Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-05-24
THE THREE WIS.
by LIDE MERIwErHER.

And all was lovely A. a summers day;
When gallsnts sought fer language eupho-
nistic
To drain a bumper, or adorn "a hit,''
Our dashing corps Of knighthoOd Journal
istie,
Chose for their watchword, "Woman.
Wine and Wit"
Soothing in sound, soft in ALTERATION
(No Jarring c0nsonants its biIlows break,)
Lulling in word, sweet in Interpretation;
A pleasing anodyne, "nOt bad 70 take"
A potent draught If duns or debts should
trouble you,
or bosom friend with purse or sweetheart
nirt;
Drown all your sOrrOws in the triple W,
And throw care to the winds with
'WoRen, Wine and Wit"
woman. safe step, in the right direction,
To soothe your sorrow, or Hume your
joy,
IL chosen for her brain, and her complex
ion,
And made a home companion, not a toy
Eagerly grasped as summers fragrant
flowers,
Then tramPled in the mire OF lifs's high
way;
But like the pole-star, through your dark
est hours
Guarding and guiding with loves stead
fast ray.
Wine. fair mirage, fading from the
vision,
A treachsrous quieksand, lurking for its
prey,
Grasping It ere It reach the fields Elysian,
Where pleasures mocking finger points
the wsy;
A Turing devil. in an angelo seeming,
BlOod-red the feet that trampla ont The
yinei
Blood-red the siuiageburning, glarlns,
cleaning,
Where heart and soul and brain ars
drowned in wine.
Will most potent and divine elixir,
Aiming the right, and strong In lis
defense;
An empty sham, a cunning, seryile trick
ster,
II aiding wrong, or used at friends
expense;
As sudden sunshine cleaning meadows
cover,
And buds and blossoms glow beneath its
ray,
or, ike soft summer showers, sparkling
The shine and shadow Of lies ehanreful
way.
GAN things to Sn men," saith the revela-
ti0n;
Zach creed that suits its age is good and
true;
This suited well the "olden dispsnsatiou"-
sold things have passed away; 10, all
arc new"
New ains, new ereeds' new plans for their
diffusion;
Let the past sleep-its epitaph Is writ;
For al It's glOss, snare and 4 delusion
Was your old watchword-"Woman,
Wine and Wit
He who stood hrmest in the smoke Of
battle
sun frmest stands in desolation's day;
Undaunted mid the cannon's roar and
rattle,
Undauntsd stIll, be works his patient way;
On blOOd-stained fields our cOuntry's brave
defendants,
Each gra~ping firm the eolors Of his
State,
To you bring, for Our true Independence,
The new evangel-~ Work, and Watch
and Wait"
He comes to conquer, and our waiting eyes
This peerless monarch whom all earth
shall hail,
Whose banner bears its rent, Ufdi, rici,
Whose ..lexieOh knows no such word as
fail.S
Doing alike the works of God or devil.
Bearing his sheavcs to hell or heavenss
gats,
Matehless for good omnipOtent for evil
A trlune deity, "wOrk, Watch and
Wait"
Under the banner OF this King enlisting,
Strike from the day-dawn to the setting
sun,
Strong for the right, and every wrong re.
sisting,
Die in the battle with your armor on.
Manning your battlements with truth
GOd-Eiyen,
Guard well your ramparts, bar your pos
tern gate,
And fling out to the freshening breeze Of
heaven,
Your bold iri-color. Work, and Watch
and Wait.
Work with the heart and pulse-beat ever
ready
To yield its pleasure for anotheT's good;
Work with the hand-cach arm strike true
and steady,
That so Il gain its honest livelihood;
when hollow hearts their shallow brains
shall trouble,
How best life OF sloth and waste to
gain,
Teach then. to know that it is good and
noble
To work with heart, and hand, and soul,
and brain.
Work for the weak, the lowly, and the
erring,
To If. them up, that they the light may
see;
Work for the lost. the hopeless, the des-
pairing,
To lead them back TO God and purity.
Work for each man, as for friend and
brother,
wolk for the true, the beautiful, the
good
Blessed Is laborl be who sows shall gather,
Reads, in our creed, new beatitude.
watch! on each tower your wakefil sen
tries keeping
(Know that no fortress Is impregnable.)
Lest happy one should come and find you
sleeping,
Scale your stout walls, and take your
citadel.
Watch lest for soft and well-dissembled
lying
You entrance give to smooth-tOngued
And from your ramparts, DER the world
send flying
Her poisoned shafts OF false philosophy
Trust not in your own srmer-'t viii betray
you
Your watchful foe each feck and flaw
will see,
And, waiting the right moment rend and
slay you
The lurking demon, OPPORTUNITY.
The proudest heart that beats IN Gods
creation,
Before his power, is but common clay;
Then. that you may be guarded from temp
tation,
And from sll evil, hourly watch and pray.
Waltz scorR not feeble steps and humble
winnings,
With steadfast footstep tread the weary
way,
Knowing that great ends spring from small
| beginnings,