The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-12-28
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The Dying Year.
BY MRS. lamar DAVIS.

Prone on his couch of scdgc and fallen leaves
The dying year rcposed. subhmeiy grand,
Like some lone monarch who in death
His sceptre cleaning in another's hand.
The trees uncovered, stcr+rly stood around,
Like serried warriors o er their chieftain' S
bier, choir the sound
And hreathcd the North .wfnds mighty
OF mutiled drges, wildly, sadly ,lrear.
A pail ofawful gloom the heaven o'erspread.
And marched the dismal hours in silence
on,
Till mighty midnight rung her peal of dread,
When all was still again the year was
gone.
On Times mysterious stage, and not in vain,
Nobly and well he had performed his part,
Leading the golden days, II shining train,
And showering treasures o er each home
and heart.
We saw HIM mid the birds and flowers of
Spring, hand,
Scattering rich blessings with unsparing
Where joyous music made the wclkiu ring,
Or lengthening burrows traced the fertile
Humid
We knew his presence when glad Summer
Her thousand beautiful and precious things
And when rich Autumn came with plenty
fraught
Or Winter slowly spread his icy wings.
Rare gems and precious gifts he showered
on all,
And beauty she'd and glory half divine
Alike o r lonely hut and glded hail.
From balmy showers, and dcws, aud soft
sunshine.
I'c these he lavished treasures of the mine,
TO those the rarer pearls of love and truth;
Bestowed on dropping age the life diviae,
And ripened blooming infancy to youth.
lie realized our bright imagnings,
And to our hopes their blcst frution
showed, [stingS,
Scftcned the frowns of fate, and sorrows
And heavens own blessedncss on earth
bestowed.
And now his work is DER, his mission done,
He dies as dies an old man full of days;
Dies like a warrior when the field is won
And rings of an applaudng world the
praise.
And with the diving year our sister too,
"A pure and gentle being passed away,
As falls a rose surcharged with early dew,
AS mclts a star into the light Of day.
She had adored the loneliness of earth,
Her soul had Toasted on its forms of bliss,
The glorious sunshine and the Joyous mirth
OF waters laughing III the zephyr's kiss.
With the rich vciccs of the bees and birds
Within the orchard bowers and pleasant
woods, words.
Where ever laugh the lrsrcs with babbling
While sweet sounds people all the solitudes.
Amid such scenes she straycd, when like
chief reared,
The sunset hour his conquering banners
Plucking each spray whose beautcous life
and brief,
A silent emblem of her own appeared.
Again we saw her in the Faded grove,
Where walled the stormy winds like
wandering ghosts, wovc
And frost the snowy shroud Of nature
And leaves and flowers lay dead in fallen
hosts
And she was faded TOO c cloud had past
Across the radiance of her life at morn;
Sorrow dread shadow had her soul o crcast
And LIcd her heart from Disappointment $
thorn
We traced the spoilers footprints on her
check, ray,
Her brow's cold palor and her eyes wan
Her taltering steps that fainter grew and
weak,
With natures WEAKNESS and slow decay.
And when the winters still repose, DER
earth sighed,
Came like a sabbath day, she softly
And whispering something of the heavenly
birth, died.
As tclled the years last bell, sercnely