The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-02-05
FOR rHr DEMOCRAT,
HOPE AND MEMORY.

i HOPE AND MEMORY
Hope and Memory once struggled for the heart
I Of Olivia She was young, and Hope plumed for
herself an easy victory. No cloud has as yet
risen upon her path, and no blight had yet fallen
upon the flowers that were bursting in pristine
beauty at every step. To her the past was yet as
nothing and Memory had no talisman to awaken
the sl1mbering chords of her heart but Hope
was the angel Of her existence, that led her from
lj2y to joy, from beauty to beauty, and seemed to
hover around the flowers she was gathering, ever
ready. when wounded by the thorns that lie cor
cealed amid their brightness, to win her away to
some sparkling fountain, and steepsin the'honey
dew Of oblivion, the wound pierced BY the poison
ed arrow of the treacherous decever
When with a weary step, She turned away from
the pursuit of some fancied happiness to fiud
peace in slumber and forgetfulness, Hope was
ever by her couch with the promise of better
morrow, painless pleasure, thornless flower
With Hope she had given the seeds to the bosom
Of the earth. and with Hope she had gazed upon
the young buds just bursting into beauty aud
loyeliness Hope pointed her to the richness of
the tull-blown flower; but told her no tale of its
faded spendors for she knew, alas! that like her
own reign, il too mast soon pass away. Hope
was chosen, and me lory turaei with a tear fir m
the victory Of her rival,
9he beauty of many summers Ind faded. and
Memory again returned to contest with Hope for
that heart Butit vas changed the dreams had
vanished. the flowers had wthered, the fountains
were sealed and the conqueror had departed
the fires of love he had kinded upon that heart
had expired, the affairs were overthrown. and the
Idols broken. Memory sought the couch Silent
and unconscious she lay, gazing upon the diving
splendors of the setting SUM- as if happy in the
thought that ere long she shout follow it's depart
ing light Her dark md beautiful eve, though
chilled in its warmth and dim ned in its bright
ness was still lovely in its fadei brillance and
her fair hair rested on her pure and delicate bo-
som, like the floss sunbeams said to have been
intertwined with the marble ringlets of the Ma
donna of Guido; while that sweet smile the last
trophy Of the conquerors triumph, still fingered
on those parian lips, as the ivy clings to the
Wondering ruin. Yet SO lifeless seemed it, that
it We'd in GOODNESS with the young flower of spring
that is frozen in its splendor, and turns from the
warm sun, lest the Kindness that would restore it
to its lost loveliness might destroy it forever
Memory approached her couch and sought to
arouse her from the silence of her sumber. She
won her back to the sunny hours so long departed |
and sought to awaken bright dreams of their for
gotten radiance. She brought the fragrance Of
the flowers she had loved in childhood the echoes
of hute-iike notes which her own bright bird had
warbed in her ear, and dearer than all, the holy
words of kind and tender hearts long since for
gotten and vanished-he smile again played up
on her lips, and the eye sparkled with n faint
sweet radiance MS she looked up and blessed
Memory that she had sought her in death with "a
balm for the wounded heart When the morning
rose again. Memory sought Olivia (for Memory
never resists dreams and she found her rival
Hope. But Hope, too, was changed She had
triumphed and her trophy was a ruin her laurels
we're scared and her wreaths were faded. but she
mad come again with her silvery tones to WOO
rest and peace for the dying sufferer: not with
he fading joys of time, but with the spotless
pleasures Of brighter and better worl : with
he fragrance of unfolding flowers and the wealth .
If unaltered affection, where sorrow can bring no
hange, and sadness and suffering can never come
The night again returned, and the pale moon }
'eams fell upon a turtless grave. The lovely the
sente and the beautiful had fadei away Hope
waited her pure spirit to the gate of Paradise.
md joyed as she entered upon the promised hap
'iness forever. Memory stlewed the first wers
If Spring upon her grave and waterei them
Nth the precious rain of the bleeding heart
SENEX