The Van Buren press., 1870-05-10
VAN BUREN, ARK, MAY 10, 1870.
POE T
From the Fayetteville Democrat.
OLDEN GOLDEN.

But through the mist nc sess tne tair
Bright scenes Of youth, its smiles and tears
He reads the page of lifcs' worn scroll.
The picture dreams once blessed his soul.
Far down that past by Its blue stream
Where shining yet winds Illinois,
His soul exulted in the CLEAN
OF waters, flowers Of hope and joy
Though years of his but numbered seven
For aye his life was bright as heaven.
Those hills SO brown, so dsfk, so blue,
The sunlit pine-erowned Dardanelles.
We're then so beautiful, so new,
They always charmed with magic spells.
All, now through life's kaleidoscope
These scenes shine dim like darkcned hope.
Yet charm this chequered glorious view,
These hills and wales Of Pope and Yell.
Though onhis brothers canvas true
He only sees them now, L. well-- a Z,
All, with such glory never more
These hills shall echo youths encore.
In other spots of Arkansas
His youthful life glad-sped he spent;
BY thy beached stream, wild Salison,
Where pine trees sang and willows bent,
On prairies grand, by rivers wide
To which since swels the human tide.
Where fair Bell Point by Poteaus waves
A-crowns the glitterng site, his feet
We're wont to stray, and mem'ry saves
Its images that passed 50 fleet
How few of those whose hands he elapsed
Are left from earth away death th-srasped.
And all through life he tasted cheer
Within this town of many friends;
Here too he first let fall the tear
For her, the tear which still portends-
For late have some so loved Of yore
Passed on whose forms he'll see no more.
A diadem this town awaits
When bound to climes BY iron links;
Her coal and sands the golden gates
Shall ope to him who works and thinks
And walls of white and domes with spires
Grow out from coming furnace fires.
Then to the far and frigid North
His feet were sent to.trcad the schools.
Whose wisdom haply armed him forth
To win his way with golden rules
'Tis dark land, inlaid with light
But never like the South SO bright.
Gay years tripped by in Crawford old;
Their heads like his silvercd DER
The few now left these years enfold,
His other mates are gone before
These years, Van Burons golden age,
The gayest CLEAN on life's strange page.
A volume huge 'twould take to tell
Of these true men and women fair.
Their sunny life they lived so well
Serene they ruled its wear and tear
Though never writ their hst'ry lives
With more than him who now survives.
This town to all this land mart
Drew tribute from vast extent;
When railway steam its echoes start
Again twill reign, tho affuent--
And then the red Arkansas sheen
Reflect richer buster scene.
health to thee in Thruston's wine.
It's his and therefore sure to cheer;
Swift come again the gold once thine.
Old Gross fare soon reappear--
Then Dunham unto Clarke shall say,
Redivivus the golden day.
On Benton's plain young love began
In bud and bloom mid green -leaved peace;
His course of life SO smoothly ran
That bliss bid fair to never cease
But ah, the loved, the dear of old.
How many sleep beneath the mold.
The gifted loved whose brush and pen
Gift many an hour with sunrise hope
The Travellers +" bourne have reached where men
May see their hloeks grassy slope.
With others dear Deaths night they crossed
To them tbs found, to us it's lost.
Thy cliff faced hills, old Washington,
Where glistens classic Fayetteville,
How much of Joy, diurnal on.
Arrayed for him thy pict'r hill .t
How rich his life in all that's priced
Where hope be dreamed was realized.
Her great sleep now, her noble too,
While gentle eyes still for them weep;
But never men more brave. more true,
To front Of battle with glory leap
Love with her flowers had crowned their life.
And armed them for the unequal strife.
Unequal but by them thought just,
Their sacred right to govern sef
And we'll a-6eld they bore the trust,
unmoved by threat, or paltry pelf-
The conquered. honor binds them still,
The pledge Of peace they aye fulfill. ...
Their foes five years agone, can they
Lift up their hands and swear the troth
Was made by them five years to-day
Was sacred kept, peace blessing both?
Blse why do bayonets o'er-awc
An unarmed South, and WELD the lawg
GREAT EASTERN soon comes flying on
To cast his dreams meath idol gold;
Though for the BORDER years agone,
He wrought, twice. thrice its riches told.
EXCELSIOR thou city hill,
Worldwide thy fame, NEW Fayetteville.
OF Little Rock, the Capitol,
Whore women bloomed in Thirty -fye.
Whore stately men In stately hall
Breathed cloquence in words that live
Turn back the leaves of Billy's" GAZETTE,
You'll find them all there living yet.
Her quartzy undulating streets
Grow beautiful each adding year;
But Law biennial repeats
Its dicta there with Nero's fear
Once freemep walked these ruling halls,
Now ballot black the state enthralIs.
If Arkansas be great she too
A city famed the years shall make,
And walls white, sray and red anew
Each year towards heaven their rising take
Her silver, lead and iron ores
Do more than all to heap her stores.
How like dream these fairy lands
OF Kavaniol and Magazine.
With sunny wales and yellow strands.
Pass down the scenes Of life between
How brave and fair the friends he knew,
How bright the flowers. sunshine and dew. -
In storm and calm his life sped on,
Bedewed with bliss. bcnum'd with grief;
Sometimes in cities great, anon
In woods whore sunless falls the leaf
= Drank wine at famed Dolmonico's.
Or dncd with wild Arepahoes.
SO ran his life iii Wars fierce iro
Had blackcncd home and hearth, had trenchcd
The land With graves, had Il, the pyrc
Whcrcop in rcd Loves lives were quenchcd-
That deadly dcsolating scourgc .....
To which Life kncls eternal dirgc. a.