10
POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
THE OLD DESERTED HOME.
'Tis sad to see a torn and battered roof,
And weeds grown rank beside the garden wall,
Sweet flowers run wild, once kept by careful hands,
Lone paths where children's feet were wont to fall.
And weeds grown rank beside the garden wall,
Sweet flowers run wild, once kept by careful hands,
Lone paths where children's feet were wont to fall.
And sadder yet to enter silent halls
That echoed erst to greetings glad and sweet,
While memory triumphs over change and death,
In visions of the group we used to meet.
That echoed erst to greetings glad and sweet,
While memory triumphs over change and death,
In visions of the group we used to meet.
And as we wander on from room to room,
Each brings to mind some past endearing scene
That gently strikes a chord within our hearts,
And makes a fading recollection green.
Each brings to mind some past endearing scene
That gently strikes a chord within our hearts,
And makes a fading recollection green.
While once again we faithfully recall
The features of some long forgotten face,
The kindly accents of a loved one's voice,
Or some dear form of most bewitching grace.
The features of some long forgotten face,
The kindly accents of a loved one's voice,
Or some dear form of most bewitching grace.
We seem again to see those blooming youth
Rejoicing in their golden dreams of life;
Those aged friends still round the fireside cling
In sweet content, apart from worldly strife.
Rejoicing in their golden dreams of life;
Those aged friends still round the fireside cling
In sweet content, apart from worldly strife.
We think how much of hope bad here its birth,
Was fondly cherished, too, and now is fled;
How many fears, what anxious cares were known
That bulled lie in ashes of the dead.
Was fondly cherished, too, and now is fled;
How many fears, what anxious cares were known
That bulled lie in ashes of the dead.
How much of great resolve and patient toil,
What aspirations for a truer sphere,
Made beautiful and fragrant to us still,
The transient lives of those who journeyed here.
What aspirations for a truer sphere,
Made beautiful and fragrant to us still,
The transient lives of those who journeyed here.
How many here have shown abiding faith,
And love as constant as their very breath!
Here some awoke at first to mortal life,
And some have closed their weary eyes in death.
And love as constant as their very breath!
Here some awoke at first to mortal life,
And some have closed their weary eyes in death.
These memories consecrate the rudest spot,
Forever dear to us though far we roam,
Whene'er we turn, amid our busy life,
A reverend look upon our early home.
Forever dear to us though far we roam,
Whene'er we turn, amid our busy life,
A reverend look upon our early home.
WORLD'S FAIR GREETING.
Hail lovers of progress, hero's greeting to day,
And thoroughly earnest of sympathy too,
While reverence due to the old we accord,
Our hopes of the future are all in the new.
And thoroughly earnest of sympathy too,
While reverence due to the old we accord,
Our hopes of the future are all in the new.
Hail masters of thought, through whose efforts sublime,
The grandest of triumphs have oft been achieved,
Your record is here writ in letters of love,
By thousands you've bettered, and thousands relieved.
The grandest of triumphs have oft been achieved,
Your record is here writ in letters of love,
By thousands you've bettered, and thousands relieved.
Hail toilers and workers in each worthy sphere,
You stand where the greatest of living have stood,
Your lives so unselfish, one great meed of praise,
To him that is giver of all that is good.
You stand where the greatest of living have stood,
Your lives so unselfish, one great meed of praise,
To him that is giver of all that is good.
So come all ye people in friendship allied,
Come join with us, celebrate our natal day,
Bring offerings to each the best of its kind,
And here on this altar of Thanksgiving lay.
Come join with us, celebrate our natal day,
Bring offerings to each the best of its kind,
And here on this altar of Thanksgiving lay.
CHILDISH DREAMS.
Our childish dreams were all too bright—
So rosy of the coming clay—
We nothing knew of busy cares—
Or griefs that lurked along the way.
So rosy of the coming clay—
We nothing knew of busy cares—
Or griefs that lurked along the way.
We laid our plans of pleasure well,
And thought 'twas living to enjoy—
We ne'er had felt relentless pain
That comes to blight, perhaps destroy.
And thought 'twas living to enjoy—
We ne'er had felt relentless pain
That comes to blight, perhaps destroy.
We built our castles towering high;
Had visions fair of wealth and fame;
Was sure that all could gather gold,
And all who wished could win a name.
Had visions fair of wealth and fame;
Was sure that all could gather gold,
And all who wished could win a name.
We thought each kindly word sincere,
And prompted by a kindly heart.
Nor could believe that smoothest tones
Too oft concealed a venomed dart.
And prompted by a kindly heart.
Nor could believe that smoothest tones
Too oft concealed a venomed dart.
Oh yes, our dreams were all too bright
And vanished one by one away—
But they were pleasant for a time;
Their memory is sweet today.
And vanished one by one away—
But they were pleasant for a time;
Their memory is sweet today.
HOPE.
And what of hope; ah sure my friend,
Thou wert a wreck today,
If all the good that hope has brought
To thee were swept away.
Thou wert a wreck today,
If all the good that hope has brought
To thee were swept away.
If all the strength it can impart
To meet the ids of life,
Should fail thee, 'twere an evil hour
And thou must quit the strife.
To meet the ids of life,
Should fail thee, 'twere an evil hour
And thou must quit the strife.
For even to sweet childhood's dream
It gives the dearest joy,
It paints the future rosy hued,
Unmixed with care's alloy.
It gives the dearest joy,
It paints the future rosy hued,
Unmixed with care's alloy.
And 'tis the steady, firm support
Of our maturer years,
I« lifts the drooping spirit up,
And banishes our fears.
Of our maturer years,
I« lifts the drooping spirit up,
And banishes our fears.
It is the priceless boon of ago—
Dispelling all of gloom—
Still whispering the promises
Of life beyond the tomb.
Dispelling all of gloom—
Still whispering the promises
Of life beyond the tomb.
ARBUTUS.
These dainty clusters, pink and white,
So mingled with this leafy green,
Awaken peasant memories
Of many a delightful scene.
So mingled with this leafy green,
Awaken peasant memories
Of many a delightful scene.
Too well I knew thy rugged home,
This lonely wild on mountain side,
Where hemlock, pints, and laurel grow,
And in their shade thy verdure hide
This lonely wild on mountain side,
Where hemlock, pints, and laurel grow,
And in their shade thy verdure hide
No mortal hand has tended thee,
Or guarded thee with selfish care,
Ami yet, ere winter snows were gone,
Thy fragrant bloom perfumed the air.
Or guarded thee with selfish care,
Ami yet, ere winter snows were gone,
Thy fragrant bloom perfumed the air.
A struggle must be thine to live
In such a lone, secluded place,
But if 'twas desolate before,
Thy presence gives it wondrous grace.
In such a lone, secluded place,
But if 'twas desolate before,
Thy presence gives it wondrous grace.
And who can say 'twas not for this,
A Being full of love has made
Thy homo amid the moss and rocks,
And bids thee live, and bloom in shade
A Being full of love has made
Thy homo amid the moss and rocks,
And bids thee live, and bloom in shade
For often in some favored dell,
Such floral masses we can see,
That with their beauty and perfume,
It cannot have a need of thee.
Such floral masses we can see,
That with their beauty and perfume,
It cannot have a need of thee.
And thou art in thy fitting sphere,
Though anywhere an added charm,
A Mighty Being planted thee,
His love has shielded thee from harm.
Though anywhere an added charm,
A Mighty Being planted thee,
His love has shielded thee from harm.
