The Hickman courier., 1872-11-02
ESTABLISHED 1859.
SHADOWL4ND.
~ LIpE ,rERP1WErHER.

D LIN - y n Ah--%s
50 ShGdo,os t0e are, and sfaoEo,os zee pursue. I"
O'er the distant mountains dropping
Pearl and gray the curtains fall,
Misty shapes come through them troopils
To the sounding autumn call;
flushed and still, the forest listen
To the FOOTBALLS of the band,
And their garments CLEAN and glisten
With hues of Shadow Land.
Soft their fairy feet are creeping
O'er the maple. beech and pine
Bright-hued elfn shapes lie sleeping
In the sunae. oak and vine;
Arch on arch, like rain bows meeting
Tower the forest giants grand,
Warm and glowing. fair aud heeting
As the dreams of Sh dow Land
Rainbow wings are softly fitting
Through the de- p entAnsle ws0 d.
Ghostly shadow silent sitting
In its twilight solitude:
Fairy echoes s-eet are ringing
from the river cleaning strand
As the elves arc softly singing
Syren songs Of Shadow Land
Rus ling wings above me hover,
Whispering echoes to me call.
Elm han Is my eyelids cover.
Fairy footsteps round me fall;
Ghostly shapes are dimly falling
Through the wood with beckoning hand.
nd their spirits voices calling
To their home in Shadow Land
Softly sweep the brown tresses.
Sweet and balmy floats the breath,
Warm and glowing press the kisses
of the autumn s crimson mouth;
Cleaning round me-hOatlng o er me
Troop the dreamy. WoOing band
Earth and heaven fade before me,
And dwell in Shadow Land
Through the meadows. blossom laden
In the rosy biushing dawn
Trips a blue eyed laughing maiden
Singing TO the glad May morn;
Fairy pinions Ger her rising.
Fairy sponsors rnund her stand.
With the N morning dess baptizing-
Daughter Of the Shadow Land.
Ger her white cleaning bosom
CO9rse the glowing veins of youth.
All the sweets of bud and blossom
Dwell within her rosy mouth,
Dream-eyet passions dusky tresses,
Lie beneath her snowy hand,
And he waits MS burning kisscs
From the realms of Shadow Land.
And beside him. proud ambition.
Regal head and eye OF TIRE,
With the dreams of his creation
WoOing uard-upward-higher-
Till the - brave dead years shall reckon
On their record. none so grand;
Still their maddenIng fingers beckoE
onward. into Shadow Land.
But behind them slowly creeping
Steal the wan and Rhostly Le0TS,
All their beams in shadows sleeping,
All blossoms drowned in tears;
And the cleaning wings that hOvered
Bleacllug lie on the buTIE r4uus
And the darkling stream IS covered
With the wrecks of shadow Land.
Dust and darkness dimly cover.
Buried friendships broken vow.
Dusky piuions hover over
Trusts betrayed and lying low:
Records Of the old. old story
Scgttered with relentless hand,
Dreams of love. and pride, and glory,
Sleeping cold in Shadow Land.
little font no Ionger natter
Ger the lowly cottage Moor,
Rosy lips no longer chattOr,
Liquid brown eyes smile ~ more.
Memory swim ging gate disclOses
Angels OF the household band.
Sleeping under the snOw-whits roses
Dwellers pale IN the Shadow Land
And rs memories circle o 'er ne,
and their dsrkling shadows TEEN,
Or the queries press me sOr=ly,
Do I WakeF or do / dream2
What is shadow? what IS human
Thus the veXiug questions stand.
VIII ch the worn and wearied woman
Shall r life be ours. where never
shall the soul unanswered call!
Where the real liveth ever,
And the sha lows from US fall?
Shall the spirit soaring higher,
dircied By shining band.
Bathed in Gods own sun bright fire
Dwell no more in Shadow Land?