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 Go{pghtN"_i_? 
 
 CQIKRIGHT OEPOSIR 
 
niie Fountain of Youth 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF 
 YOUTH 
 
 BY 
 
 M. Belle Mat4\evCs 
 
 BOSTON, U. S.A. 1920 
 
<^ 
 
 
 Copyright 1920 
 By M. Bei^IvE Matthews 
 
 ^OV 10 1920 
 ©CLA604035 
 
 \ 
 
nfhe Fountain of Toum 
 
 Ah! here are the roads I am seeking 
 To my left is the one down the meadow ; 
 With a rambhng brook near by — 
 At the right is the towering yew tree 
 Whose top seems luring the sky 
 And here also awaits the guardsman 
 Who may question my right ; and alas ! 
 Over the road I am seeking; 'tis said 
 But few are allowed to pass. 
 
 What seek ye, my brother who wandereth ? 
 
 What seek ye I ask the day? 
 
 I seek the key of knowledge 
 
 Can you guide m.e on my way ? 
 
 It is as guide I await here 
 
 The coming of all mankind 
 
 For now, and anon, they are coming 
 
 Since all this road must find ; 
 
 They are seeking the key of knowledge 
 
 To unlock the door of Truth 
 
 That they each may enter it's portals 
 
 And drink of the Fountain of Youth. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 Yea, brother, come upward and onward 
 The road thou seeketh is plain 
 But back in the realms of memory 
 You may hear a long silent train. 
 Still, it is not I who should warn thee, 
 Neither, should I quell the zest 
 For without the shadow of memories 
 No one w^ould of Truth be in quest. 
 
 All alert, with shoulders thrown backward, 
 And with chin pointing upward in air, 
 What care I, said this man so masterly. 
 Whether the road be shadowed or fair — 
 I ask a boon of no man; 
 Whatsoever, I desire, I demand, 
 But, alack; on the road before him 
 Stood a wall, enclosing the land. 
 What meaneth this sir, guardsman? 
 Come, open the gate I say. 
 For I've som.ewhat of a journey 
 And would hasten on my way. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 Thus answered the armored guardsman: 
 
 An armor thou must wear, 
 
 Ere thou canst reach the summit 
 
 Of the mountain over there; 
 
 In a moment all was darkness, 
 
 Soon replaced by a broad white light 
 
 And his mind was called backward 
 
 To a page in memory's sight — 
 
 He saw his dishonest dealings 
 
 In storing his hoarded gold. 
 
 Saw numerous ragged children, whose faces 
 
 Were growing sad and old. 
 
 They were the faces of the little workers 
 
 Who of just wages he had robbed; 
 
 Also, many a widowed mother, who 
 
 In helpless anguish sobbed — 
 
 He saw young girls in gay dresses 
 
 Whose heads were bowed in shame. 
 
 And all in their marching downward 
 
 Were chanting a dirge to his name. 
 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 An armor of Love and Charity 
 
 Said the Guardsman thou must wear, 
 
 Ere thou may share the blessings 
 
 Which are gai'nered over there. 
 
 Now bowed was the head of this proud one 
 
 As he turned and followed the throng 
 
 While memory resounded by echo 
 
 The dirge of their saddening song. 
 
 Now, at the gate stood a grand man, 
 
 Portly, tall, well-groomed and well-fed. 
 
 Who was so very self-righteous, he visioned 
 
 A halo, about his own head — 
 
 Prithee guardsman — was his greeting, 
 
 Why lock thou the gate unto me? 
 
 I am a teacher of Truth in yon city 
 
 And should pass by unquestioned, you see ; 
 
 Ere any pass by these portals, 
 
 Old memories they must recall 
 
 Casting them into the balance 
 
 To measure their worth as they fall. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 In memory he looked down the valley 
 
 To a brook with a cottage on shore. 
 
 Also a little log school house, 
 
 Which he presided o'er — 
 
 He saw himself diligently striving 
 
 To help the young minds to expand. 
 
 While on the Sabbath he was the parson. 
 
 Guiding all to a better land ; 
 
 Near by him stood a maiden 
 
 Comely, gladsome, but coy, 
 
 Her eyes shone in love before him. 
 
 And his cup runneth over with joy. 
 
 Again, he was in a city, and 
 Sought by the fashionable throng, 
 We're calling you, calling you, calling. 
 Was the burden of their soner. 
 
10 THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 Now, he stands in a broad white pulpit, 
 Of the handsomest church in the land. 
 There are rubles and golden eagles 
 Falling into his outstretched hand ; 
 His home is built like a palace, 
 His wife befitting the same, but alas. 
 For Truth, Love and Charity, 
 He has all but forgotten their name; 
 Now raising his eyes toward the mountain, 
 Which is illumined by a halo of light. 
 The maid of his youth stands before him. 
 Beckoning him into her circle bright. 
 
 Come again saith the guardsman. 
 With Charity toward thy brothers. 
 And a helmet garnered with Love, 
 You then may open the gateway, 
 Guarding the mountain above, 
 And as you follow this pathway. 
 You will gain a lesson in Truth 
 And may drink again of that Fountain 
 Where all regaineth their youth. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 11 
 
 Who awaits me saith the guardsman, 
 And a woman stands at the gate 
 Calmly demanding admittance, 
 In proud and righteous state 
 Saying, I would hasten my journey 
 I wish not to be late. 
 Smilingly answers the guardsman 
 Past memories all must recall, 
 Before they can unlock the gateway 
 Which closeth the gap in the wall. 
 
 And she sees as in a picture 
 
 Little children passing by 
 
 With faces sad and sorrowful 
 
 Sad longing in every eye; 
 
 Each points a finger downward 
 
 As they gaze upon the earth 
 
 And she knows they were souls retarded 
 
 To whom she'd refused to give birth. 
 
12 THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 She sees her home in the city 
 
 A home that is wondrous fair ; 
 
 This is the birthday of the Saviour 
 
 And there is gladness most everywhere. 
 
 In her house are the gifts she has purchased 
 
 But none for the Christ Child, Love, 
 
 They are only gifts of fashion 
 
 Carrying no joy to God above. 
 
 She sees in the street her limousine 
 Near which stands a child thinly clad 
 Asking only a very small offering 
 To make her sick mother glad. 
 She hears these words to her chauffeur 
 Robert — why don't you send her away, 
 There are places for these beggars. 
 Why should she spoil my day? 
 Robert put a coin into the tiny hand, 
 When Hark ! to the strain of music 
 As the singing of angel band. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 13 
 
 Now speaks the armored guardsman, 
 Have Charity towards thy sisters, 
 Then armor thyself with love, 
 Ere thou can enter the gateway, 
 Leading to the mountain above. 
 Or obtain the key of knowledge 
 To open the door to Truth 
 And stand beside the master 
 To drink of the Fountain of Youth. 
 
 Now pauseth Labor and Capital 
 Each placing a hand on the gate 
 While showing upon their faces 
 Are lines of strife and hate, 
 As each demands permission 
 To travel on the road to Truth 
 I judge, my friends, saith the guardsman 
 You seek the Fountain of Youth, 
 And each must look toward the summit 
 To learn what past memories recall. 
 Then they saw they'd forgotten Charity 
 And were not as brothers at all. 
 
14 THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 For there before them were marching 
 Many starving and ill clad, 
 And others, without fuel, were freezing. 
 Then their own hearts grew sad ; 
 They knew these were the weaker brothers 
 Unable to contend with the strong. 
 Workers at home or in small business 
 Without strength to battle the throng. 
 But when Capital raises the wages 
 They must help to pay the price 
 And many are robbed of the essential 
 For sustenance of human life. 
 
 You each must turn back 
 
 Saith the guardsman, 
 
 And carry your burdens on the road. 
 
 When you've learned your lesson my brothers 
 
 Love will help to lighten your load. 
 
 And with Charity toward all others 
 
 You are learning the way of Truth 
 
 And with this Key of Knowledge 
 
 You can unlock the Fountain of Youth. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 16 
 
 Labor's load grew so heavy he must 
 
 Needs lie down to rest 
 
 When Capital drawing near him 
 
 Heard these words on him impressed 
 
 "Bear ye one anothers burdens" 
 
 And you will not need to rest. 
 
 Then he lifted the others' burden 
 
 He felt that this was right 
 
 And he found that by its carrying 
 
 His own load grew more light. 
 
 Then Labor knew that Capital 
 
 Had burdens too to bear 
 
 And he knew that he could help him 
 
 With brotherly love and care. 
 
 Now, with new born knowledge 
 
 They passed on down the road 
 
 And each in his heart was happy 
 
 Since he could lighten his brothers' load. 
 
16 THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 The last to halt at the gateway 
 
 Was a lawyer ; fortune had come his way 
 
 As he was now a stately judge 
 
 In Justice Court each day. 
 
 Now, the guardsman's eyes grew bright 
 
 He felt that to serve Justice 
 
 Was a truly honorable right, 
 
 And he swung ajar the gate 
 
 So the Judge could pass onward. 
 
 There seemed no need to wait 
 
 But when the Judge went forward 
 
 Memory sat upon the wall 
 
 And to the mind of his Judgeship 
 
 Past deeds began to recall. 
 
 He saw a lonely widow 
 Of a man on trial one day. 
 The evidence was not convicting 
 But they sent him over the way. 
 The lawyers' speech carried conviction 
 'Tis one of the tricks of the trade 
 What if her heart was broken ? 
 The lawyers' fortune was made. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 17 
 
 Near by is another woman 
 Her character is defamed 
 To give a husband his freedom 
 The evidence was framed ; 
 He knew he was the lawyer 
 Whom the evidence did unfold 
 While in his mind was the tingle 
 Of half a million in gold. 
 
 He sees his own wife weeping 
 
 With empty outstretched hands 
 
 To a bevy of shadow children 
 
 Who dance in circling bands, 
 
 He hears her begging, longing for 
 
 Little feet in her halls to roam, 
 
 And he knows these are her dream children 
 
 He would not allow in their home. 
 
 Learn charity to thy brethren — and 
 
 With regained honor and truth 
 
 You may pass thru the gateway 
 
 Leading to the Fountain of Youth. 
 
18 THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 
 
 Fve almost told you my vision; 
 Yet ere I awoke from the dream, 
 The moon was made my footstool 
 Or, this to me it did seem 
 I stood on it upward gazing 
 The stars in one hand I twirled 
 On the other there seemed balanced 
 The Globe of our own dear world. 
 
 Then far away in the distance 
 The dazzling sun did I see 
 And on the golden sunlight 
 These words were written for me 
 Truly with all these 
 Can mortal man be blest, but 
 If he have not Charity 
 He cannot enter my rest. 
 
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 19 
 
 Know ye not that I am, Charity ? 
 I am the Word, and the Word is God ; 
 I am Love, I am Life, and I am Truth ; 
 Come unto Me clothed in these raiments 
 And be filled from the 
 Fountain of Youth.