The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-16
. .T@0 T EaEa AMY,
In the Garret.

Four little chests all in row,
Dim with dust and worn by timo,
All fashioned and filed, long ago,
BY children now in their prime;
Four little keys hung side by side, : q,
= With faded ribbons, brave and CAV,
When fastened there with childislr pride,
Long ago, on rainy day. "... s.. ..
Four little names, one on each lid,
Carved out by boyish hand,
And underneath there lieth hid
Histories Of the happy band
Once playing here, and pausing oft
To hear the sweet refrain,
That camo and went on the roof aloft,
In the falling summer rain.
"Meg" on the first lid, sm Doth and fair
look in with loving eyes, .
For folded here, with wcll-known care,
A goodly gathering lies
The record of a peaceful life,
Gifts to gentle child and girl,
A bridal gown, lines to a wife,
tiny shoe, baby curl.
No toys in this first chest remain, .
For all are carried away,
Instheir old age, to join again
In another small Megs play. -.e
All! happy mother, we'll know
You hear. like sweet refrain,
Lullabies ever soft and'low
In the falling summer rain.
$50" on the next lid, scratched and worn,
p. And within motley store
OF headless dolls, of school books torn,
Birds and beasts that speak no more;
Spois brought home from the fairy ground
i, Only trod by youthful feet,
Dreams OF a future never found,
Memories OF past still sweet;
Half-writ poems, stories wild.
April letters, warm snd cold,
Diaries of a wilful child,
Hints OF woman carly old;
A woman in q lonely home,
Hearing like o sad refrain
'''Be worthy love. and love will come"
In the falling summer rain.
; My ''Bethl" the dust is always swept
From tho lid that bears your name,
As il by loving eyes that wept.
By careful hands that often came.
Death canonized for us one saint,
Ever less human than divine,
And still we lay, with tender plant,
Relics in this household shrine.
The silver bell, 30 seldom rung,
The little cap which last she wore,
The fair, dead Catbarine that hung
By angels borne above her door;
The songs she sang, without lament,
In her prison-house of pain,
Forever are they sweetly blent
With tho falling summer rain.
Upon the last lids polished field
Legend now both fair and true
A gallant knight bears on his shield
Amy" in letters gold and blue.
WlInln, Ine BnOOQ5 tnaD DOunQ nor nelr,
Slippers that have danced their last,
Faded flowers laid by with care,
Fans whose airy tolls are past,
Gay valentines all ardent fames,
Trifes that have borne their part "
In girlish hopes and fears and shames;
The record of b maiden heart,
Now learning fairer, truer spells,
Hearing, like 0 blithe refrain,
The silver sound af bridal bells
In the falling summer rain.
Four little chests. all in row,
Dim with dust and worn by time;
Four women. taught by veal and WOO
To love and labor in their prime;
-Four sisters, parted for All hour,
None lost, one only gone before,
Made by loves immortal power
Nearest and dearest evermore.
o, when these hidden stores of ours
Lie open to the Fathers sight,
May they be rich in golden hours.
Deeds that show fairer for the light!
Lives whose brave music long shall ring
Like spiritstirring strain;
Souls that shall gladly soar and sing
In the long sunshine after rain.