Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-11-16
VOL. XIII, NO. "a.
For the state Sentinel.


was happy Oncei Ny stream Of life
smoothly on, and 5 its limpid ripples
Danced along, meek eyed Hope, with brow 50 fair,
Threw flowers upon its COntentment, like
A gentle spirit stood upon its banks
And beckOned ever on to walks serene.
Ny heart had long been hushedto discords that
The noisy world once rung upon my ears;
Ambition had flung away. and longed
Alone for quietude. had tasted fame,
And knew its voice hollow as the tomb.
For me the arch Of glory spauned hill
Whose top was bald and sere, and from whose base
The sunbeams had forever been dispeIled-
Ny harp, whose notes had once been praised, was la
Aside, and had been tuneless long,
Thee then, and thou didst fash upon my path
Like Joy newborn. From that hour my life
Had changed New hopes, that seemed TO come direct
Prom Paradise. sprung up in my heart and smiled
With angel lips upon q future bright
With Joy. Thyself grew all the world to me,
Thy timid glance more than heaven; thy voice
a 4 music swestsr s than & a seraPh,s 81 hymn;
The highest JOY knew was IN thy smile,
The greatest bliss, thy kind regard.
How changed againi Thou hast smile upon
Thy lip 70 greet me now; no kindly glance
OF even recognition no friendly voice
To speak a word Of even common courtesy;
Thy heart, it seems, is adamant, or ice.
And would seek to know the mystery
OF the changel on have essayed TO win
Thee back to what thou vast, that might learn
The reason Of this strangeness- But months have
Passed, and find thee still the same impassive,
Cold and peerless thing, and me in-wretcnedneSsl
No more fer me can'st shine another star
OF love- The that thou dd'st light has set
Upon 0rbless night, and left no ray
Along its track to gild the deepening gloom.
And my stricken heart is sad. Thou hast turned
It's suuniest chambers to funeral urn,
Where lies the dust of all the hopes that once
Made life q Joy, and existence poetry.
And sorrow comes and like a weeping mother
o'er her buried child, she leans upon that urn,
And In the ashes gathered there she sheds
Her hOleSt bfftereSr and Scaldinr tears.
Oh il thou did'st but know the mighty love
Thou hast inspred-the strong, the deep. the pure
Devotion Of this heart OF mine, 'tw0ud melt
The icy rim that grds thine until
Twoud yield some gentle drops OF plying rain
But then know tits vain dare not hope
That thou wilt ever bend. Thy pride is strong,
And well might raise being to the skies,
Or drag an angel down.
Then farewell thou,
And farewell, too, my broken narD Thou DligAfst
Have walked tsehords to a more gentle strain;
To tones. perchance sweet and musical
As those, in dreams, sometimes think heard
From angels lutes in Paradise. But thou
Hast struck il rudey, and iss strings snapped;
Its notes discord, and its song despair.
Then henceforth let il be forever mute,
As mute thine own lips, and let il be
A vOiceless and stringless thing until
The arm that sweeps IL now Is numoed with death;
And then, mGyhsp, some angel hand viii take
II uptO be re-strung in that bright realm where all
Is peace and love.
But must love the still.
Ger GtGf. at least, thou canst not have control
And win not yield thee up Thy seorn thy hate
May chill, but never can destroy the love
That thou hast planted in bleeding breast
w. H. R.