The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-02-12
A Valentine.

ilthhhNl hlliNf ana hhuHlHE IttpHrNip
lf earllef days, are medicinal TO the old, a
not uninteresting toyouuRer auditors. +
laps the followigg original Valentine, ne'
before publishrd, may serve 10 illustrate
Of mind that sometimes ling,
amid declining yean,-Ars. SiqoumeyS n
Meridian,
Tie more than three score years and ten,
Our lifr's allotted span,
Since fret, in youthful, happy days,
our friendship true boEaE ,-
It's moro than hrrescOre years and ten,
Since, a. a Joyous child,
! played With on on htrutlDrd Green,
la many frulio Wild,
~ look back upon those years,
Three score aud ten aud five,
Ofgll the mates we numbered then,
but We two are allNti
lle nr0, ~ all that happy band.
Of fspouiyr girls and boys.
Who wept together childish gricfa,
OFsmilod DER childish joys
Aud we're far down the walls Of years,
And time la hceting fast,
Yet, would be- a child once more,
Aud live again the past
AcAIA seventy -lyc hos thrills my heart,
A. memory bears me back,
To tread again, with buoyAnt steps,
Ny gidhoods sunny track.
We both we're blc,t with many hlends--
How few are len alive
The dearly loved have passed away,
Aud yet Nc still survive
We tull survive, and it may be
A year perhaps a day,
When, like the loved ones gone before,
We too, shall pass away
God grant that, In llfs's 41rt,ng hour.
Our tolls and labofs done,
We may 90 gently to our rest,
A. sinks yon setting sun,
When We were young, Wye stirring times
The age Of iron men,
Who ung the trumpcts warlkr shout,
From every hill aud glen
Who stool Tor country, and for home.
For liberty and lie
God and he rf0hf their hattlc.cry,
They conquered in the strife.
It's true, We we're but children then,
hut We remember we'll,
How many a heart was drsolate,
How many patriotic fcll
But Joy bcs, suit. the youthful heart.
It, pulse l. light and free.
Aud 40. as IL has ever been,
IL was with you aud me,
And still your boyhoods sports went on.
Ny piflhood's Sughtcr rung.
For, In those days Of sterncst deeds,
Both you and were young
DO you remember, dear old friend.
Tho simple village school,
Where Mr.. Ayrcs taught little folks,
To read and write by rule
Children were timd, teachers stern,
In those our youthful days,
when, copy-book IN hand, We went,
Trembling, to seek his praise,
And when YOU won the wished Tor boon.
Aud stood sadly by,
You often caused ray Of hope
To light my doWnrast eye.
No matter what the teacher snid,
ffcsh from yuur generous breast,
Came Co my ear the AAltcring words,
- That mine waA always best.
Do you remember that sent
You, then, Nalcntinef
Fine sentiment perhaps. IL lacked
But love brsathcd in each iinc
Ii aecms but XcsictdlN. these hye --.
Aud scNcutN ytarA ago.
You then had owned no other belle,
And |, no other beau.
|, in return, ribbon got.
Bright with true loves own hue,
And much II pleased my girlish taste,
For twas the bonnicst blue.
But, childhood quickly passed away,
Aud hearts we're lost and won,
And you soon orncd another love,
And /, another John.
with him, journrycd many year.
Happy aud blcst were we;
He lived To SEQ his bnirptrs' bairns
Prattling upon his knee.
We climbed 'thegithcr up the hill'
But, down, alone 90,
And soon 'thcglthcr at It's foot
With him III lay me low.
Yet, not alone, for loving hearts,
Arc lcf in children dear,
Who, In my downward path OF life,
smooth each declining year,
And OF, TO glad my aged eye,
My childrcn's children come,
And merry laughter rings again,
In my old happy home
For you. sole mate OF earliest years.
'yc cast backward eye.
Along the changing track OF time,
As swif II hurried by,
Aud forward, may We dare TO look -
Another opening year
Hath dawncd upon US, aud its close
May scarcely lind us here.
One may be taken, one be lcft,
IL may be |; or you,
Still, while we live, dear, early friend,
Shall live our friendship true;
My years now number eighty eight,
And yours are eighty nine,
s, Yet, once more, As in days OF yore,
accept my IGlcHtine.