The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-05-26
POETRY.
THERE'S BUT ONE PAIR OF STOCKINGS TO
MEND TONIGHT


The gool man l"zcd DER the latest news,
Till the light of his pipe went ont
And unhcc,lc,l, the kitten with cunning paws
Rolled out and tangled the balls about
Yet. still sat the wife in the ancient chair,
! Swaying to and fro in the freight glare
! But anon. a nifty tcnr-'lrop camo
In her eye Of faded blue,
Then tricklcl down in furrow deep,
Like single drop Of dew;
So deep was the chalincl-so silent the stream,
The good man saw naught but the dimm'd eve
beam.
Yet marvclc'l lie much that the cheerful light
or her eye, had weary grown,
And mnrvcl"'l he more nt the tangled balls-
So he sail in a gentle tone:
81 have shared Thy joys since onr marriage VOWS
Conceal not from INC thy sorrows now
Then she spoke of the time when the basket
there
Was filled to the very brim,
And now there remained of the goodly pile
But II single rair--fur him
Then wonder not ut the dimmcd cyc-light:
There is but one pair of stockings to mend
Tonight.
cannot hut think Of the busy feet.
Whose wraplinSs were wont to lay
lnthc basket, awaiting tho needless tinsc-
Now wandered so fur away:
How the sprightly steps to Il mother dear
Inhcclcd fell on the careless ear
For each empty nook in the basket old,
Ey the hearth there's an empty seat;
And I miss the shadows from Off the wall
And the raticr of many fcc
'Tis for this that n tear gathered over my sight :;
~ the ono pair Of stockings to mend to night.
Twas sail that far through the forest wild
And over the mountains bold,
Was land whose rivers and ,larkcuinr caves
We're Srnimc'l with the fairest goli
Then my firSthorn turned from the oakcn door
And knew the shadows were only four.
Another went forth on the foamng wave
And diminished the baskets store
l'ut his feet grew cold wrar" AMI cold
They'll never be warm any moro
An'l this nook i'll its emptiness sccmch to me
! To give forth no voice but the moan of the sea
Two others have gone toward the setting sun,
And made them home in its light,
And furry fingers have taken their share,
To mcnd ny the fircsdc bright;
Some other baskets their garments fill
But mnc: : Oh mine is elnpticr STILL
Anothcr-thc dcarcst-thc f;.ircst-thc best
Was ia en- by the angels away,
And clad in n garment that waxeth not old,
In Il lanl Ofcontin,ial day.
o! wonder no more atthc dmmcI cyc-liSht,
While mend the one pair ofstockngs o-night
Il U"ppy Man.-The following para.
blc delineatcs that condition Of mind and
heart which makes God the object and
source Of love and happiness. It presents
the Christian standarl-'God all, and in
ALL
A Jealous divine who had prayed ear
nestly that God would teach him the
| perfect way Of truth, was directed, IN
dream. to go TO n certain place, where
lc would find an instructor. When he
came to the place, he found a man IN
ordinary attire, to whom he wished a GOOD
morning.
| never had bad morning. replied the
man.
That is very singular; I wish you may
always be so fortunate.'
was never unfortunate said he.
Il hope you will always be as happy,
said the divine.
Il am never unhappy said he.
I WISH said the divine, that you would
explain yourself little
That [ will cheerfully do said he.
I said that had never had bad
morning; for every morning, if I am
pinched with hunger, praise God. Il
It rains, or SHOWS, or halls. whether The
weather is serene or tempestuous. am
still thankful to God. and therefore, neve,
have joylass morning. If am misera.
ble in outward circumstances, and despised
I still praise God. You wish that NIGH,
always he fortunate; but cannot be un.
fortunate. because nothing befalls mo but
according to the will of God and be-
lieve that His will is always good, in what
ever lie does. or permits to be done. You
wished me always happy; but I canno,
be unhappy. because my will is always
resi- gned to the will Of God.'
But what if God should thrust yor
down to hel?'
l have two arms-faith and Iove-witf
which / would hold on to nv God and
Saviour, and will not let him 90; and
would rather be in hell with God, than II
heaven without him.
The divine. astonshcd at the mans an
swers, asked him whence he came.
Il came from Goj,' he replied.
Where did you leave himl'
with the poor in heart
what are your
Il Am king
'W'here ia your Kingdoms