The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-06-04
POETRY.
RETROSPECTION.

Oh where is the school house that we loved,
With the wcll-worn paths below
The butternut trees meath which we roved,
Aud the spring i'll its airy flow?
The pleasant scat meath the low brown cave
Where blithc as the birds that soar,
We watched the hue Of the summer leaves
That bent at the open door?
The years have left not single trace
OF the tpot where erst we sung,
And a cultured field now marks the place
OF the playground where we swung.
And none of the faces round us smi'c,
That fingered the Lessons ocr;
For some are parted many mile,
Some look on lies page no more.
There was one we knew with an airy trcal,
With the grace Of an eastern queen,
Who owed 10 rule for her lofty head
Save the power Of We young dream,
But the gathered bridal roses palel
On the bier, in drcary day,
4hl.N tIlN u ar 4lo al 10 'IIltl Nhlc,
For the maiden passed away.
AMI one we priced, at the bugIc cry
Went forth with check Of flame,
And the hope he gave in his last gool-ly &c
Fades out when we hear his name.
No more will our own press the tuncful lips
or the molly good, and brave,
For he sunk meath the fcycr's dread eclipse
To the sands ola Southern grave
There was one school boy with a reguish grac,
All day in his laughing eye,
Il c roll of whose drum re, eale the place
Where he felt no fear to die
And slender youth SO pale and mild,
With purpose firm and strong,
Now folds his hands whore the ocean wild
Chants over a mournful song.
And ono - waywlrl and reckless born,
Peace gifts were never bestowed,
The law Of love in its beauty soorucl
For the swift and downward raal,
Now lifts his voice in far of cline
In the praise Of the morning land.
And wins. 10 the tower Of G)l sublime
The sJuls OF the helthen banl
beautiful maid who carly claspcl
The garments Of filth and prayer
Once cirng-oh pitying angel passed
To the vale Of sin despair.
And buc-escl girl from a mcagcr store,
Gone on, to - tilted state,
In her beauty waves a s:cptcr DER
The forms that beside hey wait
For child's sweet voice at the noontid. hour
Each hcirt and each footstc, came;
And it stilI sings IN in its march of power
To the glorious heights of fame
One deep Of thought, who has bent with me,
Over problems dark and old,
Talks now with stars and storms and seas
mariner proud AMI boil
The lad loved, on the playhouse scat
Spoke oft of hs future life
(Tho' but ten years old) 'twoull be very swco
II OHlS l. hcIc Is WIG
He sought long Since Californas gold,
And its wealth he purchased dear
No love his falling life to cnfol.
No rest but the strangers bier.
And the sweetest, truc,t maid that c'r
My eyes in the worll will see,
Shared heart and hand each joy and fear,
In those beautiful days with me.
We hear her VOW in the village church
When the marringe,bclls were gay,
When crowned with flowers and tears an
prayers,
shc'passcd from our sight away.
But the organ tones died out apace
And the SORROWS tbiclly fell,
For the wife AMI child in COLI embrace,
Moancd sadly the oil church bell
A deserted love, and broken heart,
In the hush Of the gliding years,
Stand ever in holiness apart,
Meath the dew of alIccticn's tears
One comradc walks in maniac's cell,
One sighs in prison dim;
Some joy in the humble paths to dwell,
Some echo the angel hymn
Oh changeful years ye have broken the band
Surrounding the heart and brow,
And the hoolhouse old with its clasping hand
Are only memories now.
Salisbury, May, s67.