THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ff POEMS. POEMS. BY MRS. EMMA M. BELL, A.M. PHILADELPHIA : J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. 1872. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by EZRA M. BELL, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. UPON this sunny morn in flow'ry June, While Colorado airs so soft and clear Come stealing through the window of my home And gently sway the young-boughed trees near by, And blossoms that unnumbered near and far Their wealth of beauty lavish on the plains And while before me so sublimely rise The mountain summits in their grandeur old, Long ranges hazy with soft misty lights, Where lofty peaks in solemn silence wear Their crowns of purity eternal snows, Where heav'n comes down to earth ; where earth meets heav'n ; The everlasting mountains that endure Through all the changes of this changing world Until the heav'ns and earth be found no more, Upon this sunny morn, O Thoughts of mine ! 1 send you forth out in the " wide, wide world," On journey all untried. But He who said, " Thy bread upon the waters cast ; for thou Shalt find it after many days," I trust With watchful eye will guide you on your ways. And if with you there resteth aught of pow'r To cause that souls draw nearer to their God, To Him, the True, the Beautiful, the Good, To Him be all the glory evermore. DENVBR CITY COLORADO June 12, 1871. (v) 626012 CONTENTS. PAGE MORNING n A RAMBLE WITH FANCY 14 THE ORPHAN'S VISION 17 TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY 23 LITTLE LILLIE 28 THE RIVER OF MEMORY 31 THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER 33 LOVE AND DEATH 42 RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART 46 FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY 54 LINES ON THE DEATH OF H. W. B 56 THE OCEAN BURIAL 58 THE PARTING OF THE OLD YEAR THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR 61 ISLE OF THE FAIRIES 66 SOUL-SCENERY 68 (vii) viii CONTENTS. PAGE INDIAN MAIDEN'S LAMENT 7 1 To THE FLOWERS 75 THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR 77 To MY SISTER ON HER EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY 80 VOLURA'S VISION 81 An Angel guides her through the Solar System The Milky Way Amid countless Nebulae of resplendent Suns Through a lone and darksome Void To the Spirit's Home To the Throne of God She is wafted away by a silvery Cloud. THE SONG- LAND 90 LIFE'S RIVER 92 THE SPECTER 97 THE HUMAN SOUL. ITS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE 99 THE VOYAGE OF LIFE 108 ALMA MATER, FARE THEE WELL 115 CRUCE AND CORONA 116 i. The Shipwreck Rescue of Cruce Landing of the Vessel Reception of Cruce In her Island Home. II. Education Death of the aged Teacher. III. Arrival of the Mission Ship The Stranger The joyful Sur prise Departure of Corona for Italy, of Cruce to her Mis sion Ocean Life, its Storm and Sunshine Arrival at their Destinations. CONTENTS. ix IV. PACE Cruce bearing her Cross Corona winning her Crown. V. Imprisonment of Cruce Travels of Corona. VI. A Glimpse of the Crown above the Cross Through the Cross alone can the Crown be won. VII. Passing to Heaven. GUARDIAN ANGELS 182 THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES 185 NIGHT 191 POEMS. MORNING. O RADIANT Morn ! when the fountains of light Were opened, and in the dominions of Night The gleams of a brightness earth never had known Had parted the shadows so long o'er it thrown, The stars, ere from earth they had veiled their sweet rays, Hymned unto Jehovah an anthem of praise. Thou earnest then, robed in a mantle of light, And round thy brow rested a coronet bright. Then earth, as it met the bright glance of thine eye, Smiled joyful. Its smile was reflected on high. The heavens smiled back to the earth, and thy sway Together they owned, O bright herald of day ! Long ages, O Morn ! in their silence have flown Since first unto earth thy fair presence was known ; With joy in thine eye, and with light on thy brow, And regal robes round thee, thou greetest us now. I MORNING. How beautiful art thou when chill winter reigns, With mantling snows resting on mountains and plains, When crystals and icicles, lit with thy beam, Are bright as the gems that in ocean-caves gleam ! How lovely, when springtime's or summer's sweet voice Hath bid all the earth in its beauty rejoice ! And beautiful still, when, with sad, plaintive tone, The autumn winds mourn for the summertide flown ; O'er trees, with their garlands of crimson and gold, Thine eye rests in sadness, yet loves to behold. How bright is thy coming when calm, peaceful Night Glides softly away from thy shadowy light ! How welcome thy coming when tempests and storms Have roamed through the night-hours in terrible forms ! Through raindrops and mists that may veil thy clear eyes, And shroud thy bright robes of the gold-tinted dyes, Thy beaming smile glances, and lo ! in the west, Where cloud-mountains rise with their dark, frowning crest, The rainbow bends graceful its radiant form, The beautiful child of the sunbeam and storm. MORNING. I3 O Morning ! thy beauties to vision when given May wake in the spirit deep dreamings of heaven ; May wake joyous thoughts in the spirit, where still Are soul-founts the Infinite only can fill. Though naught for these longings can earth's beauty bring, Nor over our life-scenes immortal light fling, We'll cherish these longings, and love thee the while, Love Night's solemn presence and Morn's sunny smile, Until from the shadows and sunlight of earth We pass to that land where our spirits had birth ; Where souls breathe again their own native air, And dreams in this life are reality there. A RAMBLE WITH FANCY. ONCE upon a quiet even, While the ling' ring hues of sunset O'er the earth were resting lightly, I sat musing in the twilight. Soon I saw a form approaching, And her step was light and graceful. Quickly as I looked upon her, Knew I that her name was Fancy ; For so oft with her I've wandered 'Mong the grottos, hills, and valleys Of the sweet and mystic Song-Land, That her face hath grown familiar. But this being claims no kindred With that train of idle fancies That so often haunt the spirit Living only for the present, Never soaring from the earth-mists And the shadows that surround it, Filled with high and noble longings For some good yet unaccomplished. And I said to this fair being, (14) A RAMBLE WITH FANCY. "Hast thou come again to lead me Out into the land of Beauty ? Many times with you I've wandered 'Mong its grottos, hills, and valleys, Plucking here and there a blossom. Far above the hills and valleys Of this land of song and beauty, In sublimity and grandeur, Rise the Everlasting Mountains ; And I've listened to the echoes Ringing from their secret caverns, Till I long to roam among them ; Long to wake some grand, deep echo That hath never yet been sounded." Then said Fancy, "If it please thee, We will gaze upon those mountains As we ramble now together ; And perchance in some dim future, If thy life on earth is lengthened, Thou mayst roam among their summits." Onward then with her I journeyed, Till we stood beside those mountains, And I saw Fame's mighty temple, With its broad dome and its arches, Resting on its golden pillars. And I said to my companion, "If to me it shall be granted A RAMBLE WITH FANCY. To ascend those lofty summits, Shall I pass through Fame's broad gateway?" And she said, "It is a question Future years alone can answer." Oft amid life's cares and duties, 'Mid its joys and 'mid its sorrows, Hope, that bright, sweet being, whispers, "In the dim and distant future, If on earth thoti still shouldst linger, Thou shalt climb those mountain summits; Thou shalt wake some grand, deep echo That hath never yet been sounded." THE ORPHAN'S VISION. I 'TWAS in a far-off land, where summer showers Its smiles of beaming light on all around Through many months of each returning year ; Where flowers of brilliant hues and lofty mien Lift up their beauteous heads to catch the gleams From tropic skies, and where the waving ferns Grow almost as luxuriant as did Their sister tribes of paleozoic time. In one fair, peaceful vale, where all day long The birds had warbled and the breezes played, A solemn silence seemed to reign o'er all. And well it might : the messenger of Death Was waiting near, a human soul to bear From all the busy scenes of this fair earth To far and untried spirit-realms beyond. Yes, in that hour a dying mother looked Affection's last look on an only child, A maiden young and fair, although her face The trace of anguish and deep sorrow bore, And soon she, too, must know the lonely griefs Of orphanhood. Three weeks had scarcely passed Since in its narrow resting-place was laid 2* (17) 1 8 THE ORPHAN'S VISION. Her father's form, beneath a foreign soil, With foreign blossoms o'er his tomb to wave. For they were wanderers in that sunny land ; Their own sweet home lay far across the seas. The last sad moment came ; the mother clasped The maiden's hand within her own so cold, And gazed upon her with a look whose deep, Deep meaning none might understand save her, So long the object of that mother's love. Her spirit gently winged its flight to heaven ; And when o'er earth another bright day dawned, The maiden stood beside her mother's grave. She lingered there awhile, then turned away, A lonely orphan in a stranger's land. Yet were the faces kind that on her gazed, And kindly voices fell upon her ear, And gentle hands brought gifts of lovely flowers, And curious sea-shells from the ocean shore; And voices, sweet with richest melody Of sound, and in true soul of music, sang In glowing strains of their own land of flowers, Yet could not lift the shadows from her soul. And then was sent a message o'er the seas To friends who knew her in her childhood days, Who came and bore her to her native land. And while her soul was wrapt in griefs dark pall, She oft would muse upon the lessons taught THE ORPHAN'S VISION. 19 By her own mother while on earth she lived. Who sought upon her young mind to impress The truth that God doth see and know all things, And that she might be blest by Him, to live, Avoiding wrong in thought, or word, or deed. One night, when all her soul had poured its tide Of grief in solitude through many hours, And when the holy angel, Sleep, had seen, With pitying gaze, her tears, and softly closed Her weary eyes, and soothed her to repose, Upon her soul a glorious vision burst. The clouds and mists which hovered o'er this world By angel hands were parted ; and she through . A cloudless track of ether winged her way. Around her, planets in their orbits rolled, Though at a mighty distance. She beheld, Far off, the firmaments of many orbs, Resplendent with their constellations bright, Illumed by moons, some of the circular, And some of gibbous, and of crescent form; And, at the same time, in some heavens shone A shape of each, and from the same bright sky ; And comets, too, flamed through the vast expanse. And sometimes so o'erpowering was the light That on her shone from burning suns and stars, She could not see her spirit-guides ; but when For her they waved their hands, the golden light 20 THE ORPHAN'S VISION. In circles moved, and whither thus she knew To bend her way. At last the light around More spiritual seemed ; and she beheld, Through its transparent rays, bright seraph forms, And seraph faces on her looked and smiled. And there, with spirit-glances on her bent, From eyes which inspiration deep had lit With the intense effulgence of its rays, Her own eyes beamed with an unearthly light. And there was one whose clear and joyous gaze With light familiar beamed. It was not long Until the child the mother knew, and then They met as friends who lived and loved on earth May meet where earthly woes are known no more. The air around with melody was filled ; And then the mother said, "Thou must return To earth awhile. Go forth into the world Where'er our Father and his angels guide; And whomsoe'er thou meet'st, if thou mayst read The deep inworkings of a noble soul In search of truth, and all the grand, the good, The beautiful in life, then know that there A brother or a sister thou hast found. Then keep thy own soul pure, and from its shrine Let sweet affection's holy incense rise. So shalt thou win the love of human hearts, And friendships form for earth-life not alone, THE ORPHAN'S VISION. 21 But which shall grow mature in spheres above, Where love's bright eye is never dimmed with tears." Thus did the mother to the maiden speak, Then in her arms enfolded her, as she Was wont to do when the unconscious smile Of infancy played on her lips, and on Her brow she pressed one holy kiss. O earth ! Hast thou a measure for the wondrous depth, The tender purity, of mother-love ? The vision vanished, and the orphan woke Again to consciousness of earthly things, But with the memory of that night impressed Too deeply on her soul to be effaced. And to her soul's eye ever from this time All earthly things were changed, and nature seemed Illumed with rays divine; the breezes mild Brought whisperings of heaven; and e'en the flowers That bloomed so humbly in the wayside path Seemed placed there by some wise directing hand. She gazed upon the mountains towering high, And on their brows she read SUBLIMITY. She loved the grandeur of the midnight skies, The smiling beauty of the crimson morn. She thought upon the world within the mind, With all its noble, its God-given powers Of fancy, reason, thought, more wondrous far Than all the vast material universe, 22 THE ORPHAN'S VISION. Though reaching far out in infinity, Then humbly said, with an uplifted eye, "I praise Thee, O thou Ruler over all!" The page of science now possessed new charms, And over volumes stored with glowing thoughts She oft would linger long. New energies Were roused within her soul, and wheresoe'er Through all the years of life on earth she roamed, She sought to bless mankind ; and many ones Would praise with gratitude her bounteous hand. But not alone is sorrow found where want And poverty and sickness come, for earth Hath many who have never known what 'tis To suffer these stern ills of life, yet bowed Beneath the weight of other griefs and cares. And such of these as came within her sphere, With delicate and tender sympathy She sought to soothe ; for, oh ! so well she knew, Should mountains crumble and the hills remove, And though the planetary orbs should cease To roll in their elliptic paths, one word, One look of kindness, will forever live. TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. O EARTH ! when the dark realms of chaos and night At first knew the gleams of that mystical light, Creation's bright herald its dawn to proclaim, When first by the power of Omnipotence came The worlds in their grandeur primeval and bright To journey through space on their pathways of light, When first the Spheres chanted their music sublime, Then earth, sun, and stars hailed the birthday of Time. The dim throng of ages encircles me now; The seal of the ancient is set on my brow; Yet swiftly I move on my lone, silent way, 'Mid glories of night and the splendors of day, As when the Almighty his mandate first spoke, And thus into being the universe woke. Wondrous, O Earth ! are the changes I've wrought : Powers and Dominions to ruins I've brought; Grandeur and glory have sunk 'neath my sway; Beauty I've folded in robes of decay; By the sad changes that oft I have wrought, Woe to thy children, O Earth ! I have brought. (23) 24 TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. They call me Destroyer, these children of thine ; But, ah! from my ruins spring glories divine. I only destroy, that progression's swift car, Whose coming forever I hail from afar, May move unimpeded upon its bright way, Till o'er thee, O Earth ! dawn Millennial day, Till man to his God-given dignity rise, His dwelling on earth, but his goal in the skies ; Till error's dark reign on the earth shall be o'er, And truth to her- throne mount triumphant once more. O Earth ! o'er my ruins thy children may weep, But still for me ever deep rev'rence* they keep: The shadowy halls of the dim past are mine, And round them forever sweet memories twine ; And gems of the soul there forever I keep, Brought up from its fountains so sacred and deep; There strains of soft music in melody flow; There wander the forms of the dear Long Ago ; And tender and holy the sweet light that falls O'er pictures that hang there in Memory's halls. Ceaselessly onward, O Earth ! is my way; Moments I bring thee, how brief is their stay ! From me thus ever thy children must learn Much which is lost once can never return. Leaving all vanities, may they pursue Only the noble, the pure, and the true ! TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. 35 When o'er thee, O Earth, my last great day shall dawn, Mortality's veil from the soul be withdrawn, Then thou shalt be changed, and my reign shall be o'er: Eternity's day shall be thine evermore. To wisdom of Time thou hast listened, O Earth ! I boast not to thee so illustrious birth; For sad was the day, full of woe was the hour, Thy children, O Earth! knew first Death's fatal power. The hopes of the spirit how often I blight, And shroud all its sunlight in sorrow's dark night ! All nations, O Earth ! my dark presence have known, Before me vain glory hath faded and flown : Through palace of royalty silent I glide, And soon from the throne of his glory and pride The monarch descends, and 'mid wailing and woe, All scepterless, crownless, by Death is laid low. I come to the spot where so weary and worn The beggar is waiting, dejected, forlorn ; Till night shall have passed, and the morning again Shall call him to wander in hunger and pain, I come, and his vigils no more he doth keep, His woes all forgotten in Death's dreamless sleep. 2 6 TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. And ever, O Earth ! to the Christian I've come A messenger sent from the spirit's own home, And angels have wafted the spirit away Afar to the realms of an unending day. When by the clay temple where once the soul dwelt Both Sorrow and Love in their silence have knelt, Then Faith and her bright sister Hope have met there, Religion's bright daughters, so holy and fair. Then Faith spoke to Love of the glories of heav'n, Where ties of affection can never be riven, And Hope to her sorrowing sister hath said, ' ' O Sorrow ! weep not for the soul which is fled ; Love's treasures she'll clasp yet, where on a bright shore The good and the beautiful dwell evermore." O Earth ! by the dim solemn portals I stand That open from Time's to Eternity's land; And thus shall it be till the dawn of that day When Earth and the heavens shall both pass away. Thou'st listened, O Earth! to Time and to Death: These words unto thee now Eternity saith. Beginning to me there hath never been known; I dwelt with the Infinite Being alone When one void, all vast, without limit, was space, The finite within it had never held place. 'Neath empire of Time, O Earth! thou art now; At last Time himself to my scepter shall bow; TIME, DEATH, AND ETERNITY. 27 Though Death o'er thy children hath long held his sway, When elements melt, and thoir passest away, From voice of the Angel of God the Most High Shall come forth the edict that Death too shall die. " FOREVER," the word that abideth with me: I saw no beginning, no end shall I see. And happy, O Earth! shall thy children e'er be Who treasures for heaven confide unto me; For never, O Earth ! in the realms of my sphere Shall breathe there a sigh, or fall there a tear, But joy in deep rapturous tides shall e'er roll From presence of God o'er the glorified soul. Then human thought, freed from the fetters of Time, Endued with new strength, and with powers sublime, Shall myst'ries unveil, and new truths shall explore, The Infinite Being knew only before. Should back unto chaos the worlds wing their flight, In darkness unfathomed to quench all their light ; Again in the measureless regions of space Material forms should hold never a place, O'er wreck of the universe still would the soul, While ages .eternal should over it roll, Triumphantly gaze in the consciousness sure That long as Jehovah the soul shall endure. LITTLE LILLIE. GENTLY sunset's golden shadow With a glory soft and mild, On the lowly couch was streaming Of a little dying child. But she did not see the sunlight Gleaming from the western skies ; For the light had long since faded From her once bright, beaming eyes. By the bedside sat the mother, Clasping Lillie's thin, white hand, While in gentle tones she told her Of the far-off better land. By a window stood the cradle, Where a little brother slept ; And a fair and dark-eyed sister, By the cradle knelt and wept. "Take me in your arms, my mother," Then the little maiden said, "With your kind hand gently resting Once again upon my head. (28) LTTTLE LILLIE. "Place it lightly, O my mother, ' On my weary, aching brow ; Oh, I soon must leave you, mother, Death is stealing o'er me now. " It hath seemed a long night, mother, Since I saw the light of day; Is there any night, dear mother, In that land so far away ? " Tell me, O my gentle mother ! Tell me, in that better land Will the holy, white-robed angels Come and take me by the hand ? "Oh, my spirit sees them coming! And their brows are crowned with light, And they whisper, oh, so softly ! That in heaven there'll be no night. "Gentle sister, thou art weeping, Though I cannot see thy tears; Do not grieve for me, my sister, For my spirit feels no fears. "Farewell, mother, sister, brother; When in heaven we all unite, I with spirit-eyes shall see you, And in heaven there'll be no night." 3* 29 LITTLE LILLIE. In the quiet village churchyard Is a little mossy grave, And the branches of a willow Sad and silent o'er it wave. There is sleeping little Lillie, While upon her tombstone white Are her dying words engraven, "And in heaven there 1 II be no night." THE RIVER OF MEMORY. THERE'S a deep majestic river Winding through the vale of time, And its waves are ever speaking With an utterance sublime. For within the dells and caverns That beneath its waters lie, Are the lost and buried treasures Left there when life's storms swept by. Treasures that no more forever May our yearning spirits grasp; For the past hath borne them from us, Borne them from our earthly clasp. Still, we ever must remember All the bright things that are fled, Which affection, could it clasp them, Glorious beams would round them shed. THE RIVER OF MEMORY. So we stand beside this river, On its dim and shadowy shore, Where the flickering lights of memory Flash and gleam for evermore. THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. FAR, far away, within a forest dim, There dwelt, in times long past, an Indian tribe. Within those forest depths, beside a stream Whose rushing waters wild, sweet music made, The wigwam of the Indian chieftain stood ; And all the tribe who round him dwelt revered This chieftain brave, they called him Thunder-Cloud. One only daughter had this chieftain brave, Unlike the other maidens of her tribe: They loved the war-dance and the hunting-song ; But e'en from childhood days her soul had seemed To hold communion sweet with higher things. No books had Sunny-Eye; but nature spread Its glorious pages to her opening soul: Birds, flowers, rocks, streams, and distant mountains filled Her soul sometimes with rapture and delight, Sometimes with reverence deep or quiet joy. But all the glories that the day revealed Within her soul wrought no such mighty spell As that which rested there when oft she stood, In night's calm hour, and with her parents gazed (33) 34 THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. Upon the starry heavens that o'er them hung. Then would the chieftain speak, in tones subdued, Of one Great Spirit ruling ev'rywhere. But of that Being whom he little knew, So few and strange the solemn words he spoke, That in the soul of Sunny-Eye they woke Strange wonder and bewild'ring awe alone. The mother led her oft, at sunset's hour, Where side by side three little graves were seen. Then to her child she spoke, in deep, sad tones, Of other days, when little children played Around their wigwam, with their voices gay, Their laughter merry, as was Sunny-Eye's, And how Death-spirit took them all away, And how they dwelt in far-off blessed isles, Where happy souls shall live for evermore. "Shall I forever live?" the maiden cried ; "And shall I reach at last those blessed isles? Then tell me more of that which still shall live When we upon this earth are seen no more." Then sadly on her child the mother gazed, And said, "O Sunny-Eye, I know no more!" But in the soul of Sunny-Eye each day This longing after truth grew so intense That it al sorbed almost her every thought. The parents watched with silent grief and fear The strange unrest that seemed to haunt her soul ; THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. 35 And after days and nights of thought and care, Thus to his child at last the chieftain said: "Beyond the broad, green plains that round us spread, Dark streams, and forests dim, the white man dwells, And I have heard that with the pale-faced race Is much of knowledge and of wisdom found : If they can tell thee aught to bring thee peace, And thou canst brave the dangers of the way, Then soon we to the white man's land will go." So strange at first to Sunny-Eye it seemed To leave, e'en for a time, her forest home, But most her mother, she could scarce reply. The voice within her soul that asked for light, O'er thoughts of grief and fear at length prevailed; She said then to her father, "I will go." Then soon throughout the tribe the news was spread, And long that night the converse that was held Between the chieftain and the aged men. At last one old man said, "O chieftain brave, These things thou well dost know: the way is long, The pale-face is the red man's enemy; But if thou canst in safety pass the plains, And once dost reach the land that lies beyond, Where dwells the pale-faced race in numbers vast, Thou needst not fear but that thy child and thou, With that same peace ye come, will be received. But one thing thou mayst fear: thou knowest well 36 THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. Three summers scarce' have flown since of our tribe, Some roaming in the hunting-chase yon plains, Despoiled the fruitful fields of some who dwelt Remote from others of their pale-faced race ; And thou dost know the dwellers of the plains Have vowed dire vengeance if it e'er befall That they should meet with any of our race, Or, should they learn our dwelling-place, to come Together, with a strong, united power, Despoil our homes, and drive us from the land. Oh, may Great Spirit punishment award To those who spoiled their fields ; but for their crimes Be not the innocent to sun" ring brought. And now, before thy journey thou dost take, Bring hither Sunny-Eye ; and, with your eyes To yonder heavens raised, the promise give, Whatever may befall you, that ye ne'er To white man will reveal our dwelling-place." The promise giv'n, all needful things prepared, They started on their long and dang'rous way. And, oh ! what joy at last their souls did feel, When, after days of toil and weariness, They saw the white man's fields with plenty crowned, And num'rous spires of distant cities gleam! A kindly welcome unto them was giv'n. The white man's language they but little knew ; That little they had learned from those who came THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. 37 To purchase furs from hunters of their tribe. The object of their coming soon made known, Deep interest awoke for Sunny-Eye ; Instruction gladly unto her was giv'n ; From holy lips she heard the word divine, And learned, herself, to read the sacred page. Within her soul she knew a Saviour's love, And life and soul and all to Him were giv'n. But when the calm, sweet days of autumn came, They sought again their own loved forest home ; And 'mong the many books by kind friends giv'n Was one to them more precious than all else, That one which lights the soul to God and heav'n. So safe their coming to the white man's home, But little feared they for a safe return. The chieftain's thoughts were of the joys of home, And of the pride and pleasure he should feel When to her mother back he should have brought Their Sunny-Eye, from troubled thoughts now freed. The thoughts of Sunny-Eye were too of home, And loving welcome waiting her return. But most she thought of teaching to her friends The sacred truths which she herself had learned. A few days passed, and they had reached the plains, And two more days might bring them to their home. Once, near the close of day, strange sounds they heard ; 4 38 THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. They stopped and listened, and the chieftain's brow Grew dark with fear, as to his child he said, " It is the pale-faced dwellers of the plain." E'en while the chieftain spoke, they nearer came. Flight could norbe; one shout triumphant told That they were wholly in their cruel pow'r. In vain the cries and prayers of Sunny-Eye ; In vain defensive words the chieftain spoke. 11 For vengeance seek we ! Now shalt thou be bound, And on the morrow thou shalt suffer death ! And this thy daughter shall a captive be." These words aroused still more the maiden's soul. " I am a chieftain's daughter !" then she cried, A proud light flashing in her earnest eye. " I who have roamed, through many girlhood days, As free as winds that o'er my pathway played Will willingly with my brave father die ; But, oh, a captive I can never be !" The white men heard in silence; then they said, " One only thing can save thee : wilt thou tell Where dwells the tribe o'er which thy father ruled ? Speak, then, and thou'lt be free, thy father free; If thou a mother, sister, brother hast Remaining with the people of thy tribe, They safe shall be. Say quickly, wilt thou tell?" Her dark eye flashed with an indignant light, Her proud look changed to one of noble scorn. THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. 39 " Think ye," she cried, "my tribe I will betray? There's naught could tempt me to so base a deed ! Besides, a solemn promise I should break. The love of friends may stronger be than love Of life itself, but in the noble soul Dwells something stronger still than either these. It is the love of right, that biddeth it Stand firm to truth, and leave all else to God !" She ceased, and for awhile her foes spoke not. Consulting long, at last one said to her : " Chieftain's daughter of lofty soul, Back to thy distant home again ! Thou art free, though thy father die ! "Then with him I will die !" cried Sunny-Eye. But, as she spoke, she met her father's gaze ; A noble pride and sorrow mingled there. In tones of grief, yet firmness, then he said : " Far off, Sunny-Eye, in the forest dim, Thy mother will stand by the wigwam door, Will list for the sound of the chieftain's tread, The clear, merry laugh of her Sunny-Eye. The tread of the chieftain she'll hear no more ! Wilt leave her alone in the forest dim, With none there to lighten her daily cares, Or weep with her more by the little graves? If not for thine own, for thy mother's sake, O Sunny-Eye, hasten, oh, hasten home !" 40 THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. Then once again she met her father's gaze ; And in that gaze she read almost command, And, strengthening her soul, said, " I will go !" And in the final parting, though it seemed As if the very soul itself were rent, An unseen Power to strengthen hovered near ; And Sunny-Eye departed on her way. The night came on ; but with the darkness round She felt the presence of protecting Power ; And on the morrow, at the sunset time, She stood again within the wigwam door. And when all to her mother had been told, And when the first deep burst of grief was o'er, When calmness to her soul once more returned, The daily duties were resumed again. And now with Sunny-Eye commenced the work, The holy work to which her life was given, Of teaching truth to those who round her dwelt. One day, within their sad and lonely home Sat child and mother, filled with silent grief. The wigwam door was open, and the light Of sunset's ling'ring beams streamed brightly in. 'Twas darkened by a shadow all at once ; And child and mother, looking up, beheld The chieftain in his forest home once more ; And grief gave place to sweet surprise and joy. And long the story by the chieftain told, THE CHIEFTAIN'S DAUGHTER. 4I How day to day the pale-faced foes delayed Their threat's fulfillment, why, he could not tell, And finally, relenting, bade him go. Long years have passed. Beside that forest stream The wigwam of the chieftain stands no more. The noble souls who in that wigwam dwelt Now roam the islands of immortal bliss, Where truth's own fountains flow, and where the light Of God's own presence makes eternal day. LOVE AND DEATH. 'MoNG far-away valleys and grand mountains old, That tower sublimely with summits so bold, There dwelt, in the times of the long, long ago, Bright beings who knew not of grief nor of woe. No tones of unkindness among them were heard ; Their souls ne'er by strife nor by discord were stirred ; Their brows wore no frowns like the clouds on the skies, The lightnings of anger ne'er flashed from their eyes. Oh, fair were those mountains and beautiful vales, And pure was the breath of the free mountain gales ! The forests gleamed bright in the sun's laughing beams, The moonlight shone tenderly over their streams, And stars with a radiance gentle and bright O'er mountains and vales beamed with tremulous light. Those beings passed only from earth one by one, Their mission fulfilled and their life-work all done. So joyful their exit, their friends could not weep, And called it not death, but the beautiful sleep ; While still the strong links of their sweet deathless love To pure ones on earth bound the pure ones above. (42) LOVE AND DEATH. 43 And o'er those bright mountains and, beautiful vales Sweet tones, floating lightly on morning's soft gales, Said, "Peace to the mountains, and peace to the vales ;" From voice of a being sent down from above ; The name of this heavenly being was Love. Once, Death in his terrible majesty came; No one knew his presence, no one knew his name, Till over those mountains the shadows fell fast, And wild tones that floated on midnight's fierce blast Cried, " Woe to the mountains, and woe to the vales ! Howl wildly, ye night winds, upon the dark mountains; Sweep, tempests of midnight, through green vales below ; Ere sunbeams of morn gild the clear, gushing fountains, Each heart shall have felt the dread presence of . woe. Fly swiftly, O Love ! who already too long Hast gladdened these mountains with beauty and song; I'll drive thee away from these regions at last, And send thee a wand'rer on midnight's fierce blast." But Love firmly stood with a calm, beaming eye : "Death, I am the stronger, 'tis thou that must fly," Was said, in a strong voice, whose deep, ringing tones Were mingling e'en then with the wild wails and moans. The dark "King of Terrors" was speeding his dart, His poisoned shaft entering many a heart, 44 LOVE AND DEATH. And naught was there heard on his ruin-strewn way, Among those sad mountains, for many a day Save the wailing and the crying Of the stricken and the dying. The father would stand where the glad sunbeams smiled On cold features white of his dead little child, And say, in the deep tones of anguish and grief, Thus struggling to bring to his spirit relief. " Waken, O beautiful beams of the morning! Oh, waken my dead from its strange deep repose ! Oft have I listened to Death's fearful warning ; My spirit is sinking beneath its great woes." The mother, as Death cast its dark, fearful blight O'er faces once beaming with joy and delight, Her hands clasped in agony wild with despair, And said, while her tones thrilled the dense, stifling air, " Thou merciful God, who e'er rulest on high, Oh, look down on me with a pitying eye ; Fling back these strange shadows that darken my life, And set my soul free from its wearisome strife ; Or else let me pass to that sunlighted shore Where tempests of sorrow may beat nevermore." LOVE AND DEATH. 45 The young and the aged were chilled by the breath, Or struck by the darts, of this grim monster Death ; And eyes that once beamed with the radiance caught From holy fires kindled by heaven-born thought, Lost all of their brightness, and told nevermore Of visions that gleamed on the spirit before. But Death only strengthened the bright links of Love, To pure ones on earth binding pure ones above. At last 'mong those mountains and beautiful vales There floated those sweet tones- once more on the gales, And "Peace to the mountains, and peace to the vales," Told Love was triumphant o'er all woe at last, And stronger than Death on the midnight's fierce blast. Those beings long dwelt 'mong those mountains and vales, Where floated those tones on the soft morning gales, United by beautiful links of a love Like that of the angels and seraphs above. RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. 'TWAS in the early twilight of the dawn, While in the east glowed bright the morning star, That o'er a broad and dew-besprinkled lawn There walked a being sent from realms afar, Sent down from bright celestial spheres above To wander o'er this dark and ruined world, And by the Holy One whose name is Love, That sin might from its throne of state be hurled. She passed upon her way with footstep light ; Her lips the while moved oft as if in prayer, As if her soul in converse did unite With Him whose presence hovers ev'rywhere; And on she went, until advancing day Had tinged the east with gold and crimson dyes, Till fleecy clouds in all their fair array Their graceful forms spread o'er the deep-blue skies. And then she fixed her sweet, benignant gaze Upon the heav'ns in reverential love, And, kneeling, offered orisons and praise To Him who ruleth o'er the powers above. (46) RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. 47 An angel whisper floated through the air, And in sweet accents fell upon her ear ; She heard the words, "Religion, being fair, Go on thy way, without one doubt or fear. "Accomplish well the mission to thee giv'n, Till man on earth become all glorified, Till earth shall in itself become a heav'n, And holiness unfurl its banner wide." Religion, this that holy being's name, Whose mild eye beamed with deep devotion rare, Who unto earth with sacred mission came, Whose soul to heav'n went up in secret prayer. Arose she then, and passed upon her way, And, lo ! advancing o'er the lawn was seen A being lovely as the new-born day, With thoughtful brow and calm, majestic mien. Then near they came, and each the other knew; Religion first reached forth her gracious hand, "O Science," said she, "greeting bring I you, A being sent on earth by God's command. "My noble sister, tell, where hast thou been? And whither now doth tend thy onward way? Through all night long I watched and prayed unseen, Till in the east appeared the gleams of day. ' ' 48 RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. Then Science spoke, and with majestic tone She said, "On yonder plain, through all the night, With telescopic eye I watched alone The orbs of heav'n, until the morning light. "Through many days, when stars are all concealed, Deep mysteries of Nature I explore ; And many truths have I to man revealed To God alone and angels known before. Lo ! now I see upon yon mountain's height, In stately beauty, Fame's proud temple stand ; I see its pillars and its domes of light, With groves of laurel-trees on either hand. "And thither would I bend my onward way, To raise an altar there, whereon to place Fair Wisdom's trophies I have brought to-day, And high upon its glist'ning dome to trace The names of those whom Science joyful finds, Those heralds of the truths by Science taught, Whose noble thoughts that spring from noble minds, Alike with grandeur and with truth are fraught." Thus Science spoke, nor knew that by her side A being other than Religion stood; For Art had come from wand'ring far and wide, And paused to meet her sisters fair and good. RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. 49 Religion turned her heaven-beaming eye, And said, while gazing on Art's lofty brow "Thy soul is fired with aspirations high; To us, my sister, tell whence comest now? "From wand'ring oft by Graecia's classic streams? From gazing on Italia's far-famed skies, When night had lit them with its starry gleams, Or morn illumed them with its rosy dyes? But no ! thine eye is lit with deeper ray Than had it gazed where Graecia's waters roll; As if some beams of heav'n's celestial day Had touched the still, deep fountains of thy soul." Art said, "I come from Inspiration's fount; And up the Mount Ideal have I strayed; To those alone who climb this lovely mount Is spirit real, substance but a shade. And as musicians, painters, poets there Beheld the crystal waters gently flow, They asked of Inspiration, goddess fair, That she would on them her rich gifts bestow. "First came the poets; with enraptured eyes They gazed upon the waters sparkling clear, All bright with gleams from overarching skies, Like smiles of angels from some far-off sphere; 5 5 o RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. And then the goddess from the realms of light From laurel-trees near by plucked graceful boughs, Then dipped them gently 'neath the fountain bright, And sprinkled drops ambrosial on their brows. '"Within each drop,' she said, 'lie pearls of thought; Each crystal doth with gems unnumbered gleam, Each gem with richest imagery is fraught, And all things fitting for the poet's dream. Go now, O poets! from this fountain clear, Teach man to love all holy things and bright, Till ye yourselves, in some celestial sphere, Exchange your laurel wreaths for crowns of light.' "Then came the painters, and the waters bright. Were tinged with hues that in the sunbeams lie ; While shadows alternated with the light, The shadows of the flowers that grew near by. The goddess of the fountain high in air Tossed up the liquid gems that lay below; She smiled upon them, and then rainbows fair Were wreathed in beauty round each painter's brow. '"Go, painters,' said she, 'from these rainbows weave Fair forms of wondrous loveliness and grace; RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. ^ But I entreat you, ere this fount you leave, Gaze once more in its depths, that you may trace The mystic charms that in those shadows lie; For shadow, as the light, hath beauties rare; And when your canvas with bright hues you dye, Remember, dark tints too must mingle there.' " Musicians then stood by the sacred fount, And softest zephyrs touched the waters bright ; Light breezes wafted from Ideal Mount, Whose sunny slope lay bathed in purest light. And through the waters went there such a thrill, Like music echoes were the sounds they made; Now low and sweet as flow of mountain-rill, Now like the roar of torrent or cascade. "While through the golden clouds that o'er them hung, Grand music-peals like mighty thunders rolled, Or like the anthems deep by angels sung When spirit fingers touch the harps of gold. Then Inspiration breathed a holy spell O'er each musician's soul, and sweetly said, ' May ye perform your sacred mission well As o'er the wilds of earth's dark land ye tread !' 5 2 RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. "Musicians, painters, poets went their way, And I roamed musing o'er this lovely plain; And ere hath fled the light of this fair day Yon mountain's lofty height I hope to gain, Where Fame's proud temple in its beauty stands ; There Genius' high-souled sons and daughters go^ From many nations and from many lands, For holy fires on their souls' altars glow." Religion all the while had listened there, And when Art ceased, in prayer she bowed her head. Then soon again she to her sisters fair In gentle tones and in sweet accents said, " O glorious Art ! with eye that beams inspired, Within whose soul* the soul of beauty lies, Where wander beauty's forms, in robes attired All touched with rainbow tints and sunbeam dyes. "O noble Science! daughter of the skies, O being of a bright celestial birth ! Whose hand unfolds all Nature's mysteries, And scatters beams of truth throughout the earth, Come, go with me, ascend the mount of God, And at the cross of Calv'ry humbly kneel; Come, tread with me where Christ's own feet have trod, And Christ shall there to you Himself reveal. RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND ART. 53 "Then ye to yonder mount shall wend your way, And raise an altar there 'neath Fame's proud dome, Its spires all glist'ning in the light of day And pointing upward to the spirit's home. And there shall Genius' sons and daughters go, And with devotion bend before your shrine, When they have quaffed from crystal streams that flow From holy Inspiration's fount divine." And then Religion raised her eyes benign, And lifted up her voice in holy prayer, While Science round her did her arms entwine, And Art embraced them both while kneeling there. O lovely Trio ! may ye ever tread, With sacred footsteps, o 1 er this luorld of ours ! And may earth 's children by your hands be led To make it brighter than Elysian bowers ! 5* FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY. METHOUGHT I once upon a summer ev'n Was seated on a verdant, flow'ry plain ; / When lo ! three lovely beings glided by. With rapture on their faces did I gaze, With heav'nly beauty stamped. Upon their brows Were silver coronets, whereon was traced, In characters divine, the name of each. Faith, Hope, and Charity, sweet sisters three, Were they who to my raptured vision now Appeared, encircled all with holy light. Then Faith, the eldest of the trio, said, "I come, O child of earth ! to bless mankind. When all around is dark, and sadness casts Its gloomy mantle o'er the souls of men, When joy's last sunny ray has fled the soul, And even Hope's bright eye is dimmed with tears, Oh, then I bid desponding souls look up, And wait, believing, till God's hand shall part The clouds of sorrow in His own good time." Then Hope with voice like music-chimes of bells O'er placid waters borne at eventide: "Through all the mazes of earth's wilderness (54) FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY. 55 I light man's checkered pathway. When at last Life's race is nobly run, and earthly scenes Depart, I point him onward to a world Of blissful immortality beyond." She ceased, and Charity, with voice unlike The buoyant tones of her bright sister Hope, With thrilling cadence spoke harmonious, Like sweetest seraph strains from heaven-land: "My gentle scepter silently I sway O'er those who bid me dwell within their hearts. 'Neath my sweet influence man's soul grows strong To bear with cheerfulness life's daily cross. The hearts of men with Love's enduring chain I gently bind, thus linking earth to heav'n." "Oh, then," I said, when Charity had ceased, "Sweet beings, come and dwell with me, and be My guardian angels. Then, whate'er betide, Though earthly friends depart, and cherished hopes Forever fade away, I shall be blest." LINES ON THE DEATH OF H. W. B. OH, can it be that thou hast passed away, My own dear little brother? can it be That I shall ne'er again behold thy face? But little more than one short year had fled Since in the cold and silent grave was laid Another precious little form, and then Upon my soul this deep, dark shadow fell, That ever, ever more must linger there, Until we meet where death can never part. No longer may I clasp within my own Thy little baby hands, nor on thy lips And cheek and brow impress a sister's kiss; My voice no more shall soothe thee into sleep, For thou wilt never wake on earth again. Thou wast a little sunbeam in my path ; And now, how sad to think that thou art gone ! Oh, thou wast lovely e'en when death had set Its seal upon thy brow, and sleeping 'mid The flowers our loving hands about thee placed. The rosebud white within thy little hand Was fair, sweet emblem of thy innocence. It is not wrong that I should grieve for thee; (56) LINES ON THE DEATH OF H. W. B. A pitying Saviour chideth not my tears ; For when His eye beheld the grief of those Who mourned beside their only brother's tomb, His own great, loving heart with sympathy O'erflowed, and " Jesus wept." 'Twill not be long, Dear little Herbert; but a little while And we shall meet where comes no grief nor pain. Though now I cannot go to thee, I trust Thy spirit-presence oft may hover near. And, whether God has numbered out to me Years few or many, may I well perform My life-work ! Then, when I have gathered all The brightest, noblest treasures that those years Shall bring to me, together we will view The unveiled glories of those higher spheres. 57 THE OCEAN BURIAL. IT was midnight on the sea, And a tempest raged around, While the billows wild and free, With a rushing, roaring sound, Dashed against a noble bark, As it plowed its way along Through the treach'rous waves so dark, In their midnight drap'ry hung. Yes, 'twas midnight on the main, Midnight solemn, dark, and drear ; By the lonely couch of pain Sat a mother, pale with fear. But the storm she heeded not That without was raging wild ; All its terrors were forgot While she watched her dying child. "Mother," said the dying one, In sweet accents low but clear, "Tell me, is my life's work done? Tell me, for I do not fear." Then the mother gently bent O'er the couch with tearful eye; (58) THE OCEAN BURIAL. And the maiden seemed content When she told her she must die. "Mother, I had thought my tomb Near our own loved home should be; Where the violets would bloom In their beauty over me. Now I hear my Father call From his mansions in the sky, And I care not what befall, Care not though I here must die. "So when my cold form they lay 'Neath the ocean wave to rest, Let not one regret, I pray, Find a place within thy breast. Angel eyes are watching me, Angel music greets my ear Jesus, He will comfort thee ; Death's dark vale I do not fear. " No, oh, no ! e'en though the sea O'er this cold, frail form may foam, From all care and sorrow free, I shall rest secure at home." While the mother watched her child, Came the messenger of Death ; Closed the maiden's blue eye mild, Breathed on her his icy breath. 59 60 THE OCEAN BURIAL. Morning dawned, and all was still ; For the storm had died away, Subject to His all-wise will, Whom the winds and sea obey. For the mother's heart-felt grief, Yielding almost to despair, Earth afforded no relief; This she found at last in prayer. Ere another night had fled Slept the maiden in her grave, Slept with the unnumbered dead, 'Neath the ocean's briny wave. Oh ! thou great and mighty deep, Holding in thy caverns strong Loved ones, for whom many weep, And have wept for, oh ! so long ; There shall come a time when thou In thy majesty sublime. Though reluctantly, shalt bow To the stern decree of time. Then, when from Jehovah's eye Guilty hearts would fain have fled, Thou shalt hear the angel's cry, " Let the sea give up its dead.' 1 THE PARTING OF THE OLD YEAR- THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR. ALL night long, strange, dirgelike voices Floated wildly on the night-winds, Whisp'ring this one word, "To-morrow." And the Midnight said, " 'To-morrow?' What, O Night-winds, of ' To-morrow ?' " And the dirgelike voices answered, "Know'st thou not, O solemn Midnight, Knowest thou not that on the morrow - Comes the parting of the Old Year ? Hark ! e'en now we hear him sighing, Though he knows not he is dying, To the Old Year, sad and sighing, Who will whisper, ' Thou art dying?' ' And the solemn Midnight answered, " Wait until the dawn of morning; Wait, and let the sweet Day whisper To the Old Year, sad and sighing, Whisper softly, 'Thou art dying.' ' So they waited till the morning. 6 (61) 62 THE PARTING OF THE OLD YEAR But the sweet Day, gently weeping Till soft mists her eyelids covered, Said, "Oh, no, I cannot whisper To the Old Year, sad and sighing, Cannot whisper, ' Thou art dying. ' ' Quickly then the mists dispersing, Op'ning wide her eyes of beauty, Looked she on the earth so joyous. But the Old Year, though he knew not That his hours were almost numbered, Gazed upon her face in sadness. And the Day, now gay and merry, Dropped from out her fairy fingers Gleaming sunbeams, bright and golden, Till they rested like a halo Round his brow, so pale and wrinkled. When the laughing Day departed, And her golden beams no longer Rested 'mong his locks so hoary, Then the Old Year watched her sadly, Till her robes of gold and purple, Trailing down the western heavens, Were obscured by Twilight's shadows. And the Twilight would not whisper To the Old Year, sad and sighing, Would not whisper, "Thou art dying." So the Midnight, deep and solemn, THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR. 63 With her sable curtains hanging, Hanging like a pall of mourning, While the stars, like eyes of angels, In whose sweet and holy glances Love and sorrow both are mingled, Through those sable folds were gleaming, Yes, the Midnight, calm and holy, Spoke at last the solemn warning; To the Old Year, sad and sighing, Whispered softly, "Thou art dying." And the Old Year, sad and grieving, Wrapped his mantle close about him, Crossed the. bound'ries of the present, With the past was linked forever. Through the golden gates of morning Came the sweet Day laughing gayly ; Bringing in her joy and gladness Smiles of welcome for the New Year. And the Day's bright eyes were tearless; For she thought not of the Old Year ; Had not heard his words of parting, Nor his sighs of grief and anguish. For although the Day was lovely With her innocence and beauty, With her smiles and merry laughter, Yet the Old Year in his sorrow 64 THE PARTING OF THE OLD YEAR Found in Night's calm, gentle spirit Something deeper, and more sacred, Than the Day, so gay and merry, Carried with her own gay spirit. So when came the hour of parting, All his griefs and all his sorrows To the list'ning Night he whispered. Thus it ever is with mortals; For of all the deep emotions Gushing from the soul's pure fountains, Those we hold to be most sacred, Give we ever to the keeping Of the Night, so calm and holy. For the Night unseals those fountains, While perchance come thoughts so holy, Fraught with such a mystic meaning, Mortal lips can never speak them. But the Day, so gay and merry, Flung her golden beams as freely Round the young brow of the New Year, As so lately she had placed them, Half in glee and half in sadness, Round the pale brow of the Old Year. And the New Year, too, laughed gayly, As if death, and pain, and sorrow, THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR. 65 As if all that grieves and saddens, From this earth had fled forever. But we, too, would bring a greeting Unto thee, O laughing New Year ! Bring a hopeful, tender greeting, And these words to thee would whisper, " Be to us a happy New Year." For though oft the soul grows stronger If it pass with holy patience 'Neath o'erhanging clouds of sorrow; If it bow not to the tempest, To the fierce, rough blast of sorrow ; While the blue skies smile above us, While the flowers unfold around us, Must we ever love Joy's sunlight Better far than Woe's dark storm-cloud. And, O New Year ! gazing kindly In thy face, so bright and cheerful, Thus it is we come to greet thee With a hopeful, tender greeting ; Thus we greet thee, still repeating, "Be to us a happy New Year.' 1 6* ISLE OF THE FAIRIES. A BEAUTIFUL island there lies far away ; And ever around it the sea breezes play. There dwelt on that island a bright fairy queen, As tiny a nymph as hath ever been seen; And with her dwelt many a fair little elf, As beautiful, bright, and as gay as herself. There all by itself does this lone island stand, And many a long, weary mile from the land. Its turf is as green, decked with blossoms as fair As flow'rs of the tropics so lovely and rare. And birds build their nests on an old rocky ledge, Whose dark summits hang o'er the clear water's edge. And never, no, never had mortal foot trod That isle, with its flowers, meads, and velvety sod ; When fairies once chancing the wild waves to roam, Discovered the island and made it their home. They chose from their beautiful number a queen; And surely a lovelier never was seen. One morn, at the earliest hour of the dawn, Some fairies tripped lightly o'er dew-sprinkled lawn, (66) ISLE OF THE FAIRIES. 67 And joining their hands in their own fairy style, They gayly danced over their beautiful isle ; When, gazing afar o'er the billowy tide, They saw a boat land on the isle's farther side. And lingering not, to the bower of their queen They hastened, and told her of this they had seen; She blew with her trumpet a clear blast so shrill That all came around her to list to her will ; And just as the sun ushered in the fair day, With speed of the lightning they hastened away. And no one can tell where the fairies have flown ; The fate of their queen hath not truly been known ; But blithe, airy voices some strange stories tell : They say that she lives in a beautiful shell Far down in the depths of an old ocean cave, Beneath the white foam of the billowy wave. They say that she, too, has a palace, whose halls Have emerald portals and coral-wreathed walls; And wears a bright diamond-gemmed crown on her head, Brought up from the depths of the old ocean's bed ; With mermaids and ocean nymphs daily she roves Through glens of the sea-flower and mystic alcoves. SOUL SCENERY. EACH human soul is in itself a world ; A world with scenery more wondrous far Than in the outer world was e'er revealed. To view aright this scen'ry, we must turn Our gaze from visions of the outer world, And ope Interior Perception's eye. And trusting to its clear, discerning light, We enter now the silent realm of mind. Behold ! the region of Ideas ; plains O'er which the Understanding e'er presides ; Beneath these plains are caverns, where are found Ideas innate, the truths, the primal laws, Forever coexistent with the soul ; Impressed by God upon its essence; when It 'merged from out the deep and dark unknown To being, in the universe of mind. 'Tis Reason holds these treasures in her trust, To guard, arrange, combine, and with the aid Of other pow'rs, and other things, to bring Rich gems of thought to dignify the soul. Behold ! where Phantasy her mountains rear, (68) SOUL SCENERY. 69 Illumined with Imagination's light, A lovely spirit treads those mountain heights, The spirit of the Beautiful. And all That's noble, great, and good in human thought, The richest gems from Reason's caves profound, The flow'rs of faith, and hope, and love that bloom Beside Emotion's pure and hallowed streams, These all she bringeth to the mountain heights. Behold ! upon the plains we first beheld The spirit's temple consecrated stands. There, at his shrine, the priestesses of God, The Moral Powers, their ministries devote. Thence issue all the virtues hand in hand, And crowned with diadems of grace divine. Throughout the Soul-world ever, ev'ry where Beside Emotion's streams, in Reason's caves, On Understanding's plains, and Fancy's heights, There floats the accents of a still, small voice, The voice of Conscience, and the voice of God. In pow'r supreme, o'er all the other pow'rs, The sov'reign f7//sits arbiter of all, The Soul-world's destiny is in his hand. The Mighty One, Creator of all life, Eternal source of pow'r, holds life and death .. Before created Will, and sayeth, "Choose." He chooseth life; and in the realm of Mind Doth order, peace, and joy reign evermore. jo SOUL SCENERY. He chooseth death; the light in Reason's caves Grows dim and doubtful ; Reason gropes her way ; Emotion's streams grow turbid ; on the heights Of Phantasy the Beautiful may tread no more; The spirit's temple desecrated stands; The Virtues wonder with sad, downcast eyes; The still, small voice of Conscience louder grows, Until its thunders heights and caves resound; And Meir'ry in her book these things doth seal, To wait the op'ning at the Judgment-day. INDIAN MAIDEN'S LAMENT. WHERE the rushing, foaming billows Of a noble river glide, With the gently swaying willows Flinging shadows o'er its tide; By its darkly-gleaming water, On the lovely flow'r-decked shore, Sat an Indian chieftain's daughter Mourning for the days of yore, For the days when through the wild wood, Through, the forest, and the glade, She had wandered in her childhood Unmolested, unafraid ; When the red man down the river Floated in his light canoe; With his arrows and his quiver Hunted the dark forest through. (70 7 2 INDIAN MAIDEN'S LAMENT. Once the sun its bright rays darted Over lands no white man trod; Now the Indian, broken-hearted, Sadly pressed his native sod. With the fires of anger flashing From her dark and piercing eye, Scornfully the tear-drops dashing, Checking ev'ry rising sigh, Wild and fearful words she uttered In that still, sequestered place; Wrathful imprecations muttered On the white man and his race. "Time shall come, O pale-faced nation ! When the Spirit ye call God Shall pour woe and desolation Over all the land so broad ; "Blood and carnage, like a river, Shall sweep o'er your country wide, Making hearts with anguish quiver, Bearing death-groans on its tide." Then her voice grew low ; and sadness Lingered o'er the maiden's words. Hushed seemed ev'ry note of gladness 'Mong the warbling forest birds. INDIAN MAIDEN'S LAMENT. E'en the dark trees seemed to listen; Lower bent their stately heads, Bright with hues that on them glisten When the sun its last beams sheds. " I am weary," said the maiden; "Like some bird lost from its home, All my song is sorrow-laden, As I through this forest roam. "Farewell, O thou foaming river! With thy lovely flow'r-decked shore; Farewell, aye, farewell forever; I shall greet thee nevermore. " For I feel that I am drifting Onward to death's silent shores ; Soon, these tired hands uplifting, I shall drop life's weary oars. "Soon I'll reach those sunny islands In the far-off shining sea; Where upon their blooming highlands I shall roam forever free. " There the smiles of that Great Spirit Shall repay the Indians' wrong; Brighter homes they will inherit Than the ones they loved so long. 7 73 74 INDIAN MAIDEN'S LAMENT. " Farewell, then, O foaming river ! Farewell rock, and tree, and shore ; Farewell, yes, farewell forever, I shall greet ye NEVERMORE." TO THE FLOWERS. O FAIR and lovely blossoms, that adorn All nature with your loveliness and grace ! From far-off South-lands blew the breezes mild, And Springtime's gentle voice again was heard That called you forth to follow in her train. At her approach the moaning March-winds fled, And April, 'mid its sunshine and its show'rs, Led forth the floral train to welcome May. Oh, say, fair children of the blooming spring, Know ye the changes that old Time hath wrought Since last the springtime blossoms met us here ? Heard ye the coming of that being dread, The angel Death, whose dark and gloomy wing O'er many hearthstones hath its shadows cast, That never on this earth shall take their flight ? And now ye bloom o'er many new-made graves, Where forms of infancy, of youth, and age Are resting till the Resurrection morn. Bright eyes that gazed upon the springtime flow'rs (75) 7 6 TO THE FLOWERS. Of that departed year, now with the past Are closed forever to the light of earth ; And many hands that held them in their clasp Are folded now in quiet, peaceful rest. Oh, ye are lovely ! wheresoe'er ye dwell ; In far-off Greece by classic fount and flood, Beneath Italia' s bright and glowing skies, In sunny plains, or silent solitude, On prairie wild, in forest, or in dell. Ye have ajanguage, too, for ev'ry heart; Ye are in ev'ry clime and ev'ry land With deep, poetic meanings ever fraught. Sweet sisterhood of flow' rs, we welcome you; And may your forms of fragile loveliness, Though transient bright, remind us of that land To which our longing spirit ever turns, That land where beauty never fades or dies! THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR. IT was a dreary night in winter-time, And from the mountains swept the cold, rough blast ; It was the hour when bells of midnight chime, And all the skies with clouds were overcast. Beside a hearth-fire blazing warm and bright An aged sire sat with his wife and child ; The ev'ning lamp diffused its cheerful light, Though storms without were beating fierce and wild. "It is a fearful night," the old man said, As nearer to the fire he drew his chair, " For those who wander homeless and unfed, The prey of poverty, and want, and care. And oh ! what praise should from our hearts ascend To Him who ruleth in the earth and sky, Whose mercy doth to-night our way attend, As it hath ever in the days gone by !" The wife looked up, a smile upon her face, That beamed with loveliness and beauty rare ; 7* ( 77 ) 7 8 THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR. For time had only left its gentlest trace On features all unmarked by shade of care ; And gazing on the daughter by her side, Who sat absorbed in pensive, dreamy mood, In sweet and solemn accents she replied, "God hath to us been ever kind and good." "List, father, some one's knocking at the door," The maiden said, with cheek quick growing pale. "It is the wind, my child, it is no more; Then wherefore doth thine eye with terror quail?" And then they silent sat, and no one spoke ; And save the night-wind's and the tempest's roar, No other sound the solemn stillness broke, Until there came a knocking as before. This time the father heard, and turned the lock ; But still, for fear, he opened not the door ; He only said, "Who art thou that dost knock? Tell us thy name, O stranger, if no more." Just then the cottage door flew open wide, And o'er its threshold, with a ghastly mien, A Spectre with a noiseless step did glide; But only by the maiden was he seen. The parents knew it not ; they only saw The shadows that its dark'ning presence threw THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR. 79 Upon the hearth, and sat in silent awe, Until terrific shapes those shadows grew. The maiden uttered one low, wailing cry, Then her white lips grew cold, she could not speak ; The eyelid white drooped o'er the beaming eye, And faded all the rose tints from her cheek. And when at last the golden rays of morn Dispelled the shadows of that fearful night, The father, mother, stricken and forlorn, Gazed on that form where death had left its blight. And at the eventide to mother earth They gave that lovely tenement of clay; But still the shadows lingered on their hearth, As if they nevermore would go away. Though many summers round their home have smiled, With bird -songs joyous, bright with flowers' bloom, Since death came on that night and took their child, Still linger in their hearts those shapes of gloom, That never, never more shall take their flight Till in that Land where comes no grief nor pain, Where death no more the soul's fair hopes can blight, They meet their own, their long-lost child again. TO MY SISTER, ON HER EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY. MY sister, the autumns of eighteen bright years With mournful, sweet glory have made the earth rife, Since angels descending from heavenly spheres To thee oped the beautiful gateway of life. O life ! so mysterious, wondrous, sublime ! O holiest gift from the Father of light ! May we have the wisdom, while dwellers of time, To cherish thee sacredly, guard thee aright ! We know that each year as it circles away Is bearing us on to eternity's shore; When death's waves shall dash o'er otir forms their cold spray, We 1 II pass from earth ' s scenes, to return nevermore. My sister, the sun of our earth life may set, To beam nevermore in the valley of time; But over our spirits more glorious yet Shall heaven life dawn in eternity's clime. (80) VOLURA'S VISION. 'TWAS night; and silence reigned o'er all the earth. The holy angel Sleep had waved his wand O'er many troubled, many peaceful souls, And both alike were soothed to calm repose. And there was one who on that silent night, Long after ceased the chimes of midnight bells, While bright the stars in heaven's concave shone, To meditation deep her soul had given. And while she mused upon celestial things, Such tides of glorious thoughts swept o'er her soul, Her being all with glowing rapture thrilled; And when at last in sleep she closed her eyes, This vision to her wond'ring soul was giv'n: It seemed, beyond the confines of this world, Though still enveloped by its clouds and mists, In strange bewilderment she stood alone. Soon rays of glory seemed to light the mists, A pathway tracing through the fields of air; And o'er that way a radiant being came. (81) 82 VOLURA'S VISION. And as intently then Volura gazed Upon the visage of the glorious one, Emotions deep of rapture thrilled her soul. The messenger celestial nearer drew, And said, in tones more sweet than music chimes, "O child of earth ! I come to be thy guide; Come, soar with me and view the works of God." Thus saying, then the angel spread her wings To traverse with Volura spaces vast. They passed across the orbit of our earth ; Another orbit crossed, and then they reached A planet which, though smaller than our own, Doth nearest that great luminary lie, The centre round which all the planets roll. The name of this bright orb is Mercury. And so intense with glory were the beams Our sun upon its varied surface cast, Volura said, with wondering delight, "With scenes sublime, magnificent as these, Not all my dreams of heav'n were ever fraught." The angel and Volura soared away; And then to Venus' orb they swiftly came. 'Twas night, and 'mid its firmament of stars Our own Earth shone like some resplendent moon. Awhile they gazed upon these midnight heav'ns, Then soon again their onward course pursued. VOLURAS VISION. 83 They passed beyond the orbit of the Earth, Past Mars, and those four orbs that lie between Its path and Jupiter's belt-circled sphere, And winged their silent way to that vast orb Called sov' reign of the planetary host, To mighty Saturn, with its rings and moons. Two mighty arches spanned its midnight heav'ns, Reflecting on the planet glorious light ; Between these arches lay a darkened space, Where twinkling stars displayed their native beams; Resplendent moons illumined too the skies, Of gibbous, spherical, and crescent forms; Some rising in the heav'ns as others set, Some passing through eclipses now and then ; And, bright'ning still the glory of the heav'ns, Amid these orbs were blazing comets seen. And as Volura viewed the scene sublime, A solemn spell upon her soul was cast. Awhile she stood in awe and wonder lost; Then to her angel guide she trembling said, "O holy being! tell me if among This bright assemblage, though as some faint star, My home is seen, the Earth whereon I dwelt." The angel said, in deep and solemn tones, "Not half the spaces have we traversed now Between the sun and planet most remote, 84 VOLURAS VISION. Yet through those spaces comes no glimm'ring ray To tell us of the planet thou call'st Earth." Then such a sense of deep humility Sank o'er Volura's soul, it seemed as though A shade of sadness o'er her spirit crept; But when the angel down upon her gazed, With beaming eyes and Heav'n-illumined smile, Such sweet and holy rapture thrilled her soul, The sadness passed, she too looked up and smiled. As on through space they winged their silent way, Uranus in the distance they descried. Still onward they with their swift motion passed, The Solar System leaving far behind ; The planetary orbs to view were lost ; The Sun itself now seemed a twinkling star. Through spaces then immeasurably vast They soared to regions called the Milky Way, When, oh ! what scenes of grandeur on them burst ! The light was streaming from ten thousand suns, And suns round suns in harmony revolved, And some a white or bluish luster cast On other suns of green or crimson hue, And with contrasted light illumed the worlds Which round those mighty suns for centers rolled. Not then Volura nor the angel spoke, VOLURA? S VISION. 8' But both with rapt devotion viewed the scene ; And ringing clear, through purest ether borne, They heard from far the music of the spheres. A silence passed, and then the angel said, While tears celestial filled her holy eyes, " O Mighty One ! who rul'st the universe, From angels, seraphim, and starry spheres To Thee be ever praise and glory giv'n." Still, on Creation's verge they only stood ; Through regions more profound of boundless space Were countless nebulae dispersed around. They soared away 'mid regions still more bright; And o'er Volura now the angel spread Her wing, to shield her from the dazzling beams. But now a change ; for hitherto their way Had only been through realms of glorious light ; But far removed from these resplendent scenes Before them lay a lone and darksome void, So far remote that rays of distant suns Could only of this darkness twilight make. So wondrous to Volura was the change From light to shade, she scarce could tell the way, Till once again the angel spread her wings, Reflecting from their folds now heav'nly light. 86 VOLURA'S VISION. At last upon the verge of this dim void A bright and heav'nly radiance there gleamed ; More spiritual light than sun or star Dispersed throughout the spaces left behind. And then the angel to Volura said, "O child of Earth! through depths of space pro found Of God's great universe I've passed with thee. And now thou near'st with me the spirit's home, Where kindred spirits wait to welcome me. They too will welcome thee. They love the good, The true, the noble, the aspiring soul, In mortal or immortal form that breathes. Still on through silent depths of boundless space Unnumbered suns and starry systems roll, And all the universe of God revolves Around the center of infinity. But enter now with me this blest abode." Soon o'er a gold-paved way they seemed to tread, While round and o'er them crystal arches hung ; There holy fountains, streams perennial, flowed, And spirit forms were wand'ring to and fro. Where'er the angel and Volura turned, They met the glances of their spirit eyes ; For in those realms of light, and joy, and love, VOLURAS VISION. 87 Smile answers beaming smile, thought answers thought. And then the angel led Volura on Where seraph minstrels chanted holy praise Around some center, all in circles ranged, And, lo ! that center was a glorious Throne ; A Throne of dazzling whiteness, overhung With golden clouds, whose fair ethereal folds A holy radiance o'er all diffused. And seated high upon this dazzling Throne, And in primeval glory all arrayed, The glory by the Father to Him giv'n Ere suns and stars from ancient chaos sprang, Was God's own Son. Beside the Throne there stood Two beings : one majestic in his mien, In whose right hand a golden balance swung, And Justice was the mighty being's name, The vindicator of God's holy law. Of sweet and holy and of milder mien Than that stern being who beside her stood, Was Mercy, pleading angel sent to stand Between stern Justice' wrath and fallen man. Volura stood beside her spirit guide, And with adoring rev'rence viewed the scene. " O child of Earth !" the holy angel cried, 88 VOLURAS VISION. "Come, nearer draw, and bow before the Throne." Then seraph voices, seraph lyres, were mute, And in that silence deep the Saviour said, " O mortal one ! thou comest from that orb Where inharmonious elements are rife ; Where Truth, though ever striving, hath not yet The scepter wrested from dark Error's hands. But Truth, triumphant still, shall reign at last, And Error, with its self-benighted train, Be banished to the realms of endless night. And then shall earth be all one paradise, Where love shall fold its wing of purity, And peace again o'er all its scenes shall smile. And soon to earth thou shalt return again ; But let the glorious scenes which thou hast viewed A lasting impress leave upon thy soul. If thou thy earthly mission well fulfill, Thou shalt return again to these blest scenes, And still progress in knowledge, virtue, truth, Through all the ages of eternity." Then while the Saviour on Volura gazed, New thrills of joy her inmost being filled ; She prayed and, oh ! how earnest was the prayer That she through all life's coming days might be Forever shadowed by an angel's wing, forever gladdened by a Saviour 's love. VOLURA'S VISION. 89 And then the angel to Volura said, "Behold! yon silv'ry cloud that floats above Shall waft thee gently on thy earthward way." As seraph fingers touched the golden lyres, Volura floated on that cloud away; While hallelujahs filled the dome of heav'n, And round and round the crystal arches rang The anthems loud and deep, by seraphs raised To Him who ever was, and knows no end. 8* THE SONG-LAND. O LOVELY and ideal realm of thought ! O land of poet- dreams ! how soft the airs That o'er thy valleys and thy mountains blow! And bright thybow'rs and fountains sparkling clear, And flow'rs of brilliant hues bedeck thee o'er. A noble being over thee presides : The goddess fair of mountain, vale, and fount. Majestic, and yet gentle, is her mien. A diadem of light rests on her brow, And golden sunbeams gleam amid her hair, And all her soul doth speak its language clear From out the glances of her beaming eye. The sweet inspirer of high thought is she, And Inspiration is the goddess' name. lovely and entrancing land of song ! So sacred unto all that's pure and bright, The lights and shadows that upon thee fall Before my mental vision e'er appear. 1 love thy hills and vales, thy founts and bow'rs; But, oh! I love thy tow' ring mountains more, Where echoings immortal ever ring, (90) THE SONG-LAND. 9 1 And where the heavens, lit with God's own smile, In love and peace bend o'er their summits grand. And there, too, Poesy her garlands twines To grace with beauty Science' noble brow. The Muses Science as a sister claim, And many off'rings unto her they bring In token of their reverence and love. Or how or whensoe'er to me were oped Thy gates, O fair and wondrous land of song ! This do I know; the paths and winding ways I to that entrance back can ne'er retrace. For fetters, light as if of ether made, Yet strong as if of iron texture wrought, Have cast their mystic links about my soul And bound it ever to the soul of Song. May He who unto all a mission gives, Shield from the too rough blasts that sometimes sweep Relentless o'er the wilds of earth's dark land, And safely guide through life's meand'ring way, Till in the song-land of the realms above, All bright with poet-visions clearer far Than e'er to mental gaze on earth are giv'n, The soul shall sing in noblest strains to Him, Creator of the beautiful and bright. LIFE'S RIVER. BY a gently flowing river, In the quiet hour of sunset, Once a maiden sat and pondered. Soon the quiet scene before her Seemed to change, as if by magic ; And she thought that she was standing By a broader, deeper river, O'er whose wide and restless waters Many, many barks were sailing, Laden with immortal beings. In this stream were many islands, Some of them all bright and lovely, Covered with the fairest verdure ; Lofty trees with pleasant shadows, Blossoms of the sweetest fragrance, Fountains of clear, gushing waters, Made them fair almost as Eden. In this stream were rocky islands, With their cliffs all dark and frowning Rising from the river-channel ; (92) LIFE'S RIVER. 93 While the waters round them flowing Foamed and dashed like ocean billows. Now and then a bark was stranded On those bleak and barren islands, Or engulfed within the surges Round them rushing swiftly, wildly. Then the dark cliffs of those islands Sent forth echoes wild and dismal ; Echoes of the cries of anguish And the wild shrieks of the victims. While the maiden thus intently Gazed upon the scene before her, Lo ! there came a glorious being, Clad in robes all white and gleaming, Came and stood beside the maiden, Fixed his spirit gaze upon her, Lit with holy inspiration. And she said, " O holy being ! Tell me of this wondrous river ; Tell me of those sunny islands, With their bow'rs and trees and fountains ; Tell me of yon rocky islands, With their cliffs all dark and frowning." Then the angel, smiling sweetly, Though his smile was tinged with sadness, Quickly thus addressed the maiden: "This is Life's swift-rushing river. 94 LIFE'S RIVER. Yonder bright and sunny islands Are the isles of joy and gladness, Joys so bright, but brief and fleeting. Askest thou of yon dark islands ? There Remorse, like some wan specter, To and fro is wand' ring ever. And when mortals, wand' ring, erring, Love no more the good and noble, Love no more the pure and holy, Spirits from the realms of darkness Urge them onward to those surges, To those dark and fatal islands ; With Despair's black, starless midnight Hanging with its gloom above them, There in hopelessness they perish, Lost to earth and lost to heaven. Sometimes tearful-eyed Repentance, Ere they reach those fearful islands, Guides them to some quiet haven. But their barks are tempest-beaten ; They have lost fair Truth's bright blossoms, Most of Wisdom's precious jewels ; Only after toil and labor, After weary, weary waitings, Can they gain more of those treasures. So they find, although Renentance Sanctifieth, while it blesseth, LIFE'S RIVER. 95 Innocence, that guardian angel, Still is better than Repentance." In low accents, then the maiden Spoke again unto the angel: "On the banks of this swift river Grow dark trees with drooping branches; And they fling their somber shadows Far across the rolling billows. And when o'er the deep, deep waters, Darkened by these mournful shadows, Sails a bark with mortals laden, Lo ! a change comes o'er their faces : Lips no more with smiles are parted ; Eyes no more with laughter glisten ; But a strange, strange look of sorrow Settles dark upon their faces. Now and then a tearful mortal Lifts an eye of faith to heaven, Gazes, too, on yonder mountains, With their summits crowned with verdure Bathed in purest light celestial. Now explain, O holy being, This strange scene, so fraught with myst'ry." Thus she said. The angel answered, * " While the dark, dark trees of sorrow Fling their deep and mournful shadows O'er the current of Life's waters, 96 LIFE'S RIVER. Woe and pain and grief and anguish Still must be the lot of mortals. Oft the noble soul grows nobler, Stronger made through what it suffers ; Driven from the sunny islands Of earth's joys, so bright, but fleeting, To the everlasting mountains^ To the heights beyond, above it, With imploring gaze it turneth, Asking for the smiles of Heaven And the love of God and angels. And in far-off realms of glory, Where eternal skies are gleaming, Where no shadows e'er have fallen, And the night hath never entered, All earth's sorrow-stricken children, Trusting in the arm Almighty, Dwell at last in peace and gladness. When are past life's storms and tempests, All its shadows and its darkness, Then in loving tones the spirit, Bound no more to earth's dominions, In its holy joy may utter, * Even for the hour of anguish I would praise Thee, O my Father.' ' THE SPECTER. AMONG the demon forms that wander o'er Our world, those shapes of sin, first causes great Of ev'ry earthly ill and ev'ry woe, A specter walks, the victims of whose wiles, Lured down to death, in numbers far exceed Those slain upon the battle-fields of earth. Through hours of night, at midday, at all times, Dauntless and unabashed he stalks abroad. And many are the gifted and the proud Who fall into his snares and lose their all; The consciousness within of hearts upright And pure ; all hope of happiness and peace In this the present life or that beyond; While this destroyer writes upon each one, In characters that may be read by all, His name Intemperance. Where'er doth come This soul-polluting presence, shadows fall More dark than those which hang around the tomb. For as his footsteps o'er the threshold pass Of homes where joy abode, how soon 9 (97) 9 8 THE SPECTER. From those who watch the loved one's fall, departs The sunlight of the soul! In vain for them, So far as aught of gladness is concerned, The morn, her fingers tinged with roseate hues, Above day's banner glorious unfurls, O'er whose blue field noontide throws cloudy folds; And eve, with gentle aspect coming on, A gold and purple lining gives to each, Then closer wraps the gorgeous folds, till from The earth fades out the glad and beauteous day. So come and go the sunset, morn, and noon, No more with images of beauty fraught To those sad hearts who in each joyous thing See naught but bitter mock'ry of their grief. The vigils kept through many midnight hours, The bitter, bitter tears that silent fall, Beheld by none save the All-seeing Eye, Are all by God's recording angel kept In His own book. Remember, ye who urge This demon on, that ye may, from the spoil And ruin by him wrought, your coffers fill, For your wrong deeds just punishment shall come, And dealt by Him IVJw vengeance calls His own. THE HUMAN SOUL. ITS PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. O HUMAN soul ! thou wondrous work divine, Born later than the spheres, yet shall survive them all, Whence comest thou? and whither tends thy way? Tell us, O human soul! thy history; Tell us, O human soul ! thy destiny. Long silent ages have their courses run Since on this earth thy presence first was known ; Oh, tell us, in that dim and silent past, Amid what lights and shadows thou hast roamed, What holy aspirations have been thine, What revolutions in the spheres of thought, What conflicts and what vict'ries thou hast known, What revelations have to thee been giv'n. And where, O soul ! hast thou thy records left ? Amid the band of muses, is there one Who keeps for aye the sacred trust for thee? If such there be, O muse ! whate'er thy name, We breathe an invocation unto thee. Behold! she comes, of bright and noble mien, A calm light beaming in her serious eye. (99) loo THE HUMAN SOUL. Within one hand she bears an ancient scroll; And Clio, muse of Hist'ry, takes our hand, To lead us back into the silent past, To search thy history, O human soul ! She lifts the veil of sixty centuries. And now behold, in Palestina's clime The human soul, rejoicing in its pow'rs Of new-born dignity and strength, receives Primeval science from its Maker's hand, Exalted converse doth with beings hold, Immortal dwellers of celestial spheres, Yet drawn by holy bonds of sympathy With human soul companionship to claim. These were thy Eden days, O human soul ! Whence came o'er thee so soon that shadow dark? It was the shadow of Jehovah's frown; For thou His mandate high hadst disobeyed, And broke the bonds uniting thee to Heav'n. Then some of thy great pow'rs, to powers turned Of darkness, and yet mighty still in strength, Worked woe and desolation all around. A moral darkness spread o'er all the earth; Just indignation filled the courts of Heaven, And sadness reigned far through the universe; The very heav'ns, that sphered the darkened earth, Grew black and dismal at Jehovah's frown. The angry clouds then to each other spoke THE HUMAN SOUL. IO i In tongues of fire; and back the answers came In hollow groans. The fountains of the deep Were broken up, and heaven's windows oped; And earth was buried 'neath a wat'ry tide. Long days and nights the elements prevailed. At last, by mandate of the Will supreme, The earth emerged from its baptismal flood. And now for thee, O soul ! new life began ; For, humbled, and distrustful of thy own, But filled with awe at the Almighty pow'r, The infinite now reigneth o'er thy thoughts. These were thy days of faith, O human soul ! An epoch in thy history, sublime. 'Twas then, when God to earth again drew near, From Sinai, witness of His presence dread, The Revelation unto thee was giv'n, Unfolding, O thou soul ! thy duties high. And now we turn from Palestina's land, And journey far away to other climes. The burning skies of India o'er us bend; And, far beyond, the seas of China roll.* The clust'ring hills of Persia gently rise; And Egypt's land is in the distance seen. Yet o'er these lands, so rich in nature's gifts, The light of Revelation had not shone. Yet, bearing as thou didst, O human soul ! Thy Maker's image in thy essence deep, 9* 102 THE HUMAN SOUL. Here, as a dweller of these tropic climes, Deprived of Revelation's clearer light To tell thee of the true and only God, Yet from the dim vague mem'ries of thy birth, And from thy intuitions strong and deep, Thy thought pow'rs strange yet grand conceptions wrought. The muse of History unrolls her scroll; And, gazing on its mystic page, we trace These strange bright offsprings of primordial thought. And who this Being pure, the Infinite? First substance, plunged in slumber deep divine, Existence wrapped in shadows luminous? Yet, waking from this slumber, speaks the word, And all creation into being springs. To India's clime the muse of Hist'ry turns, And says to us, " Behold their deity." Philosophy and science here unfold, All wrapped in these primordial forms of thought. But in the past we may not linger long; And farther gaze along the mystic page. Taiki the summit great, what means this name? 'Tis Reason primitive, whence all proceeds; And all creation on this summit rests. Where had this thought its birth? To China's land We turn. The muse with smile confirms our thought. What great thought, Persia, found with thee its home? THE HUMAN SOUL. 103 Illimitable time Eternity. From this Eternal came the Pure and Good ; Of light the being; the creative word. The essence too of darkness from it came ; And light and darkness ruled the universe, And hence in time's dominion deadly strife. But darkness should at last be changed to light ; Creation's strife should end, and all be peace. Philosophy of Egypt claims a thought, Its deity the source of life and light, And principle of all existences. Now from these lands our way we quickly turn, And journey onward to the isles of Greece. What contests here, O soul! thy pow'rs have waged ! What glorious vict'ries, too, were here achieved! Too long we linger here, if we would trace The elements of darkness and of light, Now leading thee to error, now to truth. The elements of darkness passing then, Some elements of light we here would trace, For thee portending brighter mental day. Three names upon the ancient page we see; Immortal names, whose glory ne'er shall die. O Socrates! we hail thee as the one Who led Philosophy to Truth's own land, Through Wisdom's and through Virtue's holy gates. O Plato! rev'rently we breathe thy name, I04 - THE HUMAN SOUL. The great of intellect, the high of soul, Who taught Philosophy to soar above Material changing forms of time and space, And rest within Ideas' own true realm ; Ideas changeless as their Source divine. And, oh ! what homage do we render thee, Thou mighty giant in the world of thought ! And not till thought itself shall cease to be, Shall Aristotle find oblivion's shade. Much truth within, Philosophy here found ; Much grandeur in ideas Art hath wrought. We fain would linger on thy classic shores, Thou Heaven-gifted, thou beloved Greece; But fleeting time forbids our longer stay. O human soul ! how great, how high thy thought, Though broke the links uniting thee to Heav'n ! And now Jehovah's eye is on thee turned, In pity for thy sad, thy lost estate ; And God's own hand shall bind those broken links And claim thee once again the child of Heav'n. And yet let sorrow mingle with thy joy; For thee, redemption's work is only wrought Through anguish and through suffering Divine. This solemn epoch in thy history Thou shalt, O soul ! within thy mem'ry bear While everlasting ages onward roll. Philosophy and Art shall serve thee still, THE HUMAN SOUL. 105 Made nobler through the influence divine Religion's presence o'er their spirits wields. The muse of Hist'ry drops the veil of time, And in the past's dim land we roam no more, But with the present now stand face to face. O human soul ! thou wondrous work divine, Born later than the spheres, yet shall survive them all, The light of eighteen centuries is thine. The holy and the great of ev'ry age, Their voices sounding through the halls of time, To action, noble action, call thee now. The High and Holy One who rules o'er all, Who unto thee, O soul ! thy being gave, For mighty, glorious work hath destined thee. The world of thought all round about thee lies ; 'Tis bounded only by infinity; Here thou, O human soul ! mayst ever roam. Behold ! afar beneath the bright clear Haze Of Heav'n's own light, a lofty temple .-.tands. Speed thitherward. O soul ! thy willing way ; 'Tis Truth, 'tis God's own priestess meets thee there. Oh, fear not thou to lay upon her shrine All that thou art, and all thou hast to give ; Immortal glory thy reward shall be. And mighty is the work her cause demands ; For dark contending pow'rs roam o'er the earth, With deadly weapons armed ; though oft disguised I0 <5 THE HUMAN SOUL. As forms of light their evil forms conceal. Of sordid visage, 'mong them Mammon stands. To Christ's own cherished one, the Church, he cries, "Fear not the splendid gifts I offer thee: These dazzling gems, these goodly pearls receive ; They'll but new lustre to thy beauty give." And 'mong opposing pow'rs is none more dark Than Persecution, of dark, hating eye, Reheating ceaselessly his raging fires. And false Philosophy obtrusive seeks Bewild'ring shades upon the light to cast That Truth's own ministers disperse around. Nor are there wanting base, ignoble pow'rs, O noble Art ! to call thee them to aid ; Nor here vain Pleasure's flatt'ring voice, to call To earthly joys the Heav'n-directed soul. O Zion's Daughter ! heed not Mammon's voice; False gems and pearls are those he offers thee ; Receive not, then, those vain though dazzling gems, But Christ's white lilies wreathe around thy brow; Array thyself in thine own bridal robes, The pure white bridal robes of righteousness. A regal throne awaits thee ; Christ shall come, And at His right hand thou shalt sit a queen ; For lo ! thy Bridegroom is the King of kings. Philosophy, we call on thee to guard Thy sanctuaries from intruders dark. THE HUMAN SOUL. 107 Thy work is holy, and thy aims are high, And high and holy thy reward shall be. O noble Art ! keep heavenward thine eye ; Thy work is noble, noble thy reward. O human soul ! -on Truth's bright holy shrine Lay all thou art, and all thou hast to give. Truth's pow'rs shall be triumphant over all: Triumphant o'er those dark, contending pow'rs, Triumphant o'er the peril and the strife, And o'er the flames of Persecution's fires. The past, the present, call on thee to act. If well thy work is done, then far away, Beyond the uncongenial climes of earth, Beyond the wondrous heav'ns that o'er thee bend, A glorious future waiteth thee, O soul ! And then thy spirit-pinions, plumed anew, Shall sweep with pow'rs sublime the sphere of thought; Thy Father's smile shall there thy sunlight be, Thy Saviour's love in blessing on thee rest; And angel friends around thee, happy soul, Shall gently clasp affection's golden links. Thou hadst thy past; thou hast thy present now; And thou shalt have thy future, human soul. O past and present ! ye are wondrous words : A world of meaning to our thoughts ye bring. Each life hath had its past ; its present feels ; Its future, yet untried, shall feel and know. THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. >w OH, solemn is the ceaseless, silent flow Of that mysterious deep, the sea of Time. Unfathomed are its depths; while all around Eternity's far shores in grandeur rise. And now, where gently roll the placid waves 'Neath morning's twilight, tremulous and pale, A little bark lies idle on the shore. Now in the holy stillness of the morn We hear the rustling of seraphic wings: More tremulous the twilight shadows seem, And tremulous beneath the waters flow. Beams of soft light now the shore illume; Gleameth the bark like a beauteous pearl ; By it the angel of life doth stand, White wings enfolding a fragile form. Gazes he now on the little bark, Then o'er the waters so vast and wide. Sadness a moment is o'er his soul. Soon o'er his visage, so calm and bright, Smiles of ineffable sweetness beam. White wings how tenderly now unfold, Io8 THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. 109 And in the bark is the frail form placed. Soon, with the light of the early dawn Streaming around his celestial form, Angel guide enters the little bark, Taking the oar in his gentle hand. Silently, slowly, beyond the shore, Out on the fathomless ocean Time, Angel and child by the bark are borne. Cloudless the heavens that o'er them bend ; O'er the calm waters that round them glide Sunbeams like jewels are glist'ning now. Onward, still onward, the bark doth glide ; Shores in the distance are lost to view; Higher the waters around it roll ; Brighter the heavens above it bend. LoJ on the heavens, in lines of light, Imagery wondrously fair is traced : Fountains, and shadowy bow'rs, and groves, Palaces, temples, and lofty domes. Now in the bark, with its angel guide, Childhood's frail form we behold no more : Youth do we see, with his beaming eye Fixed on the imagery traced afar. Glows all his spirit with new-born fires ; Quickly he turns to his angel guide : " Tell me, O angel ! if thou dost know, What are those forms that are traced on high." IIO THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. Answers the angel, in low, deep tones, " 'Tis the mirage that reflecteth there Forms in the islands of Hope beyond. Soon thou, O Youth ! shalt behold those isles Bathed in the sunlight's eternal glow, Beautiful realm of a goddess bright." Noble and high is the soul of Youth ; Proud is the light in his flashing eye ; Thus does he speak to his angel guide : " Why, gentle angel, so long thy stay? Strong is my spirit, nor asks thine aid ; O'er these bright waves let me guide my bark." Now, with admiring yet tearful gaze Fixed on the youth, doth the angel speak : " Mariner out on the sea of Time, Bound for Eternity's distant shores, Take thou this oar, for I wing my flight Far to my home in the starry spheres." Now from the heavens a golden cloud Over, the bark like a light descends ; Lo ! then the angel, with wings outspread, Floats on that cloud to the realms above. Soon then the youth, with his eager gaze Fixed on those forms the mirage hath traced, Plunging his o'ar in the dashing tide, Hurries his bark to the isles of Hope. THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. Now he has come to those sunny isles ; By him a radiant being stands; Heavenly light in her beaming eye Telleth at once her celestial birth ; And in melodious tones she saith, " Welcome, O Youth ! to the isles of Hope. Moor here thy bark for a little while ; Wander with me o'er this lovely realm. First, then, O Youth ! let me guide thy way Where in her temple Religion waits, Pearl without price unto thee to give: Mayest thou, Youth, this fair pearl receive. Keep it forever, if thou wouldst reach City of Light on the mount of God. Only to those who shall bring this pearl Angels will open its golden gates. Seest thou that temple with lofty dome? Wisdom and Truth there thy coming wait, Counsels to give thee to guide thy way." Led bv the goddess of Hope, the youth Bows at Religion's most holy shrine, And from her hand he receives the pearl ; And in the temple with lofty dome Counsels from Wisdom and Truth receives, Wanders by fountains of pure delight, Wanders through shadowy groves and bowers. Then he unmoors his frail bark once more, THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. Launching again on the sea of Time. By him the goddess of" Hope doth stand ; And in her hand is an anchor clasped. Speaks she again in melodious tones, ' ' Take thou this anchor, and it, O Youth ! If when afar from these happy isles Storms and fierce tempests should round thee rage, Token of safety shall be to thee. Oh ! but if thou by the isles of Fear Losest this anchor, then woe to thee ! Near these there lie, and with wrecks o'erstrewn, Rock-bound and dismal, the isles Despair. And if from Heaven there come no aid, Swiftly then on to those dismal isles Shall thy bark sweep on that foaming surge, Till on those rocks it shall lie, a wreck." Now in the bark is the anchor placed ; Onward it sweeps o'er the dashing waves. Now far away from those happy isles See we the bark by the tempests driv'n; See we where Youth was its guide before, Manhood, with firm and with high resolve. Earnest his eye on the anchor rests, Dark grow the heavens ; and blackened clouds, Bound by the lightnings with fiery chains, Frowningly gaze on the deep below, THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. Rousing to anger the surging waves ; Then, like a watery wall, the waves, Gathering now round the storm-worn -bark, Break ; and the lightning's red blaze reveals, Dark'ning and gloomy, the isles of Fear. Gazes the mariner on its shores; Darker and deeper the shadows grow. Over the bark do the billows ride ; And from its place is the anchor swept, Plunged in the watery depths below. Now, on the fierce and stormy blast, Shrieks from the mariner wildly float ; Feels he, as swiftly the currents roll, On to the isles of Despair he drifts. Turns he, imploring, his eye to Heav'n. Part the black clouds that above him bend ; Light from the heavens in glory beams. By him there hovers an angel form, Guardian now, and his guide before. Thus to the mariner now he speaks: " Still do not fear, though thy hope be lost ; Message I bring from the realms of Faith : Soon from those realms shall the breezes blow, Wafting thee far from these dismal isles." Spoke thus the angel, then winged his flight. Quickly the winds and the waves are stilled, 10* II4 THE VOYAGE OF LIFE. Pure breezes blow from the realms of Faith, Wafting the bark on its peaceful way. Oh, solemn is the ceaseless, silent flow Of this mysterious deep, the sea of Time. 'Tis twilight now upon its peaceful waves; Yet all the shadows are with glory tinged ; For earthly twilight blends with heav'nly day. And now, behold ! within the beaten bark, Old Age, with furrowed brow and silv'ry hair. Upon Eternity's now bright' ning shores The guardian angel doth his coming wait. The boat is moored upon the heav'nly strand ; And once again the guardian angel speaks: "O mortal, hast thou brought the priceless pearl That in the isles of Hope to thee was giv'n ? If so, immortal, then, oh ! follow me, And I will guide thee to the mount of God, Will bring thee to the New Jerusalem ; There be the priceless pearl that thou hast brought The brightest gem in thy eternal crown." There comes a sound like rush of seraph wings, Their songs of welcome chant the seraph choirs. The twilight wanes. Time's shadows all are lost Within the light of heav'n's eternal day. ALMA MATER! FARE THEE WELL. To meetings on this earth, a parting must be, And solemn and sacred our parting from thee, Thy walls, Alma Mater, so long were our home, So oft have we gathered beneath thy loved dome ; So often thy voice, with its clear ringing tone, Hath called us to thee in the days that are flown ; While Mem'ry shall cherish with care and delight Her treasures most noble, or holy or bright. She'll cherish thee sacredly, tenderly, long; Yes, cherish thee still, when the words of our song Forgotten may be, and our spirit its flight Hath winged to the land of the true and the bright. Thy walls, Alma Mater, may crumble away, The love that we cherish thee cannot decay ; For time shall but brighten remembrance of thee, And through fleeting years thou but dearer shalt be. By light o'er the days of our girlhood thou'st thrown, In womanhood* s years be thy influence known; Now while o'er our souls rests this sad holy spell, We tenderly, tearfully, bid thee farewell. CRUCE AND CORONA. 'Tis night upon the sea; the heav'ns are black; And storms and whirlwinds sweep the foaming deep ; And ever and anon, electric light Terrific splendor flashes on the scene, Revealing by its bright and fearful gleam A noble vessel wrestling with the storm. And wilder round it do the whirlwinds sweep, And higher round it do the billows roll, Until at last the tempests dash the ship Their yielding prey upon the wreck-strewn reef. Then 'midst the din of elements arise The cries of human anguish, while despair Like clouds of darkness gathers round each soul, And hope its starlight quenches in the gloom. Each pow'r that sways the empire of the soul Grows still with terror, all save Memory, Who to and fro, on time's fast-dark' ning shores, Walks solitary by the sea of death. Amid this band of hope-bereaven ones A mother clasps in agony her child ; (116) CRUCE AND CORONA. 117 But in one moment of her anguish keen Rush visions of the past upon her soul. The hopes, the fears, the joys, of buried years ; The care Divine on all her life bestowed. Faith's star dispels the clouds of dark despair. Then in the mighty rush of roaring waves, The thunders' awful and death-threat' ning sound, She hears the footsteps of her Father-God, And calmly, quietly as little child Would seat itself upon some grassy knoll To watch its father's labors, so doth she Sit down upon that tempest-beaten reef, Her little one still cradled in her arms, In childhood's ill-unconscious peaceful rest. Broad sheets of lightning spread across the heav'ns, And by its light a cavern she beholds Within a cliff that towers overhead. A Heav'n-sent thought comes quickly to her soul; She bows her head in pray'r, and, rising now, Bends earnest gaze upon her sleeping child; Then, reaching high, she lays it in the cave. She may not come there, for no human feet, Amid the darkness of tempestuous night, Can pass the rocky paths that thither lead ; And, praying still, she stands upon the reef. 8 CRUCE AND CORONA. Still wildly on the foaming billows dash, And higher round the reef each moment roll, Some mortal sweeping to the depths beneath. With calm sublime the mother meets her fate. The darkness of the hour just ere the dawn Broods o'er the reef; no human form is there. 'Tis morn upon the sea. With sails unfurled To gentle breezes, o'er the azure waves Majesticly a stately vessel glides. A piteous cry floats o'er the heaving waves, And startles ev'ry soul within the ship, A wailing cry that vibrates on the heart With pow'r as can no sound but human voice. The ship moves on ; and soon before the view There tow'rs a cliff high o'er a wreck-strewn reef. A boat is lowered from the vessel's side, Two sailors brave row swiftly to the reef, In silence tread among the wrecks, and come Where still within its cavern cradle lies The little one that in the last night's storm The mother left in trembling hope and trust. Upon the child the wond'ring sailors gaze, And wonder in the child's soul stills her cries. But wonder gives to disappointment place, As suddenly to consciousness there comes The mem'ry of her mother. From the cave CRUCE AND CORONA. 119 The sailors lift the sobbing child, and hence In silence bear her to the waiting boat, That glides to meet the vessel far away. 'Tis sunset's hour; and grand old "ocean rolls Its gold-tinged billows up the em'rald steeps, The moss-grown rocks that circle in their strength A beauteous isle ; though on one side the rocks Complete above their circle by an arch, Thus giving entrance to the waves below, That rolling on in gentler motion flow, A sea-born river, 'tween the verdant slopes That lie on either side. The stately ship, Returned from voyaging the distant main, Now furls its sails, and anchors in the haven. A throng of human beings press the shore, And joyful greetings wait the vessel's crew, Who hasten from the ship. And now at last The ship's commander, leading by the hand The child they rescued from the wreck-strewn reef, Steps on the land ; and, greetings interchanged, Speaks thus he to the throng which gathers round : " My friends, I bring to your most lovely isle A little stranger. On a distant reef Some fragments of a shattered vessel lie, We doubt not, stranded there in last night's storm; 120 CRUCE AND CORONA. And none survive to tell the fearful tale Of those who perished, nor what hand had placed Within a cave, deep in o'erhanging rocks, Above the water's reach, this little child, Who yet, it seems, hath only learned to lisp The name of 'mother,' and her own, 'Cruce.' Oh, well, my friends, ye know my only home Is on the deep. But who of ye that dwell Upon this island fair will welcome home The stranger child? Whoe'er thou be, O friend ! I pray that thou mayst in her presence find The blessing of an angel unaware." The eyes of all are fixed in wond'ring gaze Upon the child, whom now the speaker lifts Upon a moss-grown rock. Around her brow The light of sunset like a halo rests; Her locks, as dark as plumes of raven, glow With wondrous luster in the setting beams. With eyes cast down a moment thus she stands, Then, slowly raising them, her gaze is caught By brilliant tinted clouds that glorify The dim horizon's verge. Now on the throng She looks with timid, half-averted eyes ; Yet in the transient glance from those dark depths A high, mysterious expression comes, That tells of something in the childish soul CRUCE AND CORONA. I2i That scarce three earthly years hath sojourned here, Which touches ev'ry soul with interest More sad, more tender e'en, than that called forth By what they know already of her fate. The little stranger now, as if her soul Had felt the sympathy of those around, Turns on them full her deep and pensive gaze. It seems as through her eyes a spirit gazed Whose being all had passed amid the shades Of sorrow's land; yet in her glance is blent With that mysterious sadness, other look, Prophetic, high, that seems to tell of pow'r To triumph o'er all sorrow at the last. Now from the silent throng advancing comes A man, who stands beside the moss-grown rock; And thus he to the ship's commander speaks: "This morn, O friend! beheld the island turf Placed o'er the coffin of my little child. This little stranger to my lonely home I welcome. There a mother she will find; And little sister in the lost one's place Shall be the stranger to my only child. "Cruce, my little one, wilt go with me?" Two little outreached hands are his reply. He takes her in his arms, and to his home I22 CRUCE AND CORONA. He bears her through the deep'ning twilight shades. Within the dwelling all is hushed and still; Through all bereavement's presence seems to breathe. He enters silently, and soon to her The promised mother tells the story sad, The shipwreck on the reef in ocean storm, And how within the cavern they had found The sole survivor. To the stranger child The mother's heart a mother's welcome gives; And lips maternal sing the lullaby They sang the little one who sleeps in death. This night the little stranger's ringlets dark Float o'er the pillow where few nights ago The golden tresses of the lost one lay. Now morning dawns upon this lovely isle. The sun's ascending beams with beauty crown Its groves, its moss-grown rocks, and happy homes. Beneath a vine-embowered shade, beside The lovely home Cruce should call her own, Sits he who bore her thither, all absorbed In deep reflective thought. The entrance-way That opens to that bow'r is toward the east. Within the golden light that inward streams, A childish form appears. Her broad fair brow, So white in pureness that a seraph's lips Might touch with holy kiss its fair expanse, CRUCE AND CORONA. Betokens wondrous pow'r of intellect. Her clear blue j-j Have wrought upon the dwelling of the soul Their fatal work. And day by day her step Grows slower and more weary ; and the glow That fled her cheek upon that fearful night When in the presence of the dead she stood With face as ghastly as their own, shall ne'er Return. Yet for her art she still would live, And patiently yet longingly she waits For strength to paint ideals of her soul That strongly for their own expression urge. But hope deferred grows weary; and resolve At length attempts alone, what strength denies; And on the canvas traced with trembling hand Are outlined forms that coloring but wait To give to them most wondrous lovely life, And then her hand drops pow'rless from its task. A mighty desolation fills her soul, The signal of the death of hope. She cries, "My soul, this earth hath nothing more for thee. Where art thou, O my Father? take me home !" And soon a message to Cruce she sends, Transcribed by friendly hand, and reading thus : " My days are few. I'm passing swiftly hence. Had I not so much suffered, not so great Had been this strength of soul, these added pow'rs; 1 7 8 CRUCE AND CORONA. My crown on earth, and herald of my crown In heav'n. The thoughts of beauty in my soul Shall find expression there, denied them here. My work is over. Sundered ev'ry tie That bound me here. While from my spirit's depths There comes a sad beseeching cry for rest, That God alone can answer, God alone, Across the lands and seas that lie between I call to thee, my friend, my sister, come." Then gently as descend the dews of heav'n The pilgrim's words do to her spirit come: "And then at eventide it shall be light." And softly to herself she murmurs low, "A little longer, O my weary soul! A little longer, and the night shall break, And o'er thee, in its holy splendor, stream The calm, eternal light of heaven's dawn." VII. The sun shines bright within the western heav'ns, Its glory resting on a vine- wreathed bow'r; And lights and shadows, quivering within, Surround Corona. On her snowy brow A crown of sunbeams dropped 'tween leaves above, CRUCE AND CORONA. 179 Upon her countenance celestial peace Reposes with a beauty most serene. The sun that shines so brightly in the heav'ns Is waiting now the hour of its eclipse ; To witness this, e'en with her dying gaze, Corona waiteth now within this bow'r. Cruce beside her stands in silence sad, And tearfully she gazes on her friend, Companion of the days of early youth, And playmate of her childhood, in that home, That far, sweet island home, which nevermore The eyes of either shall again behold. Time passes. To her friend she whispers low. Corona's eyes unclose ; and now she sees The dying sunlight resting on the leaves, The sun grow lesser, dimmer all the while. Then in a twilight strange the stars come forth, A mighty shadow falls, and folds the earth In what doth seem a supernatural night. The full-orbed night-queen, hanging in the heav'ns, Confronts the sun, and hides his kingly face. A perfect crown, a circlet of bright rays, Surrounds her, and yet still is not her own : It is the day-king's royal signet ring. o CRUCE AND CORONA. In queenly grace she from his presence glides ; In momentary twilight vanish now The moon and stars ; the sun is left alone. Once more Cruce doth turn her tearful gaze Upon Corona. On her death-white face The peace ascends to rapture, and her eyes Are lit with radiance from upper lands. In clear, sweet tones like sound of seraph lute, She cries," ' Tis come, 'tis come, M eternal day ! Love folds its white wings o 1 er my soul, and cries, ' Thou earnest from the Infinite, and now, O soul! to that same Infinite return.' ' Her eyes close softly in the beautiful, The last sweet sleep, the type of perfect rest. The airs around, within that bow'r are fraught With angel benedictions. And her lips Move lightly, whisp'ring from the shores of death, "I see the land that is very far off, I see the King in his beauty." The years Thrice circling now have joined the silent past. 'Tis past the midnight hour ; the silent stars CRUCE AND CORONA. X 8i Look down in solemn beauty on the earth. The crescent moon is rising o'er the hills: Its slight beams, falling now on dungeon-bars And entering through the blackened gratings, rest Among Cruce's dark locks ; for once again The prison-walls have shut her from her work. But Heav'n is drawing nigh, and weary earth Receding from her soul. Her lips reveal The vision that before her spirit gleams, And in their dying accents whisper low, " They come, my father, mother, sister- friend ! They come, the angels a resplendent band ! I wait, O Saviour ! yes, Thou too art come, And I to Thee am swiftly coming now. I pass the angels round me whisp'ring low, ' The crown! the crown!' and still to Thee I come, And, to thy holy presence now received, Thou'lt crown me with the glory of thy love, With its infinitude of depth and height. MY SOUL FOREVER ASKS NO OTHER CROWN !" 1 6 f]pt>S rm fftkov fjiou r GUARDIAN ANGELS. TWILIGHT hovered o'er a mountain, Morning's twilight dim and gray ; At the mountain's foot an angel Waited for the dawn of day. From the mountain's side and summit Slowly rolled the mists away, And the crimson light was gleaming Where a child in slumbers lay. In the sleeper's ear the angel Whispered, "Wake, behold the light, Little child, I come to lead thee Up Life's steep, lone mountain height." While the child hand clasped he gently, Upward in the dawning light, Onward went the child and angel, While in stature and in might Grew the child, and Wisdom, Virtue, Crowned him with a regal crown, Till behind Life's mountain summit Sank the sun in glory down. (182) GUARDIAN ANGELS. In the dying light of sunset Passed they from that mountain height To that far-off Land of Beauty Where there never cometh night. Ah ! how oft when Life -gates open Comes a guardian angel bright, Comes to lead the spirit onward Through the shadows and the light, Conies to cheer and guide and guard it, Never fainting by the way, Never, never, never leaves it, If the guarded do not say, Not in words, perchance, but actions, " I go elsewhere : do not stay." On the guardian angel's spirit Awful weights of sorrow fall, While the guided hand unclasping, Sadly murm'ring, "Lost is all." But whenever loved and trusted, Happy, happy is the soul Led by such celestial guidance Onward to the spirit's goal. Guardian angels ! how they love us With a love that cannot tire, Glowing in those holy beings With a pure seraphic fire. GUARDIAN ANGELS. Elder brothers, elder sisters, Sent to us while here below, Like us loving one great Father, From whom all our spirits flow. THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. ONCE, when the calm day, in its beauty departing, On lingering light-beams sent farewells to earth, Methought through the golden-barred gates of the sunset I passed to the land where my spirit had birth. Afar in the Pleiades gleamed Alcyone ; And thither my spirit directed its flight. While powers unseen all around me were hov'ring, A spirit voice whispered, " Follow the light !" Then earth, sun, and planets grew dim to my vision, And, led by the beams that were shining from far, I journeyed through spaces all solemn and silent, Till welcomed at last to that radiant star. Said one, o'er this Pleiad the guardian angel, " O dweller erewhile of a far solar sphere ! Now come unto us from that realm of creation, Both seraphs and angels we welcome thee here. "Ere long, by the solemn decree of Jehovah, The planets and sun of thy system sublime 16* ( 185) !86 THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. Shall wing their flight back to the regions of chaos, And chant their last song to the marches of time. " The sounds even now of those trembling vibrations Announce the approach of some heavenly pow'r, To tell us, perchance, to the spheres of that system Already hath come the last sorrowful hour. " My sister, behold !" When the angel had spoken, I saw that a shadow had clouded the light, And near us a being of heavenly beauty, Yet robed in a mantle sad-hued as the night. She lifted her eyes. And then, breaking the silence That reverence holy had taught me to keep, I turned to the being who welcomed me thither, And, wondering, asked, "Do the angels e'er weep?" " I leave," answered sadly the sorrowful angel, "A planet o'er which I was guardian long. Uranus is hurled from its place in thy system By pow'r of the Infinite mighty and strong. " I saw when there dawned at the word of Jehovah Upon this fair planet the first beams of light, I heard when His mandate as steadfast and solemn Consigned it to regions of chaos and night. THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. jg; " These tears, O my sister ! are not those of longing To call back the lost from those voids dark and deep ; These are but the tears of a holy remembrance, Remembrance Jehovah Himself bids us keep." The shadows around us grew darker and deeper : Two beings approached us from o'er the dark way. While mighty and strange was the pow'r of their presence, I heard them in accents of deep sorrow say, "Guardian angel of this Pleiad, Of the heav'nly Alcyone, Center of the starry system, 'Tis an hour of woe and wonder In the universe of God ; For in yonder solar system There hath risen strange commotion ; Two, of all, the brightest planets, Mighty ring-encircled Saturn, Jupiter with moons attended, Must forever quench their splendor In the dark, chaotic deep." The ether around us scarce ceased its vibrations, That thrilled with the sounds of celestials' deep woe, When came to us, veiled in a mantle of darkness, Another one, saying, in tones sad and low, 1 88 THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. " From the earth I bring ye tidings, Come to tell the moon is waning, Come to tell the stars are setting, Come to tell the sun no longer O'er the earth shall shed its light. Earth is all in desolation, Wrapped in shadows and in darkness, With its sister worlds expiring. Back to chaos soon they'll hasten, While the thunders chant their death-song, And the lightnings round them flashing Light them on their lonely way." I listened in silence, until in her sorrow I heard the last angel her story relate. It oped in my soul all the fountains of sadness. I murmured, "Alas, O thou Earth ! thy sad fate !" The guardian angel who welcomed me thither Said gently, " My sister, oh, why art thou sad? While seraphs and angels are here to befriend thee, And this is thy home, let thy spirit be glad." " I know that thou lovest me, call'st me thy sister," I said, "but that world was my dwelling before; And there too dwelt those who have known me and loved me : Oh, then let my sorrow wake wonder no more." THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. ^9 When thus I had murmured my sorrow, the angel To me said with tenderness holy and sweet, " If friends who were thine are the friends of the Saviour, Weep not then, my sister, again ye shall meet.' Then quickly the shadows around us were lifted, And circled with light came a glorious one, And said she, in tones full of peace and of triumph, " The guardian angel was I of the Sun ; But now at its fate my soul doth not sorrow, The will of Jehovah forever be done. " My sad sisters, come with me. We who have wit nessed The birth of these spheres in the dawning of time Must guide them while, winging their flight back to chaos, They chant their last anthem, so sad, yet sublime." The angels departed. And soon through the silence, And clearer and sweeter than ever before, Arose the last song of the Spheres, and we listened Till e'en its last cadence resounded no more. Then sounds did we hear as the rushing of pinions ; Before us was gathered a numberless throng, 190 THE LAST SONG OF THE SPHERES. All clad in the white robes of heavenly beauty, With golden harps tuned to Redemption's sweet song. The guardian angel, her holy eyes raising, That beamed with a new and a glorious ray, Said, "O Thou Great Father of Spirits! we praise Thee That souls perish not, though the worlds pass away f NIGHT. O ANCIENT Night ! ere suns and stars had birth, Or God from chaos wrought this wondrous earth, Triumphant thou didst reign, while all around Thy sister Silence breathed a spell profound. And then at last this orb assumed a place With other planets in the realms of space; And cosmic light at length flashed dimly o'er A world to naught but darkness known before ; Prophetic of a future day of light, To beam with radiance more pure and bright. At last through clouds of mist the sun-rays broke, And earth into the sunlight splendor woke. And thou wast Night, though Darkness was thy name Ere at God's word Day into being came; And when "God saw the light that it was good," And gazed afar where Night majestic stood, "Let us," He said, "each one of these divide, And give to both an empire vast and wide." When this was done, well pleasing in His sight, The light He called the Day, the darkness, Night. He placed a starry crown on Night's dark brow, And as she wore it then she wears it now, ('9') 1 92 NIGHT. Save here and there a bright celestial gem Is lost from out the gorgeous diadem; While beaming forth with majesty and grace Another fills the glitt'ring lost one's place. O Night ! what mighty changes thou hast seen ! What mighty changes in our world had been Ere yet man came from God's creating hand, The one for whom creation's- scheme was planned ! And now for long years o'er this peopled earth Hast thou looked down on scenes of woe and mirth ; On scenes of joy and peace, and those of strife, On scenes of death, and scenes of happy life; And watched while grief, unsleeping, wept away The long night-hours until the break of day; And seen despair lift up its tearless eye In silent agony, and pray to die. How long, O Night ! until such woe be past ? When hearts no more shall bow 'neath sorrow's blast, When wrong and error shall be swept away, And truth and right hold universal sway. The most some talent have, though genius, few ; And noble zeal and talent might renew Our earth, until 'twould like a heaven seem, Where life would pass like some entrancing dream. Though talent gazes with bewildered eye, When genius in its course sweeps earth and sky NIGHT. I93 And darts like lightning through the depths of space, Impatient, eager some new path to trace Where seraphim or angels may have trod, When drawing nearer to the throne of God, Joy's sunlight is not always genius' dow'r; Too oft it feels the storm and whirlwind's pow'r, Yet storm and whirlwind may alike defy, With upward glance still fixed on Deity. Immortal minstrel! Milton, sang of light When its sweet beams no more might cheer his sight ; Though day its glories has, O Night ! we claim Thou hast thy glories too, though not the same. And when o'er earth thy gentle shadows fall; When quietness and peace reign over all ; When stars gaze on us from their home above With glances full of sympathy and love; The waves of life's great sea more calmly roll, And tides of glorious thoughts sweep o'er the soul. Then, too, in those calm hours of deep repose, Long after day has wandered to its close, When sleep waves o'er us its soft magic wand, How sweet to wander in that mystic land, The dream-land, often with rare beauties fraught Like that bewitching fairy-land of thought ! O Night ! we love thee most that thou dost show, To mortals dwelling in this sphere below, '7 I 9 4 NIGHT. Those glorious orbs that on thy dark brow gleam, That in the heav'ns with light celestial beam; And when above we lift our wond'ring eyes And view the glories of the midnight skies, How longs the spirit then for wings to soar Through starry lands by angels trod before, That it may view with clear-discerning eyes E'en some of God's unfathomed mysteries! And can these aspirations of the soul be wrong, These yearnings of the spirit, deep and strong ? No ! Though ^od's thoughts are not as thoughts of man, His secret ways no mortal e'er can scan, Yet as we journey to perfection's goal We'll cherish still these longings of the soul, Still keep our eyes fixed on the heights above, And still with earnest strivings onward move. We know not but when this brief life is past Our wishes may be realized at last ; But should this be, the soul, though richly blest, Would not deem this enough, nor idly rest, But higher longings still would then be born, With ever-wid'ning range as beams of morn. Each star, O Night, that glitters in thy crown, That gazes on this earth majestic down, Seems like a pleader to this earth-sphere giv'n To woo man's thoughts from earthly things to heav'n. NIGHT. I9S And to that soul that ever seeks to view In all things good the beautiful and true, Its silent voice is full of love and peace, With promises of bliss that ne'er shall cease. But to that soul absorbed in worldly cares, That weave a network round of Satan's snares, Its holy, earnest glance would seem to say, " Oh, waste not thus the hours of life's brief day. Now bid thy spirit from these earth-mists soar ; Lift up thine eyes, behold us, and adore. Adore the God who formed us by His might, Whose hand alone can quench our beams of light ; And realize within thy soul how vain Is all the glory worldly pomp can gain." Ambitious man may rear through all the land Proud monuments of pow'r he hopes will stand Through long, long ages ; but they pass away. There's naught man's work that can resist decay. E'en Egypt's pyramids at last must fall, When desolation's wing sweeps over all. Exalted thought and holy deeds alone Rear structures that can ne'er be overthrown. Night, thou art beautiful, when winter reigns And flings its mantling snow o'er hills and plains; When 'neath the starlight, or the moon's clear beam, Its icicles and crystals softly gleam ; 196 NIGHT. And lovely thou, when gentle springtime comes And calls the blossoms to their woodland homes. How glorious art thou, when the summer's sky Hath caught the deep glance of her laughing eye ! How peaceful thou, when quiet autumn comes, The time when birds return to southern homes ; When breezes hum a low and sad refrain, As if it were a parting full of pain, When proud trees drop their bright-hued garlands down Upon the barren earth so cold and brown ! The blossoms perish 'neath the touch of frost ; The glories of the summer all are lost. Majestic is thy reign where northern skies Are lit with luster of auroral dyes ; And fancy whispers that like fairy-land Save that there come no breezes mild and bland Must be those arctic realms, when over all Their icebergs and their glaciers moonbeams fall. And then our own broad prairies love thee too, On flow'rs and grasses dropping gentle dew. Thy reign is bright in far-off southern clime, In lovely lands of music and of rhyme. And if so fair lit by the sunbeam dyes, How glorious, too, must be the midnight skies Of Italy, that land of deathless fame, Where long ago Art's high-souled children came, NIGHT. 197 The canvas touched, or on the marble wrought, And left the impress there of lofty thought. Night, there are times when o'er thy brow serene Thick clouds of blackness and of rage are seen ; Times when the storm-winds rush in madness by, And lightnings flash across the darkened sky. Yet, Night, thy clouds and tempests are sublime, Foreshadowing that great, that fearful time, So fearful unto each whose wayward heart Refused in life to choose the better part ; When angels traversing the voids of space Shall from the clouds that veil Jehovah's face Peal after peal from their loud trumpets blow, And shake the heav'ns above and earth below. O glorious Night ! with all thine orbs of light, There is a sinless land where comes no night ; And when in those fair realms of Paradise We meet the pure sweet gaze of angel eyes And feel the gentle clasp of spirit hands, We'll roam enraptured through those angel lands, Where friends shall meet and know the perfect love That thrills the souls of those who meet above; And then our souls shall view more glorious things Than Night to mortal vision ever brings ; Then thought shall soar from earthly fetters free, And time be lost in vast eternity. 17* UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-42m-8,'49(B5573)444 DC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY A 001 372 379 6 PS 1085