Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-08-06
BY MELZAR GARDNER

BY MELzAR GARDNER
Thou who didst teach my youthful muse to SIM
strung her new harp, and claimed her earliest
strain,
Hover thou near me on thy sprit-winp.
;, And will wake its melody again!
Surely to thee its sweetest notes beono-
Ahy love-thy truth-tby constancy my song.
Fen from the dawning of my spirits life.
mo soul has breathed its sympathy fer me:
No kindly word had cheered me in the strife:
And was like gnared and blighed tree.
which, planted firmly on the storm god s path.
Scorns all his fury, and defes his wrath
Tho world has never loved me. Ia child
Cast on its bosom, found that bosom cold
1t spurned me, when l thought it should have
smiled
And when offered love, it asked for-gold;
And showed me-Love, an article of trade
AND Aruth and Friendship waiting to be paid!
l loa'ied 1t then-and each dag nerved my soul,
us With gear OF strength, its hate to brave
never bowed me to its base control
And thus my heert became living grave
VI strong affections. Thou didst set.them free,
AND all - Is treasured wealth belongs to thee
1t Is gu thine! Q would that it were more,
And better worth the sacrifice it cost -
Kind friends--thy pleasant homeland all the store
vi love thy life had gathered-these thou lost
Each would have shared, and each have claimed
Now, thou hast love for love. and heart for hear,
a Wanderer then--poor, friendless and alone
no house-no lands-no boarded wealth were
mine
Thou vert my all, and thou vert all my own
All, was rich 10 win heart like lhineI
Love that wealth buys with poverty will fail.
But truth like thine is never kept for sale
'I've given up all loved, for thee alone ~
These were thy words which memory aye will
keep;
When thou with me ddst brave the cold worlds
frown;
And on my bosom sobbed thyself to sleepl
best pledge OF earnest truth, Thy young hearts
And sweetest proof of love, those bridal tears!
Well might thou doubt my poor world beaten
barque,
To heartily fortunes DER life's stormy seal
The tempest then was Rowling fierce and dark,
AND lis wild wrath was terrible to thee,
AND but one light shone in the murky sky
Twas Love bright star - our hope--o our destiny
That sac unbldden fear-'tis past--'tis past!
ana though there ling feii stiil that threat ming
cloud
No shadow on our spirits can it cast,
For there that light, IT'S powerless to shroud,
Beams clearer-rurer STILL as years depart
me bright continuing sunshine Of the heart
Star Of our welded life thy Frightening raw,
Hath never faded from the upper sky
My SPIRITS darkness thou hast turned to ,day
And thy soft beams now light that fearful eve
For this, | thank thee, Father who to me
Didst give that light il borroweth from Thee!
Nine circling seasons now their course have run,
Since my world frozen heart thy love did warm
Since,-when told thee it was all thine own
Home for life's sunshine--shelter from its storm
Thou, gentle one, didst nestle by my side
And to that heart clasped thee, as my bride!
1t doth not seem so long-yet Time hath fled
For there are sweet and ever blooming flowers
Our daughters-come to tell US years have sped
Their age, Loves only record of the hours!
Aud since left thee, yet another one,
Wateh his sire's first kiss Ills thine, My.sos!
am alone--and far from them and thee
Yet have Iswiit winged Thought to thy
home,
w hen evening shadows fall, j haste to see
The smile of Joy that waiieth till / come,-
Leaving behind all thoughts that give us pain
10 clasp my loved ones to my heart again!
God keep them, eyer!- land ii rnemory's page,
When am gone, should bearlny humble name ;
Or with the record Of the passing age
BE linked one act of mine, deserving fame -
Long as that fame one heart is treasured in,
Be thine the praise, thy love inspired to win!
God keep thee, ever. dearest! May no cloud
OF Sorrow cast its shadow on thy brow;
Grit it come, still beaming through its shroud,
May Love and Hope shine beautiful as now
Til, when the tie that jons our hearts is riyen,
1t blendeth with the better light of Heaven!
RIcHaoND Va, December 81, lS4l.
@Nr. GARDNER, was the editor of the .sCd Do
minion," Democratic newspaper, Published in
Norfolk, Va. in which place some few years since
Mr.. IT, was shot dead, in a personal rencontre
with an opponent