The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-01-11
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The Infant Year.
BY MRS. lamar DAVIS!

AS wakes to life, the lordy heir of realms,
The infant year unfurled his starry wing
Within the courtly bower of stately elns,
Prepared by Nature for her future king.
Like columns hung with wreaths for testal
scenes,
lowered the pines in majesty o erhead,
While velvet moss, inwove with evergreens,
A downy carpet, rich as beauteous, spread.
The cedars bowed their frosty diadems,
And cleaned like amaranths the laurel
bouShs
The holly showered around its ruby gems
As Eastern pearls are showered DER
qneenly brows.
With hand ofmatchldss skill the artist, Frost,
Ger all fresco-work of beauty traced,
The lattice panes with quantity forms
embossed,
And spread veil of silver o er the waste.
Within her sparry cavern Echo shrank,
And DER the babbling mill-wheel silence
crept,
While icy tassels hung from every bank,
And wrapt in glittering mail, the stream
lets slept.
Yet all the radiant armies Of the sky
10 heavenly music held their nightly
march, Thigh,
And walked, as walks seraph bright and
The regal Moon o'er Heavens enpyrean
arch.
And came the sister Hours, a ceaseless train,
10 minister with many precious gift
Sometimes the pleasant fall of balmy rain,
Sometimes Of lucid snow the gentle drift
Or the full germs of Summers many fruits,
The quickening warmth of vernal suns
that watt
OF harvests yet to he the early shoots,
Or future blooms of undcveloped state.
We too, our offerings in gratitude
With pleasant words, and mirthful cheer
will bring,
And from his royal bounty gather good,
In many Al lovely, many precious thing
To some he brings the charm that sorrow
meals, bestows,
On some the wreath of bright renown
The fairy realm of hope to these reveals,
And loves iruition of delight to those.
And thou, our sister, to thy homes soft nest,
Inc infant year precious boon hath
brought,
That evermore shall thrill with tender
thought.
A bud of being, pure as early dew,
And gentle IN its beauty as Il dove,
With starry eyes of heavens delicious hue,
And brow of innocence, and looks of love
There from thy hearts deep fountains, ever
full,
Ibo in1 E 4
And never wanes. in beauty, nor grows dull
The vestal flame the soul high altarkeeps.
There all thy dearest, purest ties are
twined, [lopes,
And cluster there the sweetest, brightest
While all the future to thy raptured mind
a richer world Of love and pleasure opes.
Hence, evermore, life shall blend with
thine,
Distinct in being, one in hope and joy,
And o er thy spirit brood with power divine
summer cloud ofdreams that never cloy.
TO thee all lovely images shall take
VI one bright being the similitude,
And Summer sounds the pleasant thought
awake imbucd.
OF one sweet voice with richer tones
Let not Ambition mock thy gentle mind
That reaps in Duty's path a rich delight
Doth in domestic scenes an empire find,
And knows the glory but of doing right
Can lordly Grandeur half the bliss bestow
The home of peace from pety receives?
The sweetest flow rets ever blossom low,
The richest fruits are yelled in shelterinp
leaves.
Affection warns and quickcns all the soul,
As vernal suits inspire the dormant earth,
Bidding the streams of sweet emotions roll,
And giving flowers of truth and feeling
birth.
And round each tiny form of helplessness,
To thee deep and holy interest clngs
For love maternal ever seeks to bless
Whate er the idea of her idol brings.
Till ripen and mature, the Infant Year.
And lose itself in all the Mighty Past;
Not so the Infant Man, whose long career
Is through Eternity destined to last.
By nurturing him to virtue thou shalt build
A monument more lasting than the sun,
Thy cup of glory by his fame be filled,
NJ. i ..cl q