The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-10-10
THE NATIONAL ERA.
For the National IRA.
HOURS At HONE.
ny THOMAS 5. poNouo.

God bless thee, Nlaye, This sultry afternoon,
Weary and sal Of Thought, cast me down,
Resting but sleeping not so Kind boou
Then no eess. Like poor, beleaguered town,
Within my heart was sorrow meeting sorrow,
And none that ever dreamed OF brighter morrow.
closed niue eyes. Now softly through the room
heard the careful steps Of her love-
And presently there spread pleasant gloom
Around me- for the sun shone bright shove,
Too bright for sumber Presently knew
She stood and gszed and watched each breath drew
Then stole away 3, tendery-one look,
long and swe, one, as she passed the door
Escaping with her newly opened book,
Her sl1w steps mounting to our chamber floor.
OF this part saw, and T II a part,
For love observeth, eyea from the heart
Over my came the smile Of peace
As over stormy waves the sunset ray,
TIL, less and less disturbed, at last they cease,
And calmly mirror back the golden day.
Over the deluge Of my soul came lcre,
Bearing sn olive branch, like Noah's dove.
And then fancie1 brighter time, ami then
Dist NJ ly a yine-clad cottage wall,
Far down the forest. winding Of glen,
An near the tinkng OF a waterfall;
And this was all mine own, and she was here,
Making my happy state, o doubly dear!
And friends mine good friends though cnly few,
Who shared in summer days, my fragrant bower,
Or by my social HEARTH in winter, drew
While verse ami story sped the pensive hour.
Not far the ci'y lay: at sabbath time,
Over the hills we heard the church bells chime!
What merry parties on the grassy plain!
What rambling rides among the bending trees
Often with friends but of and oft again,
Only dear Nlsye ana the Terfumed breeze
Waving her auburn curls, as gadsomey
Her proud steed bounded on, 50 wild aud free
On sprang steeds through checkered shade
Down the green vale and up the gentle HILL
Or instantly, in full career obeyei
And stood with arching necks, waiting our will,
Dismountng. then we rested by a spring
Drank the cool tide, and heard the linnet sing:
And watched the br adj oak leaves that whirlng fell
And through the forest vista looked aftr,
Talked quietly, and, loving all things we !,
Game slowly homeward meath the evening star:
To pass, percbs6cc the early hours Of night
With books that made the very dars ness light!
We lived not for ourselves alone we taught
Whateer of wisdom and of good we knew,
And our reward was-only this we sought
The grateful smile that often met our view
The Consciousness that children loved us more,
And old men, entering, blessed our cottage door!
In the lone forest sometimes would stray
And mid the iDspirations hrest thing tbere
Would let my thoughts puisue their music way,
Singing Of all things bountn AMI fair;
Trusting they should exist, and OFT be real
When he who wrote them slumbered with the dead
Again, when desolate the wintry scene,
In the small book room would we sit together,
Where sweet page preserved world green,
Enchsn ing IL beyond all gloomy weather:
Or, also there, would come the ghtsome rhyme,
With which our hearts, forever young, kept time!
And this-I know not how It was-was NOR;
We not old, but looking forward yet
Right trustfuy with calm, exalted brow,
To many joys, before our sun should set,
Nor fearing loss Of all, whea sank that light:
DO not the stars shine ont TO bless the night7
Such we're my fancies and the sweetest still
were Those that pictured her cOnhding soul,
Faithful and kind confrt nting every i'll;
And, where her tenderness could not control
Soothing and cheering, by her angel love,
Parting the cloud, revealing Heaven above!
Her smiling face!-l woke! IL was before me,
Smiling as behed it in my sleep:
And ~ go lovingly twas bending DER me,
gazed, smiled then could not cho Re but weep.
My strength returned the storm that darky lowered
Rolled back by oye's omnpoteuce oerpowered!
Washington, OcOber, 1850