Town and Country; Or, Life at Home and Abroad Part 22

I turned me, but no guide stood there; Alone, I shrieked in wild dismay, When, lo! the vision pa.s.sed away,-- I found me seated in my chair.

The morning sun was s.h.i.+ning bright, Fair children gambolled in my sight; A rose-bush in my window stood, And shed its fragrance all around; My eye saw naught but fair and good, My ear heard naught but joyous sound.

I asked me, can it be on earth Such scenes of horror have their birth, As those that in my vision past, And on my mind their shadows cast?

Can it be true, that men do pour Foul poison forth for sake of gold?

And men lie weltering in their gore, Led on by that their brethren sold?

Doth man so bend the supple knee To Mammon's shrine, he never hears The voice of conscience, nor doth see His ruin in the wealth he rears?

Such questions it were vain to ask, For Reason whispers, "It is so;"

While some in fortune's suns.h.i.+ne bask, Others lie crushed beneath their woe.

And men do sell, and men do pour, And for their gold return men death; Though wives and children them implore, With tearful eyes and trembling breath, And hearts with direst anguish riven, No more to sell,--'t is all in vain; They, urged to death, by avarice driven, But laugh and turn to sell again.

JEWELS OF THE HEART.

THERE are jewels brighter far Than the sparkling diamonds are; Jewels never wrought by art,-- Nature forms them in the heart!

Would ye know the names they hold Ah! they never can be told In the language mortals speak!

Human words are far too weak Yet, if you would really know What these jewels are, then go To some low, secluded cot, Where the poor man bears his lot!

Or, to where the sick and dying 'Neath the ills of life are sighing.

And if there some one ye see Striving long and patiently To alleviate the pain, Bring the light of hope again!

One whose feet do lightly tread, One whose hands do raise the head, One who watches there alone, Every motion, every tone; Unaware an eye doth see All these acts of charity.

Know that in that lonely cot, Where the wealth of earth is not, These bright jewels will be found, Shedding love and light around!

Say, shall gems and rubies rare With these heart-shrined gems compare?

Constancy, that will not perish, But the thing it loveth cherish, Clinging to it fondly ever, Fainting, faltering, wavering, never!

Trust, that will not harbor doubt; Putting fear and shame to rout, Making known how, free from harm, Love may rest upon its arm.

Hope, that makes the future bright, Though there come a darksome night; And, though dark despair seems nigh, Bears the soul up manfully!

These are gems that brighter s.h.i.+ne Than they of Golconda's mine.

Born amid love's fond caresses, Cradled in the heart's recesses, They will live when earth is old, Marble crumble, perish gold!

Live when ages shall have past, While eternity shall last; Be these gems the wealth you share, Friends of mind, where'er you are!

LIGHT FROM A BETTER LAND.

HERE at thy grave I stand, But not in tears; Light from a better land Banishes fears.

Thou art beside me now, Whispering peace; Telling how happy thou Found thy release!

Thou art not buried here; Why should I mourn?

All that I cherished dear Heavenward hath gone!

Oft from that world above Come ye to this; Breathing in strains of love Unto me bliss!

POOR AND WEARY!

IN a low and cheerless cot Sat one mourning his sad lot; All day long he'd sought for labor; All day long his nearest neighbor Lived in affluence and squandered Wealth, while he an outcast wandered, And the night with shadowy wing Heard him this low moaning sing: "Sad and weary, poor and weary, Life to me is ever dreary!"

Morning came; there was no sound Heard within. Men gathered round, Peering through the window-pane; They saw a form as if 't were lain Out for burial. Stiff and gaunt Lay the man who died in want.

And methought I heard that day Angel voices whispering say, "No more sad, poor and weary, Life to me no more is dreary!"

THE BANDBOX MOVEMENT.

"THERE! Mr. McKenzie, I declare! You are the most oncommon, oncivil man I ever sot eyes on!"

"Peace, my lady! I'll explain."

"Then do so."

"You must know, then, that I have a perfect hatred of bandboxes,--so great, in fact, that if I see one on the walk, I involuntarily raise my foot and kick it."

"So it appears," chimed in Mrs: McKenzie, with a significant hunch of the right shoulder.

"Therefore,--"

"Well, go on! what you waitin' for?"

"Therefore, when I saw Arabella's bandbox in the entry, as I came down, sitting, as it did, directly at the foot of the stairs, I jumped on it, thinking I would come over it that time--"

"An' crushed a new spring bonnet, that cost-let me see!"

"No matter!" said Mr. McKenzie; "that will be in the bill."

Mr. McKenzie, having said thus much, placed his hat on his head and rushed from the house, fearful of another onslaught of "oncommon oncivilities."