The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-07-17
Written for the Lancaster Gazette.
THE LITTLE BROOK.
DY A. T. MASON.


Down hills and over CLIFFS went s,roling one day
Vtowing scenes Of nature that lay In my way
plucking Wild flowers that scented the breeze,
And listning to birds, that sang in the trees
came 10 the edge ofa swift flowing brook,
Witch through wood and glado, Its winding course
took,
For some distance down Its banks OF bright green,
l Wandered, enchanted at so lovely aseene.
Nought seemed so happy, as that little brook;
A. through valley and glade, It's wandering course
took
Now blAying with the pebbles that gllssning lay
az lhe sllyei bottom OF Its meandering way,
Now over precipiee, dashng headiong,
Then starts OF again singing Its song;
Now eddying round ayoung blade Of grass
That freshly sprung up in Its wasery pas;
II bowed its young head down very low
tths waves leaped over, then on onward hew;s
Row spIashing against green rush that hung
Sapping the water with Its sof dewT tongue
Bu, soon silent gale uplifted Its head,
And /, waved from over the little brooks bed.
4he gale seemed to know tmet with approval,
For the tiny rifles laughed, at the rushs removal,
And us merry as ever. wen, gliding along,
In clcar mellow voice, singing Its song
\ silver sided minnow, darted glibly across
Its clear rifIed bosom and hid In tho moss,
Awakingthe pebbles that In Its wake lay
TtUh flashing i,s anny tail 'ganst the white spray
Now quvering poised tween bottom anu Top,
Now down on the pebbles twould suddenly drop'
Then eagerly sna,ching and conveying from sight,
A moor l.ckless insect that happened to light
Unguarded, unattended, by any compeor,
Little thinking Of danger in water so clear,
The brook needed not, but glided along,
80 happily ani morrily, babbling Its song.
lnant came TO lhe edge and wished 10 cross over,
No doubt to encounter some rival orloverj
But lo he Was bulrled and sadly ntlos,
How he should be able 10 travel across,
When little bent twlg, from willow treo blown,
Fell aver the brook, each nd resting on stone,
Extending across atone single span,
Thus forming bridge, without thought or plan,
The ant plod ded over, and went on bis way
kcaing more speed to make up delay,
While the brook as ever, wSpt gliding along, Of,
Now bubbling, now eddyIng, now singing It's song
the foot ofa fall, the little broot made,
just as Il entered the edge Of glade,
Bya bunch Of green bambss from danger protected
Stood little toy mill, that schooboy eIscledr
This brook wSs delighted at the boys skill,
And tugged at the wheel, with right good will,
The sparkling drops, from the paddles were flying,
As for beauty with each other yicinH,
Bounding into the air, then like drops OF rain,
Into the channel fell back again, ...
And as u nought had happened went gliding along,
whispering and murmsrlng its sweet silver song.
As through ripe meadow Its winding course pu
sued,
Midst the tall waving grass with velvet heads bedoV
cd, q
Stood dropping lilly; lie crown was as white,
As the fresh falling snow meath the SUMS glarlI
hght, .g...,
], ben, It's young stem graeefally o'orthe bank,
Touched the brooks face, and olits pure water
tSparting fresh favor TO Its deep bonsyed cup,
Inviting the wild bocto take n sweetsup;
The brook needed not, but went gliding along,
WhirlIng auo twirling and singing Its scng.
A nightingale sat at tho close OF the daS,
nn o'erhanging limb warbling alay,
His throat became dry and down 10 the brink
re came sof.ly sailing 10 got cool drink,
And to wash on his pinons In the coolstream,
That gIistend so brightly In the evening suns geai
In the pure lImpid water he sat gently sipping,,
Now meath the surface his feAthor'd form dipping
Then nulerihg hispiDions, from the water 10 free,
ne aew to the foliage ofa neIghboring tree,
To rest his tired body and unfeathered feet,
And prepare n new lay the morning to greet,
While the little brook as ever glided along,
McriIy blubbsring and babbling It's song.
turned nc about my steps 10 Tetrace,
And as IL grew later quckOned my pace,
Thinking, what an example that little brook set
For mankind TO bO happy, and never to frel--
At causes that try our minds TO dismay,
And murmurat all who come inou way,
But like It, through life go cheerfully along,
Giving God praise in ono endless song,
BASIL, o., July 1852.