Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-03-24
POLITICAL.
Prom Friendships Offering.
A TALE OF A MOTHERS GRAVE.

MT Mss JEwsnrRr.
at In village church-yarSi,
One day when work Mas done;
And many green and lowiy grave
Looked bright ia the setting sun;
AMI distant cottages lp,>pcd through
The branches Of the church,! ard yew.
81 among the siccpers.
(Sl,cp any like tse dea,lp)
Thinking how SION I mi hit be called
To rest In such bed;
With Wild flowers o'cr me growing CAV,
And ehiliren laughing at their play.
Twas thus that sat musiny
Ia d,e quiet evcntidc,
When sudden sound at chariot wheels
Game fron, the hamlet side;
psus,i-but had no, long q wait.
They stopped close by the ebdr,I,-. ard gate.
And forth stepped from the chariot
A man in nii,lJiy life,
With something IA has air TINT told
Of travel, till, aud s,rite;
Aud CLEAN OF passion IN his eve
That spoke him not sc, tx u die.
And there came with the stranger
The sexton old and bowed,
a meek old man whose locks were white
As Is \ summer cloud;
They were a crown of light To- him
And sanctifcd his ,ssgc dim.
To grave bound DER With osier
And unmarked by stone,
He lc'l the traveller like child
That fears TO widk al1nr:
The grave your honor wished 10 see
Is Iying al your feet''-Siid he.
God rest thy soul. poor Ellen"
And with fAitering hand
The old man pluckcd IA weed that grew
Et N 49,. a.
And he who ia the clariut came
Pcil on his knees and did tie same
=. Poor Ellen, ." said ti,e sexton,
a. The parish land her here,
We little thought that one like you
Would give her grave tear.
II may be that some time or other
She Was your scrvaLt' "-"N No, Nh MoTiEn "
"My Motherl''--and the strange.
With thcse woris bowed his head,
AMI wept loud upon tic turf,
And called upon the dead
The Sexton quietly withdrew,
Hut was hidden by the ycw,
And heard the words III tell We true
"w,uld thou vert back, my Mother,
For never knew thy orth.
I'LL had wandered far aud long
Upon this weary earth
Till had lived full half my span,
Sad grown n melancholy man.
"l thought thee harsh and maynard,
Too often when boy;
Alas, | never knew how small
Thy share OF earthly Joy,
The pAngs aud fears that wr,ing thv breast.
When was safely laid % rest.
Sour fare was hard aud scau,y,
Aud with murmurs ate
whilst thou, though bora to riches vast,
Ia hunger silent safc;-
IL was thy hand that rIed our crust
And n)w-that blessed hand is dust,
al am grown rich, my Ml,hr,
l have done deeds of fame,
And thought 20 make thee nIw forget
My boyhood's Iii s,t tni shame;
eome-snd sp1iIs % lard and "a
Can only deck CRAVE foe thee,
"Yes-T will build Nth marble,
And gild with g1ll t'ly tomb;
But vert thou ia tl.at lDsiy ept
Amongst the wild-aDwcr,' bloom
The very cot l once disiaincd-
How much OF heaven on earth were gained.
thought thee cold, my Mother,
I'LL other love I won,
And then found that all, 20 thing.
Was starlight To- tl,c san
" DER u passed q cloud Uf blame
IFS inner glory be.nled the same.
al have been nj the revcl
Ia lorsiiy halls nj night,
And lovely eyes have On me sllone
With youthful, flashing light;
But unto memory more divine
those pale, meek, weeping ones Of thine,
Would thou wort baek. NV Mother!
Ny youth was vain and Wild,
but voald kncel bcf0r, the. nov.
grcy-iIaircd, Iowly child,
hat from ~ spirit sh.,kcS the dust,
And only longs ~ love aud trust
Anil lar fsOrs said the wccprr.
Md lrai his br,aa, tie wh,l..
toutcssing 60 th- ear 81 heaven
Ills early eourss of quit;
Until ] deemed Il srons 8, STAY,
And from the church 2, AL took fDy way.
% thou ilsat nsayst be- reading
Thismoumtui tale of mine.
II y,t thuu itsst = ~ ,tl,.r'. heart
10 b. guide 10 th,n.
Cherish hcr-lssI 10 Lit e., ave.