The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-06-22
The Bridal Hour.

Tread at the marriage of Miss Mary E. Brown,
Port Byron, ILL.,, June l9, 1867.
BY MRS. E. B. SWIFT.
blessing, mother, for your child to night,
A blessing give to me. The golden hopes,
The precious loves of this bright, joyous hour,
Whete'er the charm they throw DER other
minds,
Yet have no power to turn my heart from thee,
And now once more 1 crave seat beside
Thee in days of yore, where l may lean
My weary head upon thy breast, and feel
Thy soft arm round my mckinley guiding
hand,
As ever clasping mine, and read from out
Thy gentle eyes their wonted tales of love,
While in thine ear I breathe the thoughts that
burn
Within my heart; and we will talk of all
The joys and woes of by gone days--the bliss
OF this delicious hour, and the bright hopes,
The precious hopes which light so gioriously
The future life.
It's sweet, it's very sweet
To revel thus amid the rosy light
Of love, and Gull the fairest flowers OF hope;
And 1 am happy in the precious gift
OF welded love this evening brings to me.
And yet wildly it calls the past
Before me, that my bIithesome heart grows
sad, z
Weighed down with mingled memories of the
past.
There nestled in this home-cot meath the hill,
A little time ago, with parents dear,
-Four happy children, sporting with the flow
ers,-
Whose trilling mirth made music with the
birds
Now romping rudely with the hoop and ball,
Now toying with the pebbles on the banks
of the majestic stream, whose rolling tide
Had sung their lullaby from life's first morn -
Its angry waves now dashing fierce and wild
Against the shore,-now kissing lovingly
The tiny feet that wandered at its side;
Three roguish boys, and light, laughing
girl
Comprised that giddy band and oh, how
swift,
The merry days rolled on. Too soon they
passed,
Too soon they brought the fearful change that
threw
Its long, dark shadow DER happy home.
This hour points me to that dreary one,
Engraven deep on memorys walls, that saw
Our last embrace with one in heaven now.
For ah / miss to- might the cherished form
OF him who moved among us in those years,
Our honored guide and sire. ! see it still,
That wild, fierce night of agony, when we
watched
The diving struggles of our darling father,
As shrinking from the infexible decree,
Yet with unfaltering faith, he cried, "Thy viii,
o God, not mine be done, and plunged
beneath
The waves of Jordan's darkly rolling tide,
And battled with its waters. But not alone
He crossed the river to its farther shore,
For Jesus led him safely DER, to his
Eternal home. Dear, elder brother, dost
Recall that low, sweet voice from just this side
The crystal gates. confding to your care
The dear ones he would fain have staid to
bless?
Betray not, brother, that most sacred trust;
But aid with faithful love our gentle mother,
Amid her many tolls and anxious cares,
And guide with kindly hand the younger boys
In paths of virtue, honor, truth, and life.
But time has wrought another change, anG
that
Gay girl looks up, and on another name
Tonight invokes thy benediction, mother.
The bridal altar and the nuptial vows
Are pledges of our mutual love. Thy name
I bear no longer, but another's take;
/ crave they blessing, mot Their, on thy son.
NV loved and chosen,-and a welcome ask
To thy warm heart and home. And though
again
I may not come to the as in the days
Gone by, I'll love thee none the less for age,
Not time or change shall e'er have power t.
break
The many ties that bind me here. And wheI
In future days may go forth, his home
To bless, I'll bear with me the precious loves
This home hath kindled in my heart and OIL
Thy path the Saviour's blessing ask eael
night
And morn. Be mine TO soothe thy aching
head,
To cheer thy anxious heart, while Ger life
way
We tread, till sunshine fades and shadows fall
The shadows of the grave And when no NOR
Amid the din of earth thy gentle voice
In accents soft is heard, may angels sweet
Thy ransomed spirit upward bear to God,
Whose love, unchanging as eternal years,
Awakened in our breasts the hope and faith
And holy love of hearts by grace renewed.