Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-01-22
POETRY.
The storm.

"! WHAT piercing, cnllling Dlhst
Down from the regions of the north
IL comes, aud pours its fury forth
With mad'ning rage, and fearful spite,
AS il TO torment was delight,
And cy'ry object in its way
Far DER the dusty plains to cast,
In mocllery of childrcn's play.
How hard, how constantlNit blows,
And ever and anon it SHOWS,
Ten thousand flakes are hurrying by,
Each one his fellow fierce pursuing,
And each the former still out-doing,
So earnestly their race they run,
Their number darkens now the sun;
And into every nook they ny, .
IT'LL earth, erst brown and soilcd and scar,
Doth, in moment, disappear.
Wrapped in mantle white and deep,
Like one just sinking into sleep;
Guarded all o'er from outward harm,
II lies there mdisturbed and warm.
Another blast and fercer still,
1t hurries onward o'er the hill,
Chilled, it would seem, e'en TO the heart,
And leaving regions up in air
Beyond the ken of mortals, where
Fierce storms are brooded, where The cold
Has for long centuries grown old,
Yet losing not with age its strength,
1t gathers all its force to start
Down to the earth with tyrant's rage,
Some adversary to engage,
Till worn and wearied ont at length,
It stops awhile as if in check,
To look upon the gen'ral wreck,
And stands so still you might suppose
It's fury spent, yet, c'cr aware,
Your ears, your fingers, and your nose
Are, notwithstanding, all your care,
Bitten, yet done so silently,
You think it surely cannot be.
o! it is cold, the air is cold!
The earth, whatever you behold
Seems chilled; to touch II is to shiver,
And make each nerve and fibre quivcr.
See, too, that angry, turbld stream,
Tossed with the winds but yesterday,
And sending up in air it's spray,
Now lies so quiet, it wonld seem
Some one had aimed a deadly blow,
And all its naughty pride laid low;
Some giant, strong, had bound it fast,
Lest it too soon should hurry past,
With all its waters, to the south,
And cause another summers drouth
Harder, still harder, now il SHOWS,
And fercer, too, the north wind blows;
1t finds a hundred op'nings where
We thought all well secured and tight,
Through which it drives the chilling air,
And then, retiring from the sight
1t makes another onset bold,
And makes more keenly felt, the cold.
The glass with frost is covered o'er,
Zach pane, coat of purest white,
Where You may crystal letters write;)
The ice lies thick about the door.
Each day the thickness too increasing,
And daily north winds without ceasing;
The little birds, afraid to fly,
Scarce heed the traveller passing by;
The chickens sit with frozen feet,
Too weak to walk, too cold to eat,
The cattle, with their backs all white
Afraid in their cold bed to lie,
Although just at the point to die,
While stronger ones crowd close together,
Frozen almost in such cold weather,
Or shake their heads against the storm,
Wishing, perhaps, the air were warm,
The grass were green, with tender blade,
Themselves reclining meath some shade,
Or hast'ning TO the spring to drink;
Such thoughts as these, If cattle think,
Must come to mind when all around
They only hear the winds cold sound.
See that poor Indian shiv'ring stand,
The tear drop in her eye;
Far from her own, her native land,
Beneath diG'rent sky,
She fingers out her few short years
Mid tolls and sufi'rings, hopes and fears.
Look, how she struggles for that crust,
Fast frozen to the earth;
To find such morsels is her trust,
Although they're little worth;
She gathers, takes them home with care,
Her little ones the treasure share.
Far o'er yon hill another stands,
! With snew-shoes on his feet,
No covering upon his hands,
| No food has he 10 eat;
He ventures forth with gun and Aask
To seek for game, no easy task,
Till passing where the drifted snow
Conceals the waters deep below,
His body in the cold stream sinks,
And then he Of his sweet-home thinks,
And struggling hard, succeeds at length
In getting out, yet little strength
Is left. His limbs grow stiff, he falls
Just as he sees his tent, and calls
For help; but ere the friendly aid