18
POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
MUSIC.
I oft have heard the merry laugh
Of children at their play—
It came from hearts of purity,
As sweetly pure as they.
Of children at their play—
It came from hearts of purity,
As sweetly pure as they.
I've heard a song from beauty's lip,
It's melody was rare,
And failing softly on my ear,
It seemed to banish care.
It's melody was rare,
And failing softly on my ear,
It seemed to banish care.
The murmur of the waterfall,
The music of the bird,
I own these have a magic power,
That oft my soul has stirred.
The music of the bird,
I own these have a magic power,
That oft my soul has stirred.
And yet, by tar the sweetest sounds,
E'er borne upon the air,
Were words that breathed of hope and peace
To hearts of dull despair.
E'er borne upon the air,
Were words that breathed of hope and peace
To hearts of dull despair.
Methinks the angels pause to hear,
A sound so truly sweet.
Rejoiced that from a world like this,
Such sounds their ears can greet.
A sound so truly sweet.
Rejoiced that from a world like this,
Such sounds their ears can greet.
TO MY BROTHER.
Since thou art gone how lonely is our home,
How desolate the place which once was glad:
Past is the lovely Spring and Summer's bloom,—
But still we mourn thee, still our hearts are sad.
How desolate the place which once was glad:
Past is the lovely Spring and Summer's bloom,—
But still we mourn thee, still our hearts are sad.
We wander through each old familiar room,
Where our companion thou wast wont to be,
And seeing them the same as in the past,
We look around, but look in vain for thee.
Where our companion thou wast wont to be,
And seeing them the same as in the past,
We look around, but look in vain for thee.
We for the moment fail to realize
The sad, the fearful work which death has done;
How cold and still the heart that loved us lies,—
Forever hushed when life had just begun.
The sad, the fearful work which death has done;
How cold and still the heart that loved us lies,—
Forever hushed when life had just begun.
Here is thy chair in its accustomed place,
Thy books still lying on the table by,
Thy pictures hanging on the wall—all these
Reminding us of thee, will meet the eye.
Thy books still lying on the table by,
Thy pictures hanging on the wall—all these
Reminding us of thee, will meet the eye.
But oh, we miss that happy beaming smile,
That gladdened all with whom thou chanced to meet,
We miss the accents of that well-known voice,
Whose every tone for us was music sweet.
That gladdened all with whom thou chanced to meet,
We miss the accents of that well-known voice,
Whose every tone for us was music sweet.
We miss that cheerful spirit so resigned
Whatever ills of life were thine to bear;
But most we miss the sympathizing friend,
Who shared alike our joys and deepest care.
Whatever ills of life were thine to bear;
But most we miss the sympathizing friend,
Who shared alike our joys and deepest care.
Where e'er we turn, our thoughts are still of thee
At morn, at noon, or at the evening hour;
Death could not rob us of thy memory,
Time only has a gentle soothing power.
At morn, at noon, or at the evening hour;
Death could not rob us of thy memory,
Time only has a gentle soothing power.
And yet 'tis well, tho' we've known much of care
Though dark with sorrow were the paths we've trod,
If we shall gain at last the eternal rest—
At last are with thee, and thenceforth with God.
Though dark with sorrow were the paths we've trod,
If we shall gain at last the eternal rest—
At last are with thee, and thenceforth with God.
BEAUTY.
The spirit of Beauty has many a dwelling,
Delightfully varied in form and in place;
It maketh its home on tho earth and the water,
And surely it filleth the heavenly space.
Delightfully varied in form and in place;
It maketh its home on tho earth and the water,
And surely it filleth the heavenly space.
It glows when the earliest flash of a sunbeam
Is gilding the opening gates of tho day,
And ever its presence is round and above us,
When softly the daylight is fading away.
Is gilding the opening gates of tho day,
And ever its presence is round and above us,
When softly the daylight is fading away.
And night, the deep night, his a glory that's matchly,
That beam.s in the light of each wonderful star,
We look from the earth when 'tis shrouded in darkness
To beauty and majesty mingled afar.
That beam.s in the light of each wonderful star,
We look from the earth when 'tis shrouded in darkness
To beauty and majesty mingled afar.
And ocean forever the story is telling,
Of waves that are tossing in grandeur and might,
We listen with awe to the sound of the waters,
Rejoicing and trembling too at the sight.
Of waves that are tossing in grandeur and might,
We listen with awe to the sound of the waters,
Rejoicing and trembling too at the sight.
And see on the mountains the bright buds of springtime
Are clothing the trees that through winter were bare,
How gently the breezes are swaying the branches,
And glad we behold them for beauty is there.
Are clothing the trees that through winter were bare,
How gently the breezes are swaying the branches,
And glad we behold them for beauty is there.
The rocks that were towering boldly and grandly,
Are fringed with mosses of every hue,
And down where the brooklet softest is flowing
Are violets blooming of loveliest blue.
Are fringed with mosses of every hue,
And down where the brooklet softest is flowing
Are violets blooming of loveliest blue.
The swallows are flying about the old ruin,
A robin and wren the decayed tree have found,
And sparrows, the sweetest of songsters, are singing,
And building their nests in dry grass on the ground.
A robin and wren the decayed tree have found,
And sparrows, the sweetest of songsters, are singing,
And building their nests in dry grass on the ground.
And rosiest children are watching and waiting,
Expectantly too for a sight in the nest,
Thus early admiring the bright gifts of Nature,
Themselves of her beauties the sweetest and best.
Expectantly too for a sight in the nest,
Thus early admiring the bright gifts of Nature,
Themselves of her beauties the sweetest and best.
THREE CROWNS.
A homely cot, where want and toil,
Had ever close companions been,
Where learned guest with brilliant talk
Was never known to enter in.
Had ever close companions been,
Where learned guest with brilliant talk
Was never known to enter in.
But here a noble thoughtful youth
Was constant poring o'er his book,
And nothing could his search beguile,
Though worn and pallid was his look.
Was constant poring o'er his book,
And nothing could his search beguile,
Though worn and pallid was his look.
When some deplored that in such work
He would his youthful spirits drown,
(Ambition here had found a slave)
He said, "I seek a scholar's crown."
He would his youthful spirits drown,
(Ambition here had found a slave)
He said, "I seek a scholar's crown."
And one there was in early prime,
A strong and self reliant man,
With all the plentitude of grace,
A mind to execute his plan.
A strong and self reliant man,
With all the plentitude of grace,
A mind to execute his plan.
"My father is a king," he said,
"And I his loyal only son,
I have no war to wage with fate,
My crown has been already won."
"And I his loyal only son,
I have no war to wage with fate,
My crown has been already won."
Another came in humble garb,
Who scarcely drew a passing glance,
So often going to and fro,
It only seemed as if by chance.
Who scarcely drew a passing glance,
So often going to and fro,
It only seemed as if by chance.
And yet he always seemed intent,
Serene and gentle too his mood,
He wished for none to herald him,
His days were spent in doing good.
Serene and gentle too his mood,
He wished for none to herald him,
His days were spent in doing good.
When asked his hope of a reward
He said, "May I deserve some day
The promised crown of righteousness,
The gift that fadeth not away."
He said, "May I deserve some day
The promised crown of righteousness,
The gift that fadeth not away."
