The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-08-18
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:" The rood die first

Madrid, N. :, on the 10Th of last month
We do this, not simply because Mr..
JOYCE was a former schoolmate and ever
cherished friend Of our own, but because
we feel that his life was one of unusual
promise; and not only his friends, but
far wider circle who know him only by
his writings, viii mourn his early death.
As man, Mr.. JoYcE was generous,
cordial, impulsive and sympathetic. He
vas characterized by a high sense of
personal honor, and an earnest, hearty
detestation of all injustice and wrong.
AS writer, he is known chiefly by his
poems, which were published mostly in
N. Y. papers, and have been widely cop
led into other prints. He has contributed
several poems to the JOURNAL, of
which has been copied very generally By
literary papers. He loved poetry with
passionate and almost sacred devotion.
To him, the writing of poetry was not
merely an idle pastime, but noble and
holy thing. He saw the beauty that
dwells in earth and sky-the Frightening
glories of summer morn-the pensive
beauty of quiet eve-the gloomy grand
eur of a gathering storm-and he gather
ed inspiration for his songs from all holy
and tender feelings from all noble and
worthy deeds-from all glorious records
of the past and present time.
MIR. JOYCE was a selt-made man.
When twenty years Of age he had attend
ed school but two months, yet had very
correct knowledge of the principles and
use of language. We were his school
mate during his first term at school, and
when he showed us small book filed
with manuscript poems, we advised him
to offer some of them for publication.
Not thinking them worthy of publication
he declined doing this, and only after
much entreaty would he permit us to
copy two of them, and send them to
journal Of high literary character. They
were published, and from that time he
has at irregular intervals furnished poems
for the press. H.i 70 r s's...'la.' ~.
He died of consumption, which was
induced by too severe and continuous
study. We print poem entitled 'THAr
LAND" which is the last of his compost
tons, and unless our judgment is warped
by the warmth of personal friendship, it
is worthy to be ranked among the stand
ard sacred poems of our literature.
I'm coming, Land, thy glowing hills seem
nearer,
All studded DER with gems of crystal light,
Each well known object to my heart is dearer,
Although they've been forever in my sight.
| A child, saw thee, Land of angel beauty,
In boyish dreams 1 chased thy butterflies,
Yet when wandered from the path of duty,
| ~ GlOlu NOuiu HUE lucC AiOiA WIZ Iii9
| r- eyes. .,r BE-. .....lt r,rr b. ss
In youth I saw thee, but the distance length
| ened, t#-a
Thy border burned away beyond the stars
Yet when I sought thee, then my eye was
| strengthened,
Thy light eclipsed life's golden morning bars
/
l saw thee, too, when other lights were break
Love, fame achievement high in after years,
They were the fires Of young ambition waking,
To blaze, and burn, grow dim--go out in
tears. ,t.,- ssesr.t S ST, ,e.5.s
Alone, thou vert the only light, undarkened,
OF all the lights around ife's middle stand !;
To voices waited from thy shore hearkened,
And knew indeed thou vert the Better
r. Land" T'..t+t ~ 81
In dreamy moods, I've heard mellow ringing,
Borne from thy hills, across the space of
And often, low, sweet cadences of singing,
Have thrilled my soul, and melted me to
| tears. rr -
|
I'm coming-life is fading in the distance,
Its bands are breaking, soon will be free,
Death will not triumph for there's no resistance,
He only bears me, 1ov'd Ian d, Ger to thee.
Eand of the soul and spirits inward longing
Land of pure song and every new delight!
My every thought is in thy green fields throng-
ing,
Where flowers bloom and skies are ever
bright
l see no forms upon thy amber bridges,
My eye not perfect, and the way yet long;
But there are angels on the crystal ridges,
For have heard the harp notes of their song
No gloomy clouds o'erhang thy golden noun
| tains,
No shadows lie around thy holy hills"
No cold to hush the music of thy fountains
No death to bid the raptured heart be still !
No sigh of pain, no eating tooth of sorrow
No looking back to loved ones, dear and
gone
No doubts, to dim the glory-clad tomorrow
But Love, and Truth. eternal, on and on,
Bright Land of God of Prophet, Saint and
Angel
My world of pictures painted on the sky
I'm neari ng fast thy ever-shining border,
| One step from Earth and shall never die
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