The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-02
For the National Era.
RIA / N AT MIG Il 7.

RAIN AT MIGHT.
L.
Amer the fiery sun all day
Has showered his shafts on earth,
Till tho weary zephyrs have ceased to play,
Aud the birds have hushcd their mirth;
And the flowers and the grain have dropping lam,
And the grass in the meads is dry,
While the farmer in vain has prayed for rain,
Looking anxiousy al the sky:
How welcome then the gathering clouds,
AS the red sun sinks from sight
While the thunders voice bids ali rejoice,
AS he prophecies rain ut night.
Fantastic forms do the clouds assume,
Up DER the horizons rim
Dragons, and direful shapes of gloom,
Ger the dim woods crawling grim;
Now lii, each one, by the sunken sun,
Aud now by the ghtning's CLEAN;
Now sullen and dun, when the light is gone,
Like forms in a fearful dream.
No portents they OF terrible doom,
The spirit to trouble and fright
They are looming there, in the dusky air,
The heralds of rain ut night.
III
The twilight comes, with a cool, moist BREATH
And the clouds, like wild fowls fly;
Aud the trees awaked from their dream OF death,
Their long arms loss on high.
The lightning plays with lis fiiful rays,
Along the horizons wall;
And its vivid blaze each bird ARRAYS,
And they homewards hasten all.
From the rivers marge loud notes are heard
In a song OF vague delight;
And the tree-toads croak, from the leafy oak,
Saying, " There will be rain tonight"
The untiring bees to their hives have flown.
And the swallows skim low around;
The wind springs up with jubilant tone,
And the small fruit falls to ground.
Like "a thing of fear does the dust appear
Whired up from the parched street.
And the bells ring clear, now far, now near,
With varying tune, though sweet.
Al length, al length has the prayer been heard
BY the Sire of life and light:
BY many a sign, we can now divine
That there will be rain at night
Athwart the skies, with their nky dyes,
The clouds like pail are spread,
But pail that wrings from the heart no signs
No thought of the lonely dead;
For pin more will their bloom restore
To fhs fields and the whitening bowers;
From its copious store, fresh life will pour
On the grain, and the grass, and the flowers.
See! few large drops do the food prelude,
And now il comes down with might
With might and with main comes down the rain,
The thrce-welcome rain at night
But softer now, with a tinkling sound,
Is its fall among the trees;
And the farmer is lulled into sleep profound,
And a vision of plenty
He dreams of his wheat, and his clover sweet,
And his dream will all come true
For, with moislened feet, in the morn he'll sect,
AS he PAGES his green fields through.
And the rain still pours, while the farmer sleeps,
But the poet, wakefu wight,
From hi. easement dark, looks out 10 bark
To the music of rain al night.
VII.
For il has strange charms to his eager ear,
As over the roof comes;
And an army's tramphe seems TO hear,
With sound OF mufiled drums.
In fancy soon, the cymbars tune,
Ciashing silvcry sound,
Beneath the moon, in a night of June,
While the rustic dance goes round,
He hears in its clink the wndow-panc,
And the warlike dreams take flight;
And he thinks of peace, and his lands increase,
And lac blesses the rain al night.
lie thinks of the roses, sweet and fair,
That swell in the night and rain;
And the myriad flowers, that everywhere,
New beauty and life will gain
And the golden bees he thinks he sees,
Hummng around their bells,
While the merry breeze in the freshened trees,
With song of triumph swells:
"From the starless darkness beauty springs,
And tears precede delight"
- And he muses. long, and weaves a song
To the rhythm OF rain at night
In his brain It's dancing, like the rain
On the roof, and against the glass;
And il. rhyme he modulstes TO the strain
OF the drops on the leaves and grass.
He's fiful wight, and friend of Night,
And her moods are all dear TO him,
Whether she's bright with her starry light,
Or her face with tears is dim.
The howery odors make him glad,
From the gardens out of sight;
And his thoughts then gush like notes of thrush,
AS he sings of the rain at night.
And he sees, in his fancy clear and deep,
How the ran-drops seek the seas,
To mix with The brine that laves the Steep
Black banks of the Hebrides,
Or the waters fair, that murmur where
The Summer Islands lie,
And the brown maids bare, let float their hair,
Meath blue and smiling sky.
And he thinks of the mystic range and change
Ofthe seasons, and dark and light;
And of Him who sends 10 his foes and friends
The Joy OF the rain al night.
Oh! n blessed thing is the rain at night,
In the May-iime of the year!
II spreads, like an angel unseen, delight,
And illeth mans heart with cheer.
Golden its showers; benign are its powers;
And beauty its offspring fair;
II teedeth the flowers for June's green bowers,
And cheats weary souls OF care
Life and healih-bringer, o rain sweet rain!
sing thee this pecan, though slight;
May its music arise through the watery skies,
To thy Sender, o rain at night.
w. l.. SHOEMAKER.
Georgetown, d. c., May 81, 1855.
OHIO REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
Extract of letter, dated
COLUMBUS, ONO, July 10, 1855.
AS you are aware, deep interest has pr
AIDED the State for long time, in reference