A DREAM, AND OTHER POEMS MISS L. F. HACKETT. CHICAGO. 1880. Printed at the Hantaffraph Printing Establishment, Bloomington, lllinuK PS TO EARTH'S WEARY ONES, QJijis 1 tttU Tolumt IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. Kind Reader, judge not my book austerely, Neither criticise it too severely ,' Cover it -with the mantle of Charity merely, And the author mill lore you most sincerely. 762985 CONTENTS: PART I. A DREAM .... A HYMN .... PRAYER .... DESTINY .... A CALL TO MISSIONARY WORK FROM MY GUARDIAN SPIRIT . LOOK WITHIN RESIGNATION .... EARTH'S SORROWING ONES PRAYER UNDER AFFLICTION . INVOCATION .... ANGEL WHISPERS CHRISTMAS .... MY BLOSSOM . AFTER THE NIGHT THE MORN ING DAWNETH . WRITTEN TO Miss A. B. . FROM A SPIRIT FRIEND SONG To A STRANGER WRITTEN TO A FRIEND . SPRING . PAGE X PAGE . 9 HYMN . 32 17 To ONE IN SORROW . 33 . 18 KNOW THYSELF . 34 19 FEAR NOT ..... 35 . 21 ANGEL VOICES . 36 23 TEARS 37 . 24 THE FUTURE .... . 39 25 THE BOOK OF LIFE . 41 21 HYMN . 43 29' PASSING AWAY .... 45 . 30 THE NEW BIRTH . . 46 31 PART II. PAGE PAGE 49 MAY 62 . 53 HOPE . 63 I- DISAPPOINTMENT 64 . 55 To A LOVED ONE . . 65 57 WRITTEN IN A FRIEND'S ALBUM 65 . 57 THE HUNTER'S SONG 66 58 THE COMING VICTORY . . 67 . 59 SONG 69 60 ALL NATURE PRAISES GOD . 71 . 61 PART I A DKEAM. I dreamed that I to heaven went, And, being on an errand bent, I hastened on, intent to find An answer to the question in ray mind, ' Twas this: Do angels here employment find For the body or for the mind? As I stood gazing round about, I saw a multitude, and heard a shout Come from a vast, a mighty throng. This was the burden of their song (They were singing hymns of praise To Him who hath no end of days): "Glory be to God who sits on high! Who unto us is ever nigh; 10 A DREAM. For he did send to us his own dear Son, Through whose sufferings we have won, And he saved us by his blood As he did Noah from the flood." And as I listened, tho' unseen, I saw, far off upon a green, What seemed to me another race. So opposite were they in form and face; So cheerful they, and happy too, Not scared by any bugaboo; Not singing long and doleful tune, But gay as any bird in June; Bright, too, as are the flowers in May. Thinks I, that's the very place to stay, Where I can merry be, and gay; Yes, that I know will pay. But first I thought I would inquire And know to what I did aspire, A DREAM. 11 Whether this people were as they did seem, Of heavenly mind, sweet arid serene. But, to return to my first question, Without waiting for dictation, In front of that vast, that mighty throng, Who now had finished up their song, Sat one upon a great white throne, Exalted high, tho' not alone, Who now was giving loud command To one who sat at his right hand. "Watch well," said he, "these people now at leisure, Lest they seek their own, not my, good pleasure; For they upon your merits come, Relying not on any good which they have done, But solely your great merits claim. This sentiment I do disdain, Knowing well man will take credit For all in him that seems a merit; 12 A DREAM. And, while they hope to always rest, They'll find that work for them is best, Work for the body as well as the mind; Doing good to all mankind, In the heavens above, and on the earth, Everywhere that man hath birth. So watch them well, as I have said, For they still think their sins on you are laid, Which they will find a great mistake After a few changes they shall make, After they shall have gone up higher, And for all good they do aspire. But cycles of ages shall run on Ere their debts are canceled one by one, Ere they to heavenly bliss attain, Ere they are freed from earthly stain; Then true happiness they will find In lifting up, not casting down, their kind. A DREAM. 13 While to these people you attend I'll seek those who always were my friend. They never in their heart have said, 'God owes us debts he ne'er has paid; Our way hedged up and pent With bars o'er which we could not leap, Left us our way to wend o'er mountain steep With no kind hand to lead or guide Or help us up the mountain side.' Oh no; they say, 'He's been our friend And ever will be to the end; And Him we will adore, Throughout all time and evermore. Although by man condemned To endless tortures with the damned, We'll ever walk in wisdom's ways, And to our God will give the praise, Until we meet him far above, 14 A DREAM. Where all is peace, and joy, and love.' I love them well, these people true; They loyal are to me, 'true blue', And they no watching need; Are not puffed up; not filled with greed. They their fellow men did love, Were kind and gentle like a dove; And, tho' to heaven they did aspire, Did not consign their brother to hell-fire. This myth they never did receive, Because they neither could nor would believe That God who made the world so fair Would send men's souls to dark despair. Now I let them play upon the green, Surrounded by all things pleasant to be seen; By flowers sweet, and rich, and rare, Which they do often cull with care, And carry down to earth, or send A DREAM. 15 With messages of love to friend. They dwell in mansions bright and fair, No longer cumbered with earthly care; Their souls together sweetly blend, While all their aspirations higher tend. And they still seek the good of all, Both high and low, both great and small: This is the secret of their great content, Which naught will ever here prevent." Then, turning 'round to me, He said : "Tho' their debts are not yet fully paid, They'll always find some sweet employment; And, if you like, can now make comment." To this no answer I could make, Feeling that I had much at stake; So, musing awhile before I spoke, I made an effort, and then awoke. 16 A DREAM. This is the moral I would teach : Practice well before you preach; Be not righteous in your own conceit, Lest you find your heart full of deceit. Depend not on another's merit; Be pure in heart, and thus find credit. While to heaven you desire to go, Send not your brother to eternal woe. Remember, God is good to all, Whether they be great or small. When from his hand you do receive Good gifts, on him believe. And while the paths of life you tread, Forget not that the so-called dead Are still alive and journeying on, And you shall meet them one by one In that bright world above, Where all is harmony and love. A HYMN. 17 A HYMN. There is a land, far, far above This earthly land of ours, Filled with immortal love divine, Where ever bloom the flowers; Where envy, discord or distrust Can never fill the breast, For God, the Father, then will give To his beloved, rest. Refreshing showers shall descend Upon the buds and flowers, And fragrance ever fill the air, Fresh from the heavenly bowers, While incense from the throne of God Shall rob the heart of care, Shall give the tired spirit rest And free from every snare. 18 PKAYER. Waft the heavenly breezes o'er me Till my tired spirit rests Where earthly cares cannot oppress me And the weary find their rest; Where the angels stand awaiting, The new born spirit to receive; Where earthly sorrow then shall Nevermore disturb or grieve. PRAYEE. I know not where to lav mv aching head. . */ Where shall I lay the weary burden down? How 'scape the chastening rod? Help me to shun the paths of sin, That tempt my still unwary feet. Help me the immortal goal to win, And may I henceforth enter in To heavenly rest, and be forever blest. DESTINY. 19 DESTINY. Thy way's maped out, and in it thou must go, Whether it leads to summer flowers or winter snow ; So thou must patient be, whatever may betide, As down the tide of life you slowly glide. What tho' thy bed's not made of eider down, Is that good reason why thy brow should wear a frown, And though shouldst don the sable robe of discon tent? Then upward look and find that sweet content, That balm to weary souls, God's grace and love. Be wise, be mild, be gentle like a dove; Then shall thy life be peaceful as of yore, And thou shalt learn forthee's laid up in store A goodly heritage, a mine of wealth; yea, more: An eternity of blissful peace and joy, Which naught can evermore disturb or cloy. 20 DESTINY. And now good bye until I again can greet thee; At some convenient season I will meet thee. You very soon shall find Peace and comfort to your mind; Then upward look, and be content To know thy souls no longer rent "With discord or inharmony. A CALL TO MISSIONARY WORK. 21 A CALL TO MISSIONAKY WORK. Among the countless millions there's but a chosen few To do the Master's bidding and his work again renew. Then rise up in your manhood, and spread God's banner high; Shake out its folds of beauty against the broad blue sky; For on it now is written, in characters of gold, The oft-repeated motto, which never can grow old, "With no malice toward the erring, and with char ity for all," I will answer to the cry of my children when they call. Then help to raise thy brother, and his stubborn will subdue, By telling him the story, which he will find is true. Tell him that God, the Father, doeth all things well, Tlio' ofttimes in the heart he seemeth not to dwell, 22 A CALL TO MISSIONARY WORK. But so high above his creatures, in the heavens above, That he cannot stoop to bless them with his presence or his love. Oh! how we often err we creatures of an hour In doubting God's great love, his wisdom and his power. Oh! raise the banner high; soon the victory will be won, And man shall be subdued and conquered one by one. As the hosts are marshalled up, their armor they'll lie down ; And even as the cross they bore, so great shall be their crown. Then soar to loftier heights; Uplift on eagle's wing; Ascend the mountain of the Lord, And to the breeze his banner fling. FROM MY GUARDIAN SPIRIT. 23 FROM MY GUARDIAN SPIRIT. When first I returned to this earth, A mission to me was given ; 'Twas this: To lend my aid to you In making your way to Heaven. Perhaps you find it a thorny road In which you have to travel, But if you keep on, and never look back, The mystery you'll unravel. The way may seem both gloomy and dark, And long may seem the journey. If you could only rend the veil Your face would look less gloomy; Your eyes would sparkle with delight, Your heart be filled with bliss; Your face with radiant light would shine, And naught disturb your happiness. 24 LOOK WITHIN. LOOK WITHIN. All nature wears her brightest hues. The earth, the sea, the sky, All speak the great Creator, God, To be forever nigh. The moon looks down with kindly face, And sees poor mortals strive; The sun looks, too, upon the scene, Sees erring mortals fail to give Each other credit due. Ah! short of sight; yea, blind, Ye mortals filled with sin. Why seek ye not the narrow path, Nor the immortal goal to win, Ere the heart grows hard. and callous too By slighting conscience' call? Oh! turn, poor erring mortal, turn, While yet the Master calls, Before it be too late. RESIGNATION. 25 EESIGNATION. It was a fearful night, and all around looked dark. The waves dashed high against my small, frail bark. Oh! how I prayed, that weary night, For strength, for wisdom, and for might To do the work that God would have me do. No answer came unto my prayer, Until I gave up all that 1 held dear, Friends, kindred, home, and seeming honor too. Then came peace and joy into my troubled soul ; My weary heart at last found rest; My way was then made clear and plain to me, And in it I did walk, until my tired feet "Were borne aloft, far up above this life, Where I do rest from toil and strife. Then let this be to you a beacon star, - To guide you onward o'er lifes ebbing tide, 26 RESIGNATION. Where you shall at the Master's feet Find rest, and all the loved ones greet; Where parting shall be never known; Where God shall know and claim his own. Look up, poor fainting soul! No longer, then, repine; For earthly cares shall not disturb The peace that shall be thine. Thy future shall be brighter far Than earthly scenes can be, For in the heavens God will show His great love unto thee. EARTH'S SORROWING ONES. 27 EAKTH'S SORROWING ONES. Think you their souls, tilled with despair, Shall ache throughout eternity? As age on age rolls on, shall ceaseless pain be theirs? Will God forget will he disdain the cry Of his erring children when they call for help? Ah! no; but he'll forgive their comings short, Their sins which men remember still, And count them o'er and o'er so many times, 'Till, had they their way, they'd pile up high, Like mountains reaching to the sky, Vast as oceans, rolling on in ceaseless tide, From shore to shore expanding wide. Well hath the poet said, in verse, "Man's inhumanity to man Makes countless thousands mourn." So will it ever be 'till man his duty learns 28 EARTH'S SORROWING ONES. Unto his brother. Then shall he know as he is known, And each his brother love as he himself is loved; The lion with the lamb lie down ; and Man, set free from sin and mortal strife, Shall find his name writ in the Book of Life; Then, upward rising, rising higher, Shall reach the mountain top of his desire. PRAYER UNDER AFFLICTION. 29 PRAYER UNDER AFFLICTION My prayer is unto tliee this day; My thoughts do turn from earth away; My weary soul would fain find rest, But thou, O God! knoweth what is best. Yes, I would in thy wisdom trust ; No longer for earth's comforts lust, But give up all, and hope to find Ease to my dark and troubled mind. Should st thou still see my need, And find it best my heart to bleed, Be this my prayer and this my plea: O God ! be still a shield to me. AVhy is the soul so burdened with care While here on earth we stay ? Why filled with dark dispair 30 . INVOCATION. While passing thro' this wilderness? Lift thy fainting spirit up, And find a balm, a sure relief, In every bitter cup. INVOCATION. Forgive, O Lord! the sins of each and every day While here on earth I stay. Be near to me through every hour, And show to me thine own great power. When thou dost see that I am weak, Make me lowly, contrite, meek; And when the cares of life are past, Receive me to thyself at last. To thy name shall then be given All the praise in eartli and heaven. ANGEL WHISPERS. ANGEL WHISPERS. Come to me, thou bright, wing'd angels, Bringing light and sunshine near; I am lonely and forsaken, For no loved one now is near. I see a storm cloud in the distance. It fills my soul with dread affright. See ! oh, see ! the storm approaches, And no loved one is in sight. Hark! I hear a voice now saying, "Fear not; I am ever near Near, to comfort and sustain thee; Why shouldst thou, then, longer fear. "Come to me, thou loved and cherished; Soon life's battles will be o'er; Soon you'll view those scenes celestial On the bright, 'the shining shore.'' 32 HYMN. HYMN. "Oh! for a thousand tongues" to tell the wonders I have seen: The matchless wisdom and the grace of our eternal King. His wondrous power is ever seen, on earth and in the sky. His goodness and his love we'll sing, and never, never die. There is no death. The soul of man will ever jour ney on In happiness and joy, till freed from all its weary strife; And as the soul is freed from sin and all its dark ness blight, Fresh joys shall open to its sight, and day shall banish night. TO ONE IN SORROW. 33 TO ONE IN SORROW. O sorrowful soul ! O weary heart ! Stung by many a poisoned dart, Lift thy sad, sad eyes to heaven, And unto you shall then be given A rich reward, a treasure rare, Of brightest gems beyond compare. Then shall open to your sight Visions pure and fair and bright, Which shall be ever new to you. Flowers whose fragrance shall endure, Fountains of living water pure, Streams, and lakes, and mountains high, Reaching far above the sky ; The sun, the moon, and planets too, As they their destined course pursue, 34 KNOW THYSELF. You shall behold with rapturous gaze. And while your soul is all ablaze With joy supreme, and pure delight, Eternal day shall banish all the weary night. KNOW THYSELF. Wouldst thou from sin be free? Then upward look, and see The heavens parted like a scroll, Revealing unto thee thy naked soul, Stripped of its tinseled covering, Of all outside adorning; Naked before thy God, As Adam when taken from the sod. Pause, then, and know thyself, And quickly hie to remedy thy faults. FEAR NOT. 35 FEAR NOT. Listen, listen ! I can hear Sweetest music in the air ; Silver harps with strings of gold, Touched by angel fingers fair. And the echo, soft and low, Still is lingering in my ear ; As it floats upon the air, Whispers gently, "Do not fear." Angel voices seem to utter Words of comfort, words of cheer; And the anthem loud is ringing, "Come up higher; do riot fear. Fear not, tho' thy weary footsteps Seem to falter by the way; Soon the pearly gates will open Leading to eternal day. 36 ANGEL VOICES. ANGEL VOICES. Yes, I hear the angels singing In the heavenly choirs above; And their voices, sweetly blending, Tell of hope, and joy, and love. And the music of their harp-strings Blend together in sweet accord; As the notes are rising higher, No discordant sounds are heard. Would that mortals, on the earth-plane, From the angel world would learn To be loving, true and tender, Not so cold, and hard, and stern. Then would Earth and Heaven meet, And no longer should we see Envy, hate and discord rampant, But all would dwell in unity. TEARS. 37 TEAKS. There are tears, salt briny tears, That fail to bring the heart The comfort and the peace of mind That God, the Father desires to give Those whom he calls his own; And then, again, there's tears That cause the tender heart to bleed, To sorrow, and to e'en distrust The goodness of God's love : But there are tears that cause the soul To look still higher up, and see God's hand in even tears, That fill the" soul with thankfulness, And peace in after years. May God bless him or her who sees The wisdom and omnipotence 38 TEAKS. Of Deity, who, seeing, learns to kiss The hand which chastens with the rod, Not of his wrath, as some do say, But of his love, his mercy too. Oh! God, the Lord, is good, And unto him shall praise be given, Both now and evermore, amen. Let the heavens echo with the shout, As angels catch the glad refrain, Until the vaulted arches ring With one triumphal song. When the white wing'd angel calleth for thee, Wilt thou be ready, with nothing to fear? When the pale boatman roweth thee o'er The cold, silent river, the river of death, Wilt shrink, or gladly respond to the call, And hail, with delight, on the opposite brink, The friends who stand waiting, stand ready to give The kindest of greetings on the "evergreen shore"? THE FUTURE. 39 THE FUTUKE. Must I lay this body down, And must I flee away? Will my spirit, looking, looking down On this poor form of clay, Regret its loss, or e'er repine, As I do upward soar? Will earthly joys retard my flight? Ah! no; no, never more, For I have long desired to be With loved ones gone before, To see them as they now are seen; To take their hand once more, And con the lessons o'er again We learned in days of yore; To read again the story of That olden time once more, And see it in a golden light 40 THE FUTURE. Not seen by us before. Ah ! yes ; we then shall know God's plans are wisest, best; That if we put our trust in him, He'll give us peace and rest. Sail on, and ever keep in view the light- Tis even now in sight. All hail! the glorious sun appears, To banish night, And cloudless shines eternal day, That ne'er shall end in night. THE BOOK OF LIFE. 41 THE BOOK OF LIFE. There are minds, empty minds, That they never will be filled, Until they reach the other side of life, Where they will find a page, all blank, To fill with records of a former life. Woe to him whose pages then shall teem, With history of bad deeds done While dwelling on the earthly plane. Well for him if his name be writ In God's own book, The Book of Life; Well for him if no blot be found, Nothing which needs to be erased, So that its pages shall look clean and white- Not here and there a crooked line To straighten out or, worse, erase. Oh! happy soul! to whom his God will say 42 THE BOOK OF LIFE. "Well done; come higher up, And drink with me a sweeter cup Of nectar pure, of wine, fresh from the lees; Eat, too, of fruitage from the trees; Pluck from the ever-trailing vine, And eat and drink new wine ' Till your soul shall fill with happiness And overflow with bliss, Your bosom thrill with purest joy, While with the loved ones you employ The hours in deeds of love, And find true happiness above." HYMN. 4:3 HYMN. How shall we in the judgment stand? How meet thy holy face? We who have sinned, and sinned oft, Would now our steps retrace. We fein would fly where oft we've longed To find our welcome rest Where naught that hinders or makes afraid Can stir our peaceful breast Where sin and sorrow never come, To cause our hearts to bleed, For God, the Father, them will bless, And supply our every need. Oh! God, the Lord, is good to all Who seek to do his will; And he will nevermore forsake, But will be near them still. 44 HYMN. In darkest hours and sorrows sore His love will cheer them still, And never shall their heartstrings break While they his will fulfill. PASSING AWAY. 4:5 PASSING AWAY. Harken, harken! I can hear Yoices sweetly chanting clear; Heavenly music in the air, Luring me from worldly care. I can here no longer stay, For they beckon me away To my heavenly home above, Where all is peace, and joy, and love. I must hasten to be gone, My life's work is nearly done; Fare thee well, my dearest friend, All earthly joys are at an end. Hark! I hear the angels call; Farewell, farewell all. 46 THE NEW BIRTH. THE NEW BIRTH. When the angelic hosts, advancing, Meet a spirit freed from earth, Loudly peal the bells of heaven O'er the new immortal birth. Angel voices join the chorus, "Come up higher! Do not fear," While the vaulted arch of heaven Rings the echo loud and clear. "Come up higher!" and the spirit, Responding gladly to the call, Upward rising, still advancing, Meets the Lord, the God of all. PART II. CHKISTMAS. Beautiful day that God to us has given To win our hearts from earth to heaven ! How our souls do swell with joy While we our busy hands employ In kindly deeds to others wrought As the poor this day are sought, And we supply .their many needs, Their hearts make glad by kindly deeds, Their wants relieve, their sorrows heal, And thus upon their hearts do seal The impress of God's tender love. Akin to that which reigns above, His tender hand is ever laid On all the creatures he has made, However lowly be their lot, Whether they dwell in hut or cot, 50 CHRISTMAS. God's care is all the same; Nor does lie e'er the lowly blame. Methinks I hear the angelic choir Swelling the anthem loud and clear, "Glory to God who dwells on high, Who unto us is ever nigh, For he to us has freely given A passport into heaven. Not through the death of his dear son, Not thro' his sufferings we have won, But by his grace and love, By good deeds done beneath above, While dwelling on the earthly plane, Which God doth not disdain. His grace he ever will bestow On all who ask who seek to know His own good gracious will. He will be ever 'round them still Who for others live and not for self, Who seek not earthly goods or pelf. CHRISTMAS. 51 Blessed, thrice blessed he Who loves his kind, and who agree, Who seek some good to do to all, Whether they be great or small, Thereby rising higher in the scale of life, 'Till they do reach eternal life, Where ever bloom the flowers bright, Filling the soul with pure delight; Where trees immortal, ever green, By gladsome spirits shall be seen. Oh! the depths of the Father's love Is kin to that which reigns above. It knows no change, nor can it die When the heart is touched thereby ; When the lips are touched by holy fire, Fresh from God's altar, then angel lyres Shall strike glad notes of praise To him who hath no end of days, And man shall catch the glad refrain. "There's no more death or pain; 52 CHRISTMAS. Nothing shall hurt or make afraid In all my holy mount," 'tis said. Angel voices, too, shall swell the strain, "We immortal joys have gained." Earth with triumphant shout shall sing, While all to God their offerings bring, And lay them at Jehovah's feet, An offering fit, and pure, and mete. MY BLOSSOM. 53 MY BLOSSOM. If I do hold within my hand A blossom sweet and rare, Shall I not keep it near my heart, And nurture it with care? If that blossom fail to yield To me a rich return For all the care bestowed on it, And I am called to mourn; If it should wither in my grasp, Its leaves should fade away, And I could gather naught but thorns, All else should then decay, Must I sit down in gloomy doubt And fail to try again? Oh ! rather let me, with my tears, Bring back its life again. 54 MY BLOSSOM. Should my tears then fail to bring My blossom back to me, Oh! may it bloom in Heaven above, Through vast eternity. Then may I turn where never fade The sunset or the flowers; Where tender plants are nurtured still, Refreshed by balmy showers; Where angel bands do ever keep Their watch-care over all, The high, the low, the rich, the poor, Alike the great and small. AFTER THE NIGHT. AFTER THE NIGHT THE MORNING DAWNETH. Weary, weary is the day, waiting for the coming May; Sad and darksome is the night, for my heart is full of blight; Slowly roll the lagging hours, waiting for the April showers. Cease, oh cease, my weary heart, in worldly cares to take a part! Surely there must come some rest, but thou, O God, knoweth what is best. Trust in him, O troubled soul, you will surely win the goal ; You will in the future find God, the Father, to be kind ; That which now to you looks dark you will find a radiant spark Of light divine, of purest ray, that will end in per fect day. Then look up and be content; no longer droop in discontent. 56 AFTER THE NIGHT. Be firm in duty; some good deed may many others lead. Onward, upward, thro' earthly strife, unto an eternal life. Then shall new beauties be revealed that shall o'er your spirit steal, Unknown to you before. You shall learn of spirit lore, A language pure and undented as coineth from a lit tle child ; You the stars shall read in language strange and new; And as you fly through ether space, and you your course retrace, You shall take up this glad refrain: My life was not, not all in vain. You've drank the bitter cup of life, E'en to its bitter dregs; And unto you shall now be given A passport into heaven. FKOM A SPIRIT FRIEND. 57 WRITTEN TO MY ESTEEMED FRIEND, MISS A. B. DURING A SEVERE ILLNESS. Why sliouldst thou fear to cross the river? 'Tis but a narrow stream, and on the Other side are pleasures evermore. Then let thy frail bark glide gently o'er, And find thy secret longings gratified; Nay, more find friends and happiness Beyond the ken of mortal mind. Earth has not brought contentment; Pass over, then, and reach the goal immortal. FKOM A SPIRIT FRIEND. Who is ever about to lead and guide If thou wouldst only heed. Shut not up thy soul against the truth. Close not the portals when angels seek to enter. 58 SONG. SONG. I'll come to thee in the morning, love, I'll come to thee at night; I'll come to the whenever, love, Thou deemest best and right. And we will happy be, love, As in the olden time; And we will of the past speak, In good old-fashioned rhyme. We'll banish all the past, love, That brings to us a sigh; We'll only at the bright side look, And never say good bye. TO A STRANGER. TO A STKANGER. ON BEING ASKED TO WRITE IN HER ALBUM. You asked me to write in your album The reason I cannot tell. Shall it be prose or poem, Or will either suit you well? 'As I am rather more prosy Than given to making rhymes, Will bid you a pleasant good morning, Wishing you merrier, happier times. TO THE SAME. Should your eye e'er rest on these few lines, Turn not to other pages, seeking From friendships urn to draw sweet consolation, But give to me a passing thought if only one, 60 WRITTEN TO A FRIEND. And with it add a blessing. As you do give so may you receive, Until life's cup shall fill and overflow With purest joy and happiness combined. WRITTEN TO A FRIEND. Think of me when the sun is shining, Bathing the earth in light; Think of me when the stars are gleaming Pure and bright; Think of me when the flowers are blooming Sweet and gay; Think of me both now and ever, Think of me alway. SPRING. 61 SPKING. Spring time is coming, coming, coming, And our hearts are full of glee As the music of the birdling Floats upon the summer breeze; And the beauty of the flowers Tell us God is ever nigh Speak to us of heavenly beauty As their fragrance fills the air. Shrub and flower, plant and tree, All in beauteous harmony, Speak the power of God eternal- Speak to us of Deity Tell us God is good to all Tell us he is love and truth Tell us to be like unto him, That we may dwell in unity. 62 MAY. MAY. O fairy, fairy, fairy day! Welcome, welcome first of May, Time of lovely buds and flowers, Sweetest month in fairy bowers. We would hail the Queen of days Crown thee with devinest rays. Would thy days did number more; Would we could forever store, Ever, ever, evermore, All the sweets in days of yore, And to thee the offering bring, Sweetest, sweetest month of spring. HOPE. 63 HOPE. Oli! the beautiful, beautiful, balmy air Seems to rob my heart of care; The beautiful sun, the beautiful trees, As they put forth their bright green leaves, Fill my radiant soul with light, Banishing all the weary night. As I lift up my eyes to heaven, New aspirations to me are given ; I take up anew the burden of life, Again go out where sin and strife Can no more cause my heart to bleed. As I look to God to supply my need, Looking beyond this vale of tears, Hoping that in the coming years Somewhere God will dry my tears 64 DISAPPOINTMENT. And make the trials so hard to endure To form a crown of jewels pure That shall encircle my weary head When I am numbered with the dead. DISAPPOINTMENT. Whither away, whither away, my fair young maid? Art looking for lilies or roses under the shade? The flowers are blooming all sweet and gay In this the beautiful month of May; Dost seek for thy lover, my sweet young maid, Walking up and down thro' the flowery glade? 'Tis useless to seek him. He has left thee for good ; Left thee because thou wert misunderstood. Many more have done the same thing, fair girl, In hunting the diamond overlooked the fair pearl. WRITTEN IN A FRIEND 5 S ALBUM. 65 TO A LOYED ONE. Oh, how I loved thy raven hair! Thy bright black eyes, thy form so fair! Thy graceful step, thy modest mien: Thou seemest covered with silver sheen. Little thought we then so soon to part, One to be left with broken heart; But that which seemed to us, my dear, So cruel and so hard to bear "Was needed by us both, my love, To fit us for our home above. WKITTEN IN A FKIEND'S ALBUM. Let this to you a token be of friendship true, Although in words unspoken; And may the links in memory's chain For us remain unbroken. 66 THE HUNTER'S SON*.. THE HUNTER'S SONG. I come, I come from my forest home, Among the tall oak trees, Where the foliage green is ever seen, Stirred by the morning breeze. My haunts are far from the ken of man, My footsteps light and free As I spring across the rocky cliffs Jutting far over the sea. Oh! my life it is a merry one, As I hunt the bounding stag, As I roam the forest in search of game, Springing from craig to craig. Ah! who would barter his freedom away, Who would give in exchange His forest home, his freedom from care, For a cottage or a grange. THE COMING VICTORY. 67 THE COMING VICTORY. E'en now I hear a shout Come up on every hand: "Alcohol must be banished From this our own loved land!" All around are rising, And to the rescue come; Our valiant sons and brothers, Who say: "It shall be done. The demon shall be vanquished, For we put our .trust in God, And he will surely save us, Tho' chastened by his rod." What is the, sound I hear? "No license!" is the cry. "We'll fight the monster Alcohol, And conquer tho' we die. 68 THE COMING VICTORY. We will poll our votes, While our sisters cheer us on; We'll save our fellow brother From the dread effects of rum." 1 hear it in the distance; It now is nearer come; Higher yet the shout goes up, And down will go the rum. The battle's nearly over, The victory '11 soon be won; We'll shout aloud, Hosannah! Hallelujah! we have won. SONG. SONG. I love to hunt the bounding stag; I love to hunt the deer ; I love to cross the pearly streams, So rippling and so clear. I love to roam the forest through, And through the woods so wild ; I love to turn my thoughts away From this sad world awhile. I love to hear the whisper of Sweet music 'mong the pines; I love to feel that God is near In every whistling wind. I love to hear the rain-drops fall; To see the lightings flash; I love to see the dark clouds meet, And hear the thunder crash. 70 SONG. Oh! yes; I love the flowers too, So sweet, and yet so mild; I love the birds and their sweet notes, They cheer my heart the while. I've wandered over all the earth, And seen its cheats and wile; I've sailed o'er the ocean wide Full many a weary mile. Yes, I have wandered up and down Throughout this weary world, But I have found no diamond, Or any goodly pearl. ALL NATURE PRAISES GOD. 71 ALL NATURE PRAISES GOD. When the summer showers fall upon the earth, And the tiny dew-drop gives the flowers birth, Then our Heavenly Father fills our hearts with mirth, Sends his choicest blessings over all the earth. The tiny little violet opens her eyes of blue When the sun is shining, sips the morning dew As she so modestly lifts her little head, Peeping out from under her mossy-covered bed. And the little birdling sings his happy song, As he flits from bough to bough in the summer morn, Chirping so merrily all the live-long day, Giving all the praise to God in his merry lay. The tall and mighty oak from the acorn springing, With the tender ivy round its branches clinging, Proudly waves its branches before the swaying wind, Seeming to boast itself the noblest of its kind. Pearly stream, and brooklet running swiftly by, 72 ALD NATURE PRAISES GOD. Falls into the ocean without e'en a sigh, As the sea engulfs them in its stormy breast, Mingling with the waters beneath its snowy crest. All nature praises God; the earth, the sea, the sky, All speak the great Creator to be forever nigh. Then why should man, his noblest work, not give him all the praise Not mourning go, and sorrowing, throughout his length of days. THE END.