The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-09-14
VOLUME Ill.
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d = = * 4-ti' p GO Seal
4 ONCE AND Now .
-s.. - ~ T'-F-f ~ .s.e = s-s F. @zea.
The Mourner lies in the solemn room
Where his Dead hath lately lain;
And in the drear, oppressive gloom,
Death-pallid with The dying moon, ce
There pass before bis brain, .s.s
In blended visions manifold,
The present and the days of old.
Fair falls the snow on her grave to-day,
Shrouding her sleep sublime;
But he sees in the sunny far-away
None among maidens so fair and gay
4 she in her sweet spring time:
Where the song aud the sport and the resel
be,
None among maidens so fair as she.
He marks where the perfect crescent dips
Above the heaven of her eyes,
Her b.amy hair in soft eclipse,
The red enchautmcnt of her lips, @
And all the grace that lies
Dreaming in her neck's pure curve,
With its regal lift and its swanike swerve.
In pictures which are forever joys,
She cometh to him once more:
Once, with her dainty foot pose,
She drives the bird with n merry noise
From her lifted batlledoor,
And tosses back, with impatient air,
The ruffied glory Of her hair
Thon gayly draping painted doll,
Tosplease an eager child;
Or pacing athwart a stately hall; 3,
Or Lnreling at dewy evenfaIl,
When clouds are crimson piled,
And all the hushed and scented air
Is ,renulous with the voice of prayer
Or standing muto and rapture-bound
The while her sisters sing; -
From voice and Lutte there floats around
a golden confluence of sound.
Spreading in fairy ring; 10 ..,@
And with beautiful grace and glow
Her head sways to the mus;cs flow.
One night Of nights in lustrous June,
r., She walks with him alone;
Through silver glidings of the moon
Tho runnels purl dreamy tune;
"a His arm is round her thrown:
But looks and sounds far l2velier
Thrill on his tranced soul from her.
And then that rounded bliss, increased
To one consumnate houri
The marriage-robe, the stoletl priest,
The kisses when the rite hath cersed,
-ti-.' And with her hearts rich dover
She stsndeth by his shielding side,
His welded wife and bis own bright bride!
And then the sacred influence E
5 That flushed her flower to prime!
Through Loves divine omnipotence
: She ripened to mother once,
But once, and for all time:
No higher heaven on him smiled
Than thst young mother and her child.
Then all the pleasant household scenes
Through all the latter years.
No murky shadow intervenes,
Her gentle aspect only leans sI<s3
Through the soft mist of tears;
Her sweet, warm smile, her welkin glaneo,-
There is no speech nor utterance.
o angel form, o darling face, 81
s-' Slow fading from the shoroL
o brave, true heart whose warrnest place
Was his alone by Loves sweet grace,
Still, still, forevermore!
And now he lonely lieth, broken-hearted
I, For all the grace and glory have departed
Snow-coId in sculptured calm she lies,
'-1' Apparelled sanity white; 8
On her sealed lips no sweet replies,
And the blue splendor of her eyes
- y Gone down in dreamless night;
= All empery of Death expressed
in that memorable rest!
Now leave this fair and holy Thing
: p Alone with Gods dear grace!
Her grave is but the entering al
Beneath the shadow of His wing, q
s@, Her trusty hiding place,
Till, in the grand, sweet Dawn, at last,
This tryanny be overpast. r,,
e.. -. -Aaantic Monthly.