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POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
He looked around with angry mien,
But, nowhere could such boy be seen;
Truly ho wished for a meeting there,
Insult like that he'd not tamely boar.
But, nowhere could such boy be seen;
Truly ho wished for a meeting there,
Insult like that he'd not tamely boar.
He shouted then in fiercer tone,
His words came quick, bad words alone;
Harsh names he called enough to wound
The heart of those who caught their sound.
All those soon fell upon his ear,
It maddened him those words to hoar,
And rushing from that lonely spot
He sought his mother in her cot,
Hoping for comfort, he made complaint,
E'en while his anger knew no restraint.
His words came quick, bad words alone;
Harsh names he called enough to wound
The heart of those who caught their sound.
All those soon fell upon his ear,
It maddened him those words to hoar,
And rushing from that lonely spot
He sought his mother in her cot,
Hoping for comfort, he made complaint,
E'en while his anger knew no restraint.
A boy he said had him abused,
Had mocked at him, and too had used,
Bad words he would not speak again,
Lest they should give her bosom pain,
But such an insult every look
Told plain his spirit ill could brook.
The mother gazed upon her child,
She took his hand, her manners mild,
Calming the wildly excited youth,
She bade him list to this simple truth.
Had mocked at him, and too had used,
Bad words he would not speak again,
Lest they should give her bosom pain,
But such an insult every look
Told plain his spirit ill could brook.
The mother gazed upon her child,
She took his hand, her manners mild,
Calming the wildly excited youth,
She bade him list to this simple truth.
'Twas but the echo of thy voice,
Had pleasant words but been thy choice,
Thou wouldst have them as clearly hoard,
The murmur of each gentle word.
Let this a lasting lesson be.
And may it useful prove to thee.
The world the feeling will return
That in thy bosom seems to burn—
Dost thou thy fellows unkindly treat,
Surely wilt thou the like usage meet.
Had pleasant words but been thy choice,
Thou wouldst have them as clearly hoard,
The murmur of each gentle word.
Let this a lasting lesson be.
And may it useful prove to thee.
The world the feeling will return
That in thy bosom seems to burn—
Dost thou thy fellows unkindly treat,
Surely wilt thou the like usage meet.
But if thy actions speak of love
Thy gentleness their hearts will move,
And sunshine from thy spirit thrown
To gladden those who pine alone,
Will bring such joy into thy heart
As time and change ne'er make depart,
Will banish clouds from thee away
And make thy life one pleasant day.
Ever may this in thy memory live,
Thou wilt receive like that thou dost give.
Thy gentleness their hearts will move,
And sunshine from thy spirit thrown
To gladden those who pine alone,
Will bring such joy into thy heart
As time and change ne'er make depart,
Will banish clouds from thee away
And make thy life one pleasant day.
Ever may this in thy memory live,
Thou wilt receive like that thou dost give.
CHRISTMAS.
Again we greet thee Christmas morn, with reverent grateful hearts,
Rejoicing in our Maker s love, and hope that He imparts.
Though undeserving still, we claim His mercies more and more,
Though much we ask, He freely gives the blessing we implore.
Rejoicing in our Maker s love, and hope that He imparts.
Though undeserving still, we claim His mercies more and more,
Though much we ask, He freely gives the blessing we implore.
Our mighty Lord remembered us, He knew our feeble frame,
He knew our strength would weakness prove, when strong temptation came.
And when He saw us deep in sin, as rebels each arrayed,
He pitied and He loved us too, for this His arm was stayed.
He knew our strength would weakness prove, when strong temptation came.
And when He saw us deep in sin, as rebels each arrayed,
He pitied and He loved us too, for this His arm was stayed.
Until that babe at Bethlehem brought joy to all our race,
Made glad indeed the Father's home, the inimitable space.
Brought light to every darkened mind, and peace, the greater prize,
Was bought for all by that dear Son, the earth born sacrifice.
Made glad indeed the Father's home, the inimitable space.
Brought light to every darkened mind, and peace, the greater prize,
Was bought for all by that dear Son, the earth born sacrifice.
And that sweet song the angels sang, long centuries ago.
Has never lost one note of love in all its ceaseless How;
That message of goodwill and peace, resounding everywhere.
Has power to soothe the pains of death, and cure the soul's despair.
Has never lost one note of love in all its ceaseless How;
That message of goodwill and peace, resounding everywhere.
Has power to soothe the pains of death, and cure the soul's despair.
THE LEATHER MAN.
He came from a land of sunniest skies—
And beautiful vine clad hills,
Where blossoms unfold their loveliest dyes—
And bubble clear founts and rills.
And beautiful vine clad hills,
Where blossoms unfold their loveliest dyes—
And bubble clear founts and rills.
Forsaking all those in earliest prime,
While favored with strength and grace—
Though never a working of guilt or crime
Was written upon his face.
While favored with strength and grace—
Though never a working of guilt or crime
Was written upon his face.
A stranger was he, without friend or kin—
A being indeed forlorn,
And wandering hither and thither was seen,
With pity, but not with scorn.
A being indeed forlorn,
And wandering hither and thither was seen,
With pity, but not with scorn.
Though children at first beheld him with fear,
And hurriedly by him past,
And many a home when first he drew near,
Had doors securely made fast
And hurriedly by him past,
And many a home when first he drew near,
Had doors securely made fast
His language we illy could understand,
But sometimes in sweetest tone,
He sang a dear hymn so hopeful and grand,
It seemed the hope was his own.
But sometimes in sweetest tone,
He sang a dear hymn so hopeful and grand,
It seemed the hope was his own.
His clothing of leather was ne'er out of date,
He wasted no time in talk—
But whenever seen, if early or late,
Was Soberly on the walk.
He wasted no time in talk—
But whenever seen, if early or late,
Was Soberly on the walk.
But never a word was he heard to say
Of parent or child or wife,
And naught of the woe that made him a prey
And wrecked his reason and life
Of parent or child or wife,
And naught of the woe that made him a prey
And wrecked his reason and life
And never but once was he seen to smile,
And that when a child at play
With very winsomeness seemed to beguile
The care from his breast away.
And that when a child at play
With very winsomeness seemed to beguile
The care from his breast away.
He sought for the deepest, loneliest wood,
Afar from the haunts of men,
And there in the dreariest solitude
He slept in his cheerless den
Afar from the haunts of men,
And there in the dreariest solitude
He slept in his cheerless den
And often as asked why choosing his way
"So sorry," was the reply,
If sorry for what, he only would say
"For much," and then breathe a sigh.
"So sorry," was the reply,
If sorry for what, he only would say
"For much," and then breathe a sigh.
And so at last, when racked with pain,
Refusing all proffered aid,
He feebly crept to his cavern again,
And death's stern summons obeyed.
Refusing all proffered aid,
He feebly crept to his cavern again,
And death's stern summons obeyed.
Oh well may we pray the Father of all
To guide us with His hand,
Life's a struggle, the bravest may fall,
The yielding can scarcely stand.
To guide us with His hand,
Life's a struggle, the bravest may fall,
The yielding can scarcely stand.
THE EYE.
Within those depths how much we trace
Of earnest thought e'en when the face
Is passionless and cold,
The will may do its utmost there,
The wily tongue as oft forbear,
And yet the tale be told.
Of earnest thought e'en when the face
Is passionless and cold,
The will may do its utmost there,
The wily tongue as oft forbear,
And yet the tale be told.
