The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-01-20
Misanthropic Hours.

| sometimes feel as could blot
All traces of mankind from earth
As If 'twerc sin to curse them not,
They so degradc--so shame their birth.
To think that earth should be so fair,
SO beautiful-so bright n thing;
That nature should come forth and wear
Such glorious apparelling;
That sea and sky should live and glow
with light, and love, and holiness,
And yet men never seem to know
How much II God of love can bless
How deep their debt of thnnlifulness.
I've seen the sun go down, and light
Like floods of gold the western sky
When every tree and flower was bright,
And every pulse was beating high,
And the full soul was gushinglovc,
And longing for its home above
And then when men should soar, If ever,
To the high home of thought and soul,
When life's degrading ties should sever,
And the free spirit spurn control
Then have seen, and how my check
Is burning with the shame feel,
That truth is in the words speak
I've seen my fellow creatures steal
Away to their unhallowed mirth,
AS If the revelries OF earth
Were all that they could feel or share
And glorious heaven were scarcely worth
lhelr passing notice or their care.
| I've said was worshpcr,
AT woman's shrlne--yet even there
| I've found unworthiness of thought;
| And when deemed just had caught
| The radiance of that whole light
| Which makes earth beautiful and bright
| When eyes of fire their flashes sent
And rosy lips looked eloquent
Oh have turned away and wept TO find
| Beneath IL all a trining mind.
| stood in one of those high halls
| Where Genius breathes in sculpturcd stone,
| Where shaded light in soitness falls
On pencilled beauty. They had gone,
Whose hearts of fire and hands of skill
Had wrought such power; but yet they spolS
To me in every feature still,
And fresh lips breathed and dark cyas woke.
And crimson checks flushed slowngly
| To life and mOtion-I had knclt,
And wept with Mary, at the tree
| Whore Jesus suflered-1 had felt
| The warm blood rushing to my brow
At the stern buffet of the jew,
! Had seen the Son of Glory bow,
And bleed for sins he never knew
! And had wept, l thought that all
Must feel like me-and when there came
4 stranger, bright and beautiful,
With step of grace and eye of flame,
And tone and look most swcetly blent
70 make her presence eloquent.
Oh, then LOOKED for tears. We stood
Before the scene of Calvary
| saw the piercing spear-thc blood
The gall-thc writhc of agony
| saw lis quivcring lips in prayer,
Father forgive them"-all was there;
l turned in bitterness of soul,
And spoke OF Jesus, had thought
Her feelings would refuse control;
For woman's heart know, was fraught
With gushing sympathies, She gaaed
| A moment on ii carelessly,
! And celdly curled her lip and praised
| The high priests garment! Could II be
| That look was meant dear Lord for Thee?
| Oh what is woman-what her smile
Her look of love-hcr eye of light
What is she If her lips reyilc
The lowly Jesus? Love may write
His name upon the marble brow,
Or lnger in her curls of Jet
The light spring flowers may scarcely bow
Beneath her step and yet-and yet,
without that meelter grace she'll be
a lighter thing than vanity.