The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-07-19
THE vANE ON THE spInE.
by BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.

ny BENJAMIN +. TAYLOR.
During the bitter and death-bring-
ing days of the winter and spring OF
1872, | often watched the gilded arrow
that swings upon the spire of the
Methodist church. And it always had
II meaning for me-sOmetimes sad, n
few times glad, and always true. Day
after day, week after week, that arrow
pointed North-pointed East-always
North, always East, like the finger of
Fate. The chill winds blew; the cold
storms came; there were beds of Ian
gushing; there were new-made graves.
Frost, sorrow and death ruled the air
in company. And all the while the
arrow told the story.
AT last there came some genial days,
when flowers blossomcd, birds sang,
the weak grew strong, and the graves
were green.
The arrow on the spire had swung
round to the South; it told the story
still. 1t was no longer the finger of
Fate, but thing of beauty-a piece of
erial jewelry. 1t had eloquence enough
to inspire little song, had there been
anybody to write it.
| Under the sun and under the moon,
Silver mt midnight, golden at noon,
Could Dian have lost 1t out of her hair?
Phebus' culver have shaken it there?
That wonderful arrow sweeping the air!
There's an arrow aloft with feathered shaft,
That never has flown at the bow-string's
draft,
Aud the goldsmith has hidden the black
smiths craft
n.
1t Is coated to pierce and barbed to hold
And Its wonderful story is hardly told.
1t is poised on II finger from sun 10 sun,
And 1t catches the glimmcr of the dawn be-
gun,
And is floating in light when the day is done.
And 1t turns at the touch of viewless. hand,
And 1t swings in the air like wizards wand.
BY the tempest whirled and the zephyr
famed.
And the sinewy finger that cannot tire
Is the lifted hush of the old church Spire,
That Vanisiics out as Heaven is nigher
And the arrow upon it, the rusted vane,
AS true to its master as faith to fame,
That is swinging forever in sun and rain.
Right about TO the North! And the trum-
pets blow,
And the siivering air is dim with snow,
And the earth grows dumb and the brooks
run slow;
And the shaggy Arctic, chilled 10 the bone,
scrauuChing The world With a human moan,
And the clank of Il chain in the frozen zone;
And the world IL dead In its seamless shrO,id,
And the stars wink slow IN the rfted cloud,
And the owl in the oak mplains aloud.
Aud the arrow is true 10 the iccberg's realm
AS the rudder staunch in the ghaStly whelm,
with n hero TO handle the helm!
Il, . laI ,uit Ia Two, y,it
Up with n blue jacket! Chamber the spire
And swing ii around to the point of desire!
II sways TO the East! And the icy rain,
With the storms long roll y on the window
And 4 diamond point on the crystal vane!
And the cattle stand with tho wind astern,
And the routes of the rain on cave and urn,
Az the drops are halted and frozen in turn,
Are such pendants of, wonder MS cave and
mine.
Ncvergive to the gaze when the torches shine, |
But right out of Heaven and half divine!
Ah II swings due South to the zephyrs thrill
IN the yellow moon it lies as still
As speckled trout by the droWSy mill,
While the bugle of Gabriel wakes the sod
And the beautiful life in the speechess clod |
TIL the beautiful June is a smile for God!
Resurrection to-day! For the roses spoke!
Resurrection to-day! For the rugged oak
Ina live green billow rolled and brolSe
And the spider feels for her siliSen Strings,
And the honey-bee huns, and the world has |
wings.
And blent with the blue, the blue-hird sings. |
Willie the cloud is ablaze with the bended
bow,
And the waters white with tire lilies snow,
On the motionlcss arrow, all In q row,
A re f,npr ttla sno rrnxvs that uinn So small
Their carol distills as the deWdrops fall,
And we only SEE they are singing NJ ali
Now the arrow is swung with sweep so bold
Where the Day has been tiinging its gar
ments gold
Till they stain the sky with n glow untold.
All, the cardinal point is the West!
Aud the clouds bear down in n fleet abreast. J
And the world is as still as a child AT rest.
There's binnaclc light like an angry star!
And hcgrowl Of gun with its crash and jar! |
And roll of the drum where the angels are
And it tumbles Its freight on the dancing
grain,
And ii brightens a world baptized in rain
And 1t gladdens the earth as IT drifts along,
And the meadow is green and the corn Is
And the brook breaks forth in the same old
song.
AS looked for the arrow it hung there yet,
With the drops of the rain its barb was wet,
And the sun shone out in Il crimson sot.
Ana behold aloft in the ruddy shine
Where the crystal water again was wine,
And Il hallowed the dart like n touch divine!
Under the sun ana under the moon,
silver 40 midnight, golden at noon.
Could Dian have los " gut 0f her hair?
Phoebug' culver have shaken " tnerei
That wonderful arrow sweeping the air