The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-12-15
For the Journal.
MAKING A STROUD.

MAKING A STROUD.
BY J. A. P. CUMMINGS.
She sits by the window, scarce raising her eve,
Asshs hears the quick step ofthe gay passer-by.
For her fingers with swiftness and care,
Are fashioning slightly a robe of pure white,
And she must needs hasten-for long before
night
The owner her garment must wear
What makes the bright lady? a dress to be worn
Where the gay dancers revel from midnight till
morn,
And drink in the poisoned night breath /?
Or ls it to deck the young radiant bride,
When she clings in her trust to her chosen
ones side!
All! it is for the pale bride of Death
* And the skillful young artist full well is aware
That but late, young as hers, and as merry and
fair
Was the head that tonight must repose
With its bright ringlets buried in darkness and
gloom;
But what recks the maiden of death or the
tomb
So she carelessly sings as she sews.
What matters it whether her needle and thread
Are buried in robes for the living or dead
The pittdncS so needed she Graves
Nor pauses for thought, as she decks the cold
That will furnish feast for the greedy earth
worm,
In the silent enclosure of graves.
Nethinks there are few of the jewellers below,
But are making a shroud as onward they go,
For some fellow-worm. ere he dies:
A few godlike spirits. whose pathway is bright
With the stainless reflection of Heavens owu
light.
Are decking cro,cn for the skies.
See yon wrecked inebriate-he stood in his
pride
In youth, at the sltar-and vowed that his
bride
He ever would cherish and love;
Yet. many long years of dark wretched life,
Has been ,ceaping shroud for that suffering
wife:
But his vows are recorded above
And mark that bent figure-'tis anguish, not
Has stricken that frame-dimmed those sad
eyes with tears;
All, guilty and ungrateful sonl
So sure as that mother by sorrow is bowed,
So surely you have been making a atroud
For that loving and heart-broken one.
See yon heedless maiden--the counsels and
prayers
Ofkindest and tenderest parents she shares,
But lists not their warnings to hear,
Nor dreams that her fingers assist to prepare
The dress poor Humanity needs last to wear,
For thos. so indulgent and dear.
Prom yon wrstched group hear the low brutal
jest, IL
The curse, as the cup of destruction is pressed
To lips flushed with passions hot breath;
Their shrouds are preparins-each loud. angry
Esch accent of rage from the breast tempest
stirred,
Is stitch-and invites onward Death.
Nor deem that the serrers escape a like doom;
Each. hurrying Others to people the tomb.
let makes his oacn shroud with all speed
Some are but commencing-some fairly begun,
Some rapidly stitching-some almost done
Deaths helpers are mighty indeed
And oh still more startling mans deadliest
The arch, fiend of darkness-the author of
Has aid in each horrible plan
fbe Heaven-daring MISREPRESENTATION
-s------ bowI---=--
Is rcaring a shroud for the poor, deathless soul
Ofhis blinded and charmed victim-man.
Oh, Father above let US not make shroud
Fer the body or soul which Thy Hand has en-.
dowed;
But far above earth may we rise,
To join those choice spirits, whose pathway is
bright
With the stainless reflection OF Heavens own
light
And deck ne crolra for the skies.
Row YOUR OWN HoRN.--The follow
inc passage is said to be from the Book
of Mormon. Evidently Brigham Young