The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-26
For the National Era
SONG OF THE DREAMER.
BY FRANCES D. GAGE.

BY FRANCES D. GAGE.
was born a cabin maiden,
In the deep, uncultured wild
And grew simost to womanhood
free and fearless child;
| rOamed the dark cid forest,
climbed the waving tree
The rudest sport, and widest
Was the rsrsst sport for me. .
Unbraided locks hung ever
Der my shoulders brown and bare
cared not for the lily skin,
Or the glossy golden hair;
No ruby spsrkled on my lip,
No light danced in my eye,
No roses blushed upon my cheek
= U.s.. *. f1Isti -,
Fen NV loved ami saintel mother
X 49, <.'.-N ), 4, g .-s
She eallei me oft her trouble
Her restless. dreaming child.
My heart for love was longing,
And look Of kindness given,
Made it lesa with joy and giadnes,,
And turn'd my earth 10 hsave&
But so seldom--oh 30 seldom
Came loye's sunny hours to me
That learn'd to hold communion
With each bird and flower and tree
Ard when heard the breezes
'hlong the branches DER my head,
Or the murmuring Of the rivulet
Along its peboly bed,
They seem'd TO teach my spirit
OF higher, holier things,
And to play lOfiier melody
Upon life's secret strings.
The wild, full gush Of music
Der the robins chipping brood
The nimble-footed squirrel
As 1t bounded through the wood
Made my light heart beat more highly
In my happiness aud glee,
g. sNSmd Of love ua9Asa..a,- .
"Idreansd Of all things tiee.n
Each wild flowers bright corollA
Had language for my ear,
and their SssrAnoe s6iriy ssispsred
"'Twas eur Father placed US here
And loved them-oh! Lowell them,
In their simp beauty there
For they answ red to my longinss
From their wild beds, soft and fair
loved the dark uprolling
OF the clouds along the sky,
And the deep-tOned, awful thunder,
And the lightning flashing high
And the low and solemn s,rging
OF the winds, DER hill and dale,
Seem'd to my lonely musings
Like an old, an Oftheard tale.
loved the softening twilight,
The light and shades Of even
loved the jewelled drapey
That hung the vault of heaven
For every little twinkler
Was peopied world to me,
And fancy dress'd that little world
With glorious imagery.
And thus wandered wildly,
Where'er my dreaming led,
Till thirteen summers suns had thrown
Their radiance DER my head
The neighbors looked on doubling,
The children Of the school
of tainted me, with sneering lip,
And branded meta fool.n
All little deem'd they Of the thoughts
My young heart hid away,
Like miser's jewels goated Ger,
And counted day by day;
Yet was sometimes lonely,
For my thoughts seem'd all my own
For then no human heart gave back
And feared that all my yessnfg
For love and sympathy,
Would never meet an answer
In the world so cold to me.
But now change came DER
The spirit OF my dream"
And life became harmonious
AS the ripping Of the stream
For fortune strewed around me
The leaves Of other lands,
vened with thought, pure and holy,
Traced by warm ana loving hands.
seized them, and read them,
And with grateful rapture knelt,
And poured my soul in thankfuness
That With others felt.
oh many time'worn volume,
Filpd with rich and varied lore,
Into the dim old forest
With stealthy hand bore;
And the spirits Of the mighty,
Who long since had passed away,
Become my friends and guardians,
Through lifs's eventful day;
And now my spirits longings
All found an answering tone
I,cds not an unIoped one,
IU0s no more alone.