Litchfield enquirer., 1863-03-26
1)oftrp,.
The Dark River.
BY MRS. E. F. J. o1EAyELAsp.

| l BY MRS. E. H. J. CLEAvRLAND. Originally written for the lndepemdent, and suggested by the sudden death of three per. sons--a child. an aged saint, and a man ir middle life. The recent death of four pc r | sons* of this town, of similar ages, and in as sudden manner, (three bodies awaiting bp rial the same day,) renders it's republication appropriate: Wherever we be,
 On the land or ses,
 Ariver is rolling restlsssly; saf II furrows the plain, ss gss5-g And it sweeps the main,
 Then flows to the mountain back again. And dark as night, Is the withering blight, That follows its track, on left and right, For thousands down to its border stray, And thousands are taking their weary way, Whose feet will slide, By the rivers side, ....f -... ... And carry them down for aye.
 
 None ever return to tell the tale, .--- Ofgths opening grave, @ ass5.z z Far under the wave, t.s.e That swallowed their bark so frail. Full oft we hear Of this river drear, It is rolling far, and it's rolling near; Whsrerages battle like a flood, There heave its waters, dyed in blood; '5 Nor calm its tide, as it northward comes, To take it's course through our quiet homes. We see it not in it's onward way, And yet on its banks we careless stray; We look on the landscape bright and fair, Nor thinkof the river running there. By its gloomy shore we rise and rest, For mist hangs over the rivers breast, We love, and hope, and we fondly dream, Close, ever close to the swelling stream. And not till we miss from eur hearth and Te homo, One who has just in the wave gone down, Not till we call, and call again, gzf Wishing the wanderer back again, Does the shadowy mist from the stream arise. And show us where the dark river lies. And thus has it opened to our view, Just where it has ever been gliding through, We can hear it now, as it garglcs by. We can see who are going dcwn to die; For the stream is sounding it's sullen roar, And it runneth swift by our cottage door. And far on tho waters dim and deep. A child is sinking-for her we weep; We can see the light en hsr wavy hai,, And her pale young brow, as she's floating there; .- ..-.-..-.... Floating alone,
 And now sho's gone;
 But yet in the wave where the child went down, Another one stands, With her aged hands, Unlinking herself the circling bands, That would hinder her way OCT the heayine track,
 And still to the shore, would hold her back They are loosened now, and she fearless goes, Far out where the little one sunk and rose; But her limbs are faint, and are growing chill, She cannot baffle the flood at will, For fourscore years arc upon the brow Of her who is crossing the river now. ''The tide is swift, and it runneth high" She says, as she marks it with her eye; "And the way is dark, but see the gleam Of the fields that lie beyond the stream, And fear it not--I come, come; The river is doep, but twill carry me home" And see as the waters rise and sink, A strong man comes to the rivers brink; Nor heedsth the loving arms on shore, That are clinging fast-they can cling no more For the stream is washing his wavering feet, And its cold embrace he must yielding meet For it lifts him pp in its arms so wide, And hurries him over the darksome tide. Nor back to shore will they come again; We shall watch the waters all in vain,
 For tho child that left us so young and fair: For the aged saint with her silver. hair; Or the stalwart man in his power and pride, Who helpless sank by the riverside.
 And the mist will gather around the stream :; Again on it's banks will we sit and dream; And needless be, as we were before, Though close as then to the dangerous shore, For wherever we be,
 On the land or sea,
 A river is rolling restlessly, ,.-s.s
 That draws to it's hasom, the great and small \ It has gathered some-it wifi gather all, Y Then bnry itself in the unknown sea, In the measureless depths of eternity.
 COHEN, March 14th, 1863. 1 *Helen Lyman, aged Il; Mrs. Nancy I've, oz; Jonathan Wadhams, 42; and William Herald, soldier, 20. a Inlpromptu Lines on the Copper heads, Il When the sweet roses hlushing red. In Eden their first fragrance shed.
 Atraitor and copperhead ta Came in disguise, A. 4 2 Difusing knowledge; and he said, @ II Eat and be wise,
 Ha Ind wisdom shall anoint thine eyes \ And when the woman saw the tree, l So pleasant for the eyes to see, n
 She ats forbidden fruit. Thus she <