Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-08-19
From the Atlantic Monthly, for August.
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DANIEL GRAY
NJ On. :. o. HOLLAND.

If shall ever win the home in heaven
For whose sweet rest humbly hope and pray,
In the great company of the forgiven
I shall be sure 10 find old Daniel Gray.
knew him well in fact, few knew him better,
For my young eyes oft read for him the Word,
And saw how meekly from the crystal letter
He drank the life of his beloved lord.
Old Daniel Gray was not a man who lifted
On ready words his freight Of gratitude,
And was not called upon among the gifted,
In the prayer-mectings of his neighborhood.
He had n few old-fashioned words and phrases,
Linked in with sacred texts and Sunday
rhymes,
And suppose, that, in his prayers and graces,
I've heard them all at least thousand times.
see him now-his form, and face and motions,
His homespun habit, and his silver hair
And hear the language Of his trite devotions
Rising behind the straightforward kitchen
chair.
! can remember how the sentence sounded
"Help us, o Lord, to pray, and not to faint -
And how the "conquering- and-to-conquer'
rounded
The loftier aspirations Of the saint.
He had some notions that did not improve him
He never kissed his children,-so they say;
And fnegt scenes and fairest flowers would move
him
Lees than a horseshoe picked up in the way.
lie could see nought but vanity in beauty,
And nought but weakness in a fond caress,
And pitied men whose views Of Christian duty
Allowed indulgence in such foolishness.
Yet there were love and tenderness within him
And I am told that, when his Charley died,
Nor Natures need nor gentle words could win
him
From his fond vigils at the sleeper's side.
And when they came to bury little Charley,
They found fresh dew-drops sprinkled in his
hair,
And on his breast a rosebud, gathered carly
And guessed, but did not know, who placed il
there.
My good old friend was very hard on fashion,
And held its votaries in lofty scorn,
And often burst into a holy passion
While the gay crowds went by on Sunday
morn.
Yet he was vain, Old Gray, and did no; know it
He wore his hair impaired, long, and plain,
To hide the handsome brow that slept below it,
For fear the world would think that he wa
vain
lie had hearty hatred of oppression,
And righteous words for sin Of every kind;
Alas, that the transgressOr and transgression
Were linked so closely in his honest mind
Yet that sweet tale of gift without repentance,
Told Of the Master touched him to the core,
And fearless he could never read the sentence
"Neither do condemn thee sin no more"
Honest and faithful, constant in his calling,
Strictly attendant on the means Of grace,
Instant in prayer, and fearful most of falling,
Old Daniel Gray was always in his place.
practical old man, and yet dreamer,
He thought that in some strange, unlooke
for way,
His mighty Friend IN heaven, the great Redeem
err,
Would honor him with wealth. some gOldt
day.
This dream he carried in n hopeful spirit
Until in death his patient eye grew dim,
And his Redeemer called him to inherit
The heaven ofwealth long garnered up for hi
SO, if ever win my home in heaven
Forwhose sweet rest hnmbly hope and pra
In the great company Of the forgiven
shall be sure to find old Daniel Gray.