POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
11
THE LILY OF THE VALLEY.
Purest lily of the valley,
Sweetest flowret that I know,
Welcome, in thy simple beauty,
Leaves so dark, and bells like snow:
Sweetest flowret that I know,
Welcome, in thy simple beauty,
Leaves so dark, and bells like snow:
Thriving most when thou art hidden
From the careless gazer's eye—
Gaudy neighbors win attention,
Charms like thine are passed by,
From the careless gazer's eye—
Gaudy neighbors win attention,
Charms like thine are passed by,
Till thy fragrance, ever seeming
Like a breath from heaven above,
Draws them back, to look upon thee,
Only to admire and love.
Like a breath from heaven above,
Draws them back, to look upon thee,
Only to admire and love.
So some unobtrusive spirits,
Too much dreading worldly glare,
Seek some quiet nook of Nature—
Dwell unknown, unheeded there.
Too much dreading worldly glare,
Seek some quiet nook of Nature—
Dwell unknown, unheeded there.
Minds resplendent in their beauty,
Hearts the world would joy to know,
Scatter blessings upon mortals
All unmindful whence they flow.
Hearts the world would joy to know,
Scatter blessings upon mortals
All unmindful whence they flow.
EVENTIDE.
Give me the harp, I fain would sing
A varied song of days gone by,
Thou needst not stay, but if thou must,
Alike to me are smile or sigh.
A varied song of days gone by,
Thou needst not stay, but if thou must,
Alike to me are smile or sigh.
What matters now thy praise or blame,
Thy pity, or thy deepest scorn,
Thou canst not cloud those sunny days,
Nor make the saddest less forlorn.
Thy pity, or thy deepest scorn,
Thou canst not cloud those sunny days,
Nor make the saddest less forlorn.
As he who's passed through winter's cold,
Anon through summer's burning heat,
Is gad when comes the autumn time,
To And at last a calm retreat.
Anon through summer's burning heat,
Is gad when comes the autumn time,
To And at last a calm retreat.
So I can sit and calmly take
A quiet look along the past,
Not long the way, but oh the work,
In hopes and fears to me how vast.
A quiet look along the past,
Not long the way, but oh the work,
In hopes and fears to me how vast.
Yes, I had hopes, and far too bright,
For aught but youth's delusive dream,
I looked at life through rosy light,
And how delightful did it seem.
For aught but youth's delusive dream,
I looked at life through rosy light,
And how delightful did it seem.
I saw a path with pleasures spread,
A wreath of honor for my brow,
And all the grandeur gold could buy,
But Where's that foolish fancy new?
A wreath of honor for my brow,
And all the grandeur gold could buy,
But Where's that foolish fancy new?
I might have spared those wakeful nights,
Those days of constant toil and care,
And known as much of fame as now,
And had of wealth as great a share.
Those days of constant toil and care,
And known as much of fame as now,
And had of wealth as great a share.
For is it much in point of fame
That half my neighbors scarce can tell,
When asked of me, what name I bear,
Or e'en the street wherein I dwell.
That half my neighbors scarce can tell,
When asked of me, what name I bear,
Or e'en the street wherein I dwell.
And as for grandeur, idle theme,
How little gold would serve to buy
This plate and board from which to eat,
This simple bed whereon to lie.
How little gold would serve to buy
This plate and board from which to eat,
This simple bed whereon to lie.
Nor have I trod those pleasant paths,
Resorts of gaiety and ease,
Where friendship ever has her reign,
And every thing designed to please.
Resorts of gaiety and ease,
Where friendship ever has her reign,
And every thing designed to please.
Yet mine has been no bitter lot,
No gloomy night without the day
Though clouds were often thick and dark,
A sunbeam chased them all away.
No gloomy night without the day
Though clouds were often thick and dark,
A sunbeam chased them all away.
Some hopes were surely not in vain,
Some friends have proved themselves as true.
The world was always beautiful,
A life beyond was kept in view.
Some friends have proved themselves as true.
The world was always beautiful,
A life beyond was kept in view.
And this has made me what I am,
Contented, trusting One divine,
Yielding to wisdom infinite,
This selfish, erring will of mine.
Contented, trusting One divine,
Yielding to wisdom infinite,
This selfish, erring will of mine.
HENRY M. STANLEY.
Oh great explorer, gladly going forth,
To succor in most dire distress,
A fellow laborer in the same great work
Of saving men from wretchedness.
To succor in most dire distress,
A fellow laborer in the same great work
Of saving men from wretchedness.
Delaying not because of rebel hosts
Or traitor's arts that morn depress,
The fearful jungles, or the barren waste
Or dangers of the wilderness.
Or traitor's arts that morn depress,
The fearful jungles, or the barren waste
Or dangers of the wilderness.
But suffering, and well pleased to endure
Until the rescue sure was made—
Then nature's strength first yielded to the strain
And fell disease upon thee preyed.
Until the rescue sure was made—
Then nature's strength first yielded to the strain
And fell disease upon thee preyed.
But Providence had kindly raised thee up,
And counted not thy labors done.
For wondrous sights were yet in store tor thee
Beneath the glow of Afric's sun.
And counted not thy labors done.
For wondrous sights were yet in store tor thee
Beneath the glow of Afric's sun.
Wild mountain ranges, with their peaks of snow,
Stood frowning there, though all alone,
And mighty rivers thundered on their course,
To all our race but thee unknown.
Stood frowning there, though all alone,
And mighty rivers thundered on their course,
To all our race but thee unknown.
And forests tall and far extending too,
Whose wealth had never been foretold,
And sunny plains outstretched before thee lay
Where stranger's foot ne'er pressed the mold.
Whose wealth had never been foretold,
And sunny plains outstretched before thee lay
Where stranger's foot ne'er pressed the mold.
And lakes, that ne'er had mirror'd such a face,
Responsive gave a look to thee,
And thoughtful people thronged about thy way
That were a goodly race to see.
Responsive gave a look to thee,
And thoughtful people thronged about thy way
That were a goodly race to see.
But after all the wonders thou hast seen,
So much that gave sincere delight,
A simple church surmounted by a cross,
Was unto thee a rapturous sight.
So much that gave sincere delight,
A simple church surmounted by a cross,
Was unto thee a rapturous sight.
And so it is, though honors thee await,
For all those gracious deeds of thine,
Thy noble heart holds sacred in its love,
That symbol of the gilt divine.
For all those gracious deeds of thine,
Thy noble heart holds sacred in its love,
That symbol of the gilt divine.
AN OLD STORY.
A child once wandered in a wood
Where reigned the wildest solitude,
No sound of living thing he hoard,
Save now and then some little bird,
As it to try its tiny throat
Warbled a clear melodious note—
So as he slowly walked along
He sang some snatches of a song,
Softly he murmured the simple strain,
Softly echo repeats it again.
Where reigned the wildest solitude,
No sound of living thing he hoard,
Save now and then some little bird,
As it to try its tiny throat
Warbled a clear melodious note—
So as he slowly walked along
He sang some snatches of a song,
Softly he murmured the simple strain,
Softly echo repeats it again.
He sang again each self-same word,
And soon those very notes he heard;
They banished pleasure from his breast,
And filled it with a deep unrest.
For thinking 'twas some hateful boy
That sang to mock and to annoy,
And soon those very notes he heard;
They banished pleasure from his breast,
And filled it with a deep unrest.
For thinking 'twas some hateful boy
That sang to mock and to annoy,
