Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-04-28

Itt p Wills. of ysie College, Connecticut.
obtained the prize offered by the editors oil
she boston Recorder and Telegraph. for the
beH poe,'csl production furnished for tina,
paper during ,hc year 1925:
MrsANruRoPic HOURS.
sometimes feel as could blot
All traces of mankind from earth
As It 'twerc wrong TO blast them not,
They so degrade. so shame their birth:
To think that earth should be so far,
so beautiful and bright thing;
That nature should come forth and wear
Such glorious appsre,ing;
That sky. sea, ar. should live and glow
With light and love aud holiness,
Ans yet men never feel or know
How much a God Of love can bless-
How deep their debt Of ,hsnkfulnrss.
I've seen the sun 60 down. and light
Like foods of gold poured on the sky
When every tree sDd flower was bright,
And every pulse was beating high,
And the full soul was gushing love,
And longing for its home above
And then when men would soar if ever,
To the high homes Of thought and soul
When Ife's degrading ties shall sever,
And the free spirit spurn control
Then have ! seen. oh how my check
10 burning WIN the shame feel.
That truth is in the words speak -
I've seen my fellow creatures steal
Away to their unhallowed mirth.
As if the revelries of earth
Were all that they could feel or share,
And glorious heavens were scarcely worth
Their passing notice or their care.
I've said was .. worshipper
AZ weman's shrine-yet even there
found UNIV orthiness of thought;
And when deemed Just had caught
The radiance OF that holy light,
Which makes earth beautiful and bright.
When eyes Of FIRE their flashes sent
And rosy lips look eloquent;
Oh have turned and wcpt 10 find
beneath it all triHing mind.
vas in one Of those high halls
Where genius bresthes in sculptrred sione
Where shaded light in sof,ness falls
On pencilled beauty. They were gone.
Whose hearts OF fire and hands Of skill
Had wrought such power but they smoke
To me IN every feature still,
And fresh lips breath'd, md dark ewes "a ok r
And crimson cheeks flushed glowingiy
To life and motion. had knelt
And wept with Mary at the tree
Where Jesus sufiered-I had fclt
The warm blood rushing TO my brow
AZ tnc stern bunet OF the Jew
Had seen the Son Of Glory bow,
And bleed for sins he never knew
And had wept thought that all
Must feel like me-and when there came
a stranger bright and beautiful,
With steps of grace and eye of flame.
And tone and look most sweeIly bent
To make her presence eloquent
oh! then looked for tears We stood
Befote the scene on Calvary
saw the piercing spear-the blood
The gall-the wreath Of agony
IsaS his quivering lips in prayer,
Father forgive em"-a!l was ,hcro
turned IN bitterness of soul
And spoke Of Jesus. bad thought
Her feelings would Seflse control;
For womsn's heart knew was fraugbt
With gushing sympsthies She gazed
a moment on in carelessness.
And coldly curied her lin. and praised
The high priests garments. Could il be
Ioat look was meant, dear Lord, for thee
Oh ~hst IS voman-whst her smile
Ter lips OF love--her eyes Of light,
What - she. If her lips rcyile
The lovely Jesus Love nay write
His name upon her masble brow
And hnger IN her curis og let
The light spring flower may scarcely boy
beneaih her step. aud yet-snd yet
without that meek.r grace. she'll be
lighter thing than vanity.