The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-12-25

Those high backed chairs which ancient danes
Berefled and powdered, uscd 70 AilJ.
You think that by these ksetng asnse
You see them cit there stiiL
The bookcase with las volumes worn
Ihs rlgrin's Pfssrcss. paxttf's ksst.
The BoOk Of Martyr, some, hxt torn,
uossi--tss guest.
Ths old King. = arm that saw 10 Sars
Distsnt, shiEes dimiy In tbs hlasr.
With simples cnlled fer winter use.
And bunchea VI the maize.
Tho dresser on the man ,le.p piece,
Tsryws back the light with conscious pride;
A tall brass antique eandiestiek
islands upon either side,
That stately clcck. a century gene
Itsaw great gr sndfatLsr dad
IL saw the lash OF British strei.s
II heard the whia Of lead.
The meal Is Ger, the table cleared,
They gather 81 s,r round the light;
The father reads some al aloud,
The ehildren's eycs shine bfis ht.
Orif they con the morrow Is task,
The mother, knitting all Tho While,
Upon their rosy faces looks
With quiet, hopeful smile.
PsrehAucs = ncighbor comes 70 bring
Some news he Al the viiiag. lcsrnea,
John Smith, the spcnthtift, left last spring,
Has just this day rstuI ned.
They fetch from out the waters hoard
The wAlnuts gathered In tbs fAllj
The red-cheeked apples, nicely stored,
A ready feast for all.
'Tis els hit o clock the ehildrsn gone,
Tbs parents sit the ere before
And think OF what the patti has done,
And Of the futures store.
They talk about the neig hborh hood
" It's sad that Deacon drown IL dead;
No deed Of his were we'll uldone,
No word of his unsaid.
',1he peddler marries sally Jones,
That any one could plainly zee
Since he went with her en- the night
VI Highly apple bee.
"The widow Clark q cd COW 10 dead
The ways Of God are hard h. tell;
/ think We I'll give her Brindie, how,
Twill do almost AZ we'll. =
The clock striksa ton the house 10 hashsd
There's nothing but the stars aiight,
Or ths huge log apon tho hearth
That snoiders through tAs night.
New England housewives would fain
Essay your virtues rare ~ paint
Ny humble inuso before tho task
Sinks woc-begone and faint.
For, startled At my effort rash,
From twenty thousand Yankee tomb,
Full twenty thousand inatronz rise,
All armed Wit mops and brooms.
rocky mount OK psnialoons
Before my wondering fancy springs,
With splendid patches on tho knees,
And good euouxh for kings.
Ten pyramids Of pork and b ans,
Fifty square miles Of psmpkin pies,
mighty lake Of apple "ssss,
Before nc next arise,
vast array Of spinning wheels.
And yarn enough to reach ~ Tar
Ar ten times to the sun, and t~ies
To the remotest star.
And from theas twenty thousand ehosts
voice upon the wind doth swell,
Which slowly grows articulate:
Eve dArnsd and mcnded wclT.''
We gather from our homes 10 light
0nr memories torches ~ the blAse
Which ehesYed, that cold December night,
The Pilgrims with iss rays.
W. see sgAin Tho ancient rock
First pressed BY footstsp VI the freei
Dear rock stand firm against the shock
Of thai Wild winter sea.
We hear the solemn, deep.soiced prayer;
The grand, and slowly swelling hymn,
kousing the Wild beast from his lair
Far in the forest dim.
The silent sight IL all around;
The close Iy-curtaine sky o Ter head
For couch the hard suow-csvsfed gyoand,
Which Natures hand hath spread.
And Ii some heart In anguish tarnsd
kvr vd
And th rsugh that seieu,n DARK nss ycsrnsa
For some dear English home;
Or II some strong m an bowed and wspt,
With earnest thoughts too sad to speak,
Silently wept, while others dept,
ID" not think Il weak.
Great hearts, they hewed the forest we'll,
And laid the earth bare 10 the sun;
Reared sons and daughters for the task,
Aud slept when they were done.
Droughta new era, whose great truth,
Was thought, free thought 10 oil mankind
The old vor I'd feand anew its youth
Before 20 weak and blind.
Great hearts true heroes, siplsssf nc.
The world hath known no perfect man,
Yet greater than tho age before.
Trusr to Gods great plan.
How seem We by those ancient men1
How great, how email, how good, how mea
And are We worthy u snch siYes,
True ~ the world hath Scent
New England sons, o, keep the thrift
OF those who bounded mighty states.
They held their tkssaNs 0f dsstiay;
You hold your future fates.
O, found your Gifted M rock!
And build yenr fortunes slow and sure.
That they may bide tbs teml ct . sh0ck,
And 10 the end endure.
Make homes, to which Gentry hence
Your ehiidren's children still may turn,
And sec through all the mists Of time,
Their holy wstcn 6res burn.
New England daaghtsrs, mothers sow,
fosr mothers ware mol dressed 70 fine;
Have you forgot TO take that stitch
HIGH saves the other miner
Have yos still kept that woaAroas ct
Of rarsst skin, and wisdom too,
That makes the oldest daesses look
Almost - good ~ ncw
New Engiand daughters Of the wsstt
'Tis yours, that task Of heart and brain,
To make your homes and Arcsidss blest,
To live those nves again.
For yondsr through the parted clouds,
All brighter th N the midday sun,
Those angel mothers wait TO say.
my daughter, It's we'll DONE
Brothers sud sisters, common tiss
Ana common memories bad ~ fast
Upon the threshold OF the year
We stand asd view the past.
Before " Ito cur lives Of toll,
Behind ~ dimly stretch the years
o, LET ~ CLEAN and gather we'll
These hnYyeote ooVn In tear.