The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-07
For the Gasette.l
THE FOUR SEASONS.

L
THE FOUR SEASONS.
SUGGESTED By THE PAINTINGS (by .Monaehea) OF
THE SEASONS IN TUE GALLERY OF rEs ARr-U UNION,
PHILADELPHIA.
BY H. 4. DE FRANCE.
At evenings close, when all around was still,
] to my lonely couch, to seek repose
Bctook myself, and soon slumber sweet
Csmc DER me; and with sleep, vision too.
Meihought saw maiden gliding by
OF fairy form, and beaueous to the sight;
Her deep blue eye was innocence itself:
And softly, as she hovered in md-air,
Looked down upon me; meier shall forget
That lovely glance; within me passed thrill
ofpleasure sweet, as long gazed on her
Her auburn locks, like gold, to me appeared
When on them the brigh. sun his rays did cas-,
Upon her brow, wreath Of roses white
We're bound; and on her iv'ry bosom, more
Were laid; the hearts, ease, daisy, orange bud
Together mingled were. And in her hands,
So small and white. baske, of choice fow'rs
The welcome tokens Of the early spring.
No pink SO sweet as that upon her cheek,
Nor rose SO red as her delicious lips,
Nor violet that could her eye approach
Or in its modesty, her rival be.
She flcated in the air, and scatter'd round
Her boun.eous gifts upon the earth below.
And soon the sweet perfume all nature filed
Win fragrant essence Of a thousand fow'rs.
The trees put forth their leaves, and blossoms too
And fields were clad in verdure bright and fresh
With Joy gazed upon the maiden now
While she dispensed her treasures vas, DER all.
Anon cloud appeared, and in its folds
She wrapped herself, along was northward borne
And soon her lovely form was lost to view.
As dreaming. lay !, doubling if again
should behold that fairg, sylph-ke form,
Another cloud came sailing down the sky
And as looked, behold! another maid
Above me seated was upon the mist:
And also she, Of faresi form divine,
Ye, all her beauty of diff'rent cast.
Her eyes like je, of sparkling brightness were,
And hair in color more than ravens hue:
Her countenance, expressive of delight,
And iorm-the woman there, maj iestc was.
Her tresses black, with whea,en heads entw, ned,
And in her hand, a reaper's blade she bore:
A sheaf Of golden grain was by her side
Jus, taken from the fields in harvest time.
Her smile bespoke pleasing sense of mind,
As o'er the earth she gazed, for everywhere
The husbandman rewarded was tor tolls
Bestowed upon the ground! an ample store
n ,t,l. >,I Co al baJ IL
And as looked her placid face upon
She seemed 10 melt away, as doth the mist
Before the sultry beams OF summers sun:
Nor vacant was the cloud, on which she sa.
For 10! third was here; her merry face
Aad hazel eye, and gently parted lip,
Excelled all that the other two had been.
Her ringlets brown were floating in the air,
And clrcl'd was her brow with grapel leaves round.
She bore in either hand the clustered fruit
Jus, gathered from the vine, whose purple bloom
Be,okened au,umn's sun had on them beanied.
Anon ! raised my eye, and saw the cloud
OF gorgeous crimson hue become the sky
All o'er reflected was with this bright hue,
A cool refreshing breeze swept o'er The earth,
Imparting comforts 10 my spirits there.
And as the winds increased the maiden sweet
Soon faded from my sight, nor left trace
OF her lone pathway through the desert air.
Anon it colder grew, and still gazed-
Some other fair one to descry-but vain
sought, no more appeared, no cloud was there,
But on the earth, l,lle distance off
Had bendcd DER some fire an aged man;
His whitened locks were waving in the wind,
His once huge s,alwar, form now sunken was.
No eye there glistened in its socket deep,
Nor voice Of feeblest tone was whispered low;
He crouched before the glowing Goals, nor felt
A moments comfort, or grateful warmth.
His quv'ring limbs too well at.es,ed age,
And wasted frame, the prelude Of tha, death,
Which soon awaits us all. He closer crept
Toward the flick'ring flame, and colder grew.
And as the spark now glimmered, then anew
Burst forth with sudden force-.oo quick to last
So gathered he his form Zone effort more)
And wa,ch'd th' expiring fame; then signing died.
And his sad death awoke me from my dream
Cherry Wood, Iowa, January 81, 1850.
NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF IOWA.
The Commissioner Of tie General Land Office
states that the act Sd March last, authorizing the