The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-08-23

I stood within those grimly folding doors,
That bar sweet Freedom from remorseful hearts,
| looked within the silent cell, where hands,
Bedewed in blood were folded into rest
Without fathers nightly rising prayer,
Or mothers tearfull blessing ON the son.
looked upon the towering walls that hide
The worlds calm grace and beauty eyermorc,
The stern faced sentinels, whose eyes anon
Swept DER the lines of thoughtful toling men,
While deep and unfeigned sorrow filled IN,
heart.
For there were fair browed youths and tende
eyed,
Graceful, and strong Of limb, who went perchanc'
From out some yine-clad home, in sorrow now,
And shame enwrapt, upon some parents brow
Are unmistakon lines, some sister weeps
Each day, and bitterly in soul yearns Ger
faithful brother for the one who went
With smiles away, all eager for the strife,
who in some haunt Of revelry and mirth
Put off the vestal garb of purity
Beneath the Tempter's syren influence, fell
Oh. Guardian angel! did thy shining wings
Grow dim fever then, thy pleading hushed
Beneath the unresisted clarion call
Of crime? Will not the dove of peace go out
In the sweet by and by, to trace path,
Wiser and holier for the future years,
And there were men of look mature, on whom
The cares of earth had pressed, no light
Of love, or joy within the downcast eye;
With toilng hundreds keeping still place,
Where dim machinery girt her iron bands,
And slow the weary, wordless days went on.
No smile
Of woman's tenderness to gid the scene,
Save when the creakiDg doors but usher in
ilimpses of sweetness fled; hours brief and rar,
When wives who bear an iron weight of woe,
Crush back their tears to speak of hope and cheer
When clinging, childish arms unclasp, to leave
The man with arrowy poised thought
To burn his deepest soul within.
And there were men of silvered heads for whom
Life's twilight had no tender peace in home,
No faith serene in Heaven. All lfes swift dream
Gathered within a circle Of despair;
Its remnant given to expiate their sin.
Oh is there not for those sin n-burdened hearts,
Repentance meet to touch the golden throne
Though winning not where justice holds her seal
On earth, yet finding mercy still on high
Ill fitted men! If symp athy of mine
Could wash thy stainsiaway, how soon, with sea
OF loitiest manhood on by brow, thou didst 20
10 chant the living strains Of Liberty,
Out in the golden glory of to-day;
Perchance the presence of grim want hath trace
Thy destiny. Perhaps the child of sin
Thou had't no power to leave thy native air,
Pcrchance the church bell call thy willing fee
Even unto the Sabbath realm of prayer and psalm
Until one fateful hour thy feet crossed DER,
10 tread the downward road Perchance some fai
And jeweled hand hath held the rosy wine
Unto they lips, and lo' its demon spell
Enthralled thy soul with everlasting bonds
We may not know, tho plying human eve
May scan thy brow, may read on iron bar,
Or darkly grated cell thy certain DOOM
But one will look to judge thee woll, wisdom
unerring measures thine award.
While to the beauty of the world without,
That keeps amid its sunshine and free air
No tale Of crime; leave these massive halls,
Bearing of frai humanity snch trace,
With saddened spirit thoughtfully l shrine,
lesson like unto the written word which saith
"Chief of the blessed three" is charity.