Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-11-28
MY EARLY FRIENDS

T.HE
shadow falls blight desceuds on all the joys Of earth
And eyernore burial chant Is mingng with their rth
An earthly things Fastening to their ends
Till dust at last with kindred dust within the shadow
Forever a the globe along her starry cycle rolls
within the soul hollow bell some shatter idol tolls.
And Though with HIM who sits On high whose golden
shin. SsRpbn and Cherubim the bsautiful and cro7vn
There change no funeral tran sad array Of DEATH
Though the universe at gOau out its dying BREATH
With below while yet the winds through heavens blue
There must be tears and breaking hearts and WEAKNESS
Where are nv friends where now are gone the dear ia
That held within my heart 50 well, their high and holy
plscesi
Whose eyes were as the early light the opeing sower
Az woodbne to the rowing bee music to the howerF
what cloud has overcast their eyes why have they learn
uri.it ftSat q SorgetO. is it that ehangef
Al Ihave lived feel the power the ivy tonch Of Tine
Across nv heart his shadow falls upon my locks his tme
Mine the fresh young heArt Tasin dAys agone
while onyouths purple mountains danced the kndings
Where are nv friends, where gone the dear s
That no5ly held within my heart their green and golden
Some dark tsPsstous wave their distant
Some sleep the sleep that knows no dream moaning
and no waking,
And some who walk among the flowers survive with hearts
As.toss above whose final throb the cashpg bell has
And some whose love still burns for me- sundered from
By leagues on ieagdes the swallows wing might scarcely
r.rb.SE SS along " tbe carnered gray Time
Like birds that their hast years nest within some dis
Thought wSnders Ger the lonely srines to sleepess
Apdfsom their iaStre wipes the rust of many burning
A-ouns me- the sylvan hillsin rich familiar green,
And onward stretch the grassy slopes with shining brooks
sim there the broad old chestnut CLEANS in whose lp1uri
sought, at morn, the smooth brown nuts and gaily
They come they come, the merry band the young the
Beneath whose feet along the turf the blue eyed Toes
And ons t6srs stands around whose lips the youthful
woss bT;eSt than smiles the rose Of june more beautiful
The hazel dell and willow nook return upon my view
With all the blessed memories OF sunlight birds and dew
Again there steals my brow that thrilling sense of
Such as S sio8c our Northern hills and Northern reo4es
The peocs and apple blooms hail with that ungushig joy,
Which only sirs the veins Of one and hetbe dreaming boy
Upon the purple bough marx the robins "e-Erought
And strsinng Ger the rim two bright eyes and rudy
Asr Ike seas Of sunny gold the meadow LANDS EXTEND
Whose hands glsdeyed buttereups with frineed daes
Once %oTs I9' with crmsonsd hands bend oer the lush
Amidst perfume floating up from soft rich cloverheas
AdOwn the valeiong tinkling sEaths lie stretched in
And crowded barns are breathing forth the scent of gn
' cred hay; .-,.
Now DER the les now up the h rolls on the loaded wn.
And lusty scythes aashns out amidst the bending
When nom the school, l. light Of heart, once more have
hotneward run.
Amothers tender smile mine, sisters siivery tone;
Ah whittier hoat the shadows swift that sweep the au-
mnfNn
and whittier fades the name that's traced along theOces
sometimes yearn to know it when that aufql day shall
whose trump shall rouse the shroudcd dead to pass the
Great Assze,
With al the flowers and stars that hung above its wind
and with those stars aud blossoms the holy and
Az through the golden gate they mass to their eternal rest
These blessed hours with the dead; those dearest forms
And now their sad reproschfut ghosts across my memory
And sll are With the flowers to me arc dead or
A. are The brovs Ger which the bell its braen dirge has
rolled:
And some who live and love me are sundered frOm
Blessues on loagues the swallows wing might scarcely
dare to try;
Gone are the dear young friends that royed merry band
Tn. clover dell the singing brook the soft and hSven lea
They hsant the sunshine Of the day. they rise upon my
with Al the glory Of the Past the murmuring Of its
Through TIE long night within my soul their Ourful
and from nv eyeds clnse away the sleep
O. WI weave cypress wroAh for those vSinlv mourn
And hid It wine orevermore round Friendships holy urn
WIssOR, y. Y. n