round the sun of heat and light,-- Saw the earth in years advancing-- Watched her in her rapid flight.

When we slumber peacefully,-- When we think not what is near, Still the star’s light shineth ever All its beams are bright and clear.

Thus forever, yet unceasing,-- Still it shineth as of yore, And shall be a guide and helper Through the ages evermore.

FINIS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

TITLE. PAGE.

A DREAM 37 BY THE FIRESIDE 8 CLEOPATRA’S NEEDLES 27 CHRISTMAS NIGHT 5 FALLING OF THE APPLE TREE 6 GONE TO REST 36 HASTINGS 19 IN SPRING TIME 38 MY THOUGHTS 8 PEACE 24 PAST AND PRESENT 35 STANZAS 25 SUNSHINE 33 SOLFERINO 43 THE ANGELS 6 THE SPECTRES 7 THE YEARS 7 THE HAUNTED HOUSE 9 THE KINGDOM OF THE DEAD 10 THE WIND 10 THE SONG OF THE WIND 11 THE TEMPERANCE SHIP 22 THE HALL OF MEMORY 23 THE SUNSET LAND 24 THE SHIPWRECK 26 THE LAST DRINK 37 THE RAIN STORM 39 THE TEMPEST 45 THE PEACEFUL LAND 46 THE LONELY CITY 46 THE COURSE OF THE STREAM 47 THE STAR 48 WINTER 33