The Illinois free trader. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1840-1841, 1841-01-29

" Inc louoWlng beautiful lines, ny ~
Willis, obtained the prize offered by the EditC
of the Boston Recorder and Telegraph, for t
best poetcal production furnished for that paI
during the year 1885:
MIsANTHKOPIC HOURS.
sometimes feel as | could blot
All traces of mankind from earth
AS if 'twcre wrong to blast them not,
They so degrade, so shame their birth.
To think that earth should be fair
SO beautiful! and bright thing,
That nature should come forth and wear
Such glorious apparelling;
That sky, sea, air, should live and glow
With light, and love, and holiness,
And yet men never feel or know
How much "a God can love and bless
How deep their debt Of thankiulncss.
I've seen the sun go down, and light
Like floods Of gold poured on the sky
When every tree and flower was bright,
And every pulse was beating high.
And the full soul was gushing love,
And then, when men would soar, if ever,
To the high homes of thought and soul
When lie's degrading ties should sever,
AMI the free spirit spurn CONTROL
Thea have seen, oh how my check
Is burning with the shame feel,
That truth is in the words speak,
Eve seen my ielow-creatures steal
Away to their unhaowcd mirth;
As fthe rcvelrics of earth
Where all that they could feel or share,
And glorious heaven were scarcely worth
Their passing notice or their care.
We said was worshippcr
AT womans shrinc--yet even there
found unworthiness of thought,
And when deemed Just had caught
The radiance ofthat holy light
Which makes Garth beautiful and bright
When eyes of fire their flashes sent,
And rosy lips look'd eloquent
Oh, have turn'd and wept TO find
Beneath it all a trihing mind.
J was in one Of those high halls,
Where genius breathcd in scnIptured stone,
Where shaded light in sofncss falls
On penciI'd beauty. They were gone
Whose hearts of fire and hands of skill
Had wrought such powerful they spoke
To me in every feature STILL
And fresh lips brcath'd, and dark eyes woke
And crimson cheeks flashed glowingly
To life aud motion. | had knet
And wept with Mary at the tree
Where Jesus sutfered-I had felt
The warm blood rushing to my brow
At the stern buffet Of the Jew
Had seen the blood Of glory bow,
And bleed for sins he never knew,
And had wept. thought that all
Must feel like mc--and when there came
A stranger, bright and beautiful,
With step of grace and eye Of flame,
And tone and look most swoetly bent
To make her presence eloquent,
osh then ook'd for tears We stood
Before the scene of Calvary.
isaw the piercing spear-the blood
The gall-thc wreath ofagony-
saw His quverng lips in prayer
"Vather forgive then" all was there.
turaed in bitterness Of soul,
And spoke Of Jesus had thought
Her feelings would refuse control
For woman's heart. knew, was fraught
With gushing sympathics. She gaz'd
a moment on i, carelessly,
And coldly curl'd her lip, and praised
The high priests garment! Could it be
That look was meant, dear Lord for thee!
Oh what is woman---what her smile
Her lip OF love--hcr eyes of light
What is she, fher lips revile
The lowIy Jesus |! Love may wright
His name upon her marble brow,
And lingcr in her curls of Jet
The light spring flower may scarcely bow
Beneath her STEP and yct-and yet
Without that meeker grace she'll be
A lighter thing than vanity.
The Strangers Gravc---Or, the Shipwrecis
"Here, stained and torn, a starry flag was cast
There lay broken helm--a shattered mast
But oh, the saddest relic of the Storm
fon wave conveys seaman li(elcss FORM"
The day had closed-the last beam W;
shinInU Ito decIp;nr rowe ,,o, I;,ror,