Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-06-04
The CHRONICLE.
DELTA TAU DELTA.

leees in the land, principally In the
south and west. In order to transact
such business as is necessary for the
government of the fraternity yearly
convention is called to assemble al
some convenient point, the business
to be transacted by chosen delegates,
The fourteenth annual convention Of
the Fraternity came off at Akron
Ohio. the DIST and 22d Of May. Not.
withstanding all former conventions
have been enjoyable, the last was
conceded by all to be the most inter
esting, and pleasant reunion yet
held. This was, in a measure, due to
the good people of Akron, who did
all that could be wished to make
the occasion happy. The first even
ing of the convention, was devoted
to literary performance. The oratoi
of the evening was Rev. NJ. c. Briggs,
D. D., Evanston, ILL.,, subject: Free
dom guarantees its owR perpetuity by
diversifying the Institutions of Socie-
ty.
Space will not permit Us to publish
the production of the Doct., but 1t is
sufficient to say that it was of a very
high order and ELECTED frequent ap-
plause from the audience. The poet
of the evening was Will NJ. Carleton,
the well known author of "The Farm
Ballads.n Mr. Carleton's enviable
reputation was sufficient to makenim
be well received by the listeners. The
following is the poem, entitled:
RIFFS IN THE CLOUD.
rstet tsa cloud l-e'en take it as you may;
1Iumine il with Pleasures transient ray
Prighten its edge with Virtue; let each fold
Eien BY the touch OF God be fecked with
wilma aneel-vings may kindly hover near.
And anEeI-voices murmur words OF cneer.
StiIl. LIES a cloud forever hanging nlgns
Forever DER Cur winding patn way spleAo'
Ready 10 blacken on some seooeneo ~
Yes there are lives that seem to know no Ill !
Paths that seem straight, with naught OF
The bright I and n i1i glorious sun. each welcome
Flashes lspont the towers that deck their
49, =
And thesoSt .ephyr sings a lullaby,
Mid rustIlng trees to please the ear and
And siI sHe the darling child Of fortune needs,
And all he cares and all he knows or needs,
While fairy eyes their Wsten ABOVE Rim
Is breath 70 live, aud weariness to sleep.
But lifeis cloud! ana soon the smiling SKY
May wear theu1weleome semblance ola
And ne sierce tsmpest. nadly rushing by.
May raise Us dripping wings. and strike
him down.
Uben halnIesS frlfancy. for love or rest,
Lies nestlfnF lc mofhei 8 yearning breast.
While she saul n1nred OF Its ways ana Wiles
As motheFso only ara, looks down and smiles,
In the Wesl babe she pretses In her arms,
While be. the iUve-light kindled in his ey es,
Sends to her own electrlcal replies.
a ray OF sunshine comes for each caress.
From out the clear blue sky Of happiness
But ife's cloud and soon the smiling
The froWnsla @ and tears Of childish grief may
And the love language OF the heart give
To the Wild eIamor Of baby's woe.
The days Of youth ars joyful in their way
Bare feet Tread lightly and their steps are
Parental kindness grades the earthly path,
And shields z rom the storm-king's dread
But there he sia are thorns that prick the infant
And bid The yontasul eye to fow sfresh.
Thorns that naturer nerves would never
With wounds that bleed not less, that soon
When We look back upon our childhood
Look down the long and sweetly verdAnt
wherein We ksiily passed the shining hours,
We see the beanty OF Its blooming flowers.
We breathe its fresh and fragrant air once
And, counting all its many pleasures Ger.
Forget 81, niEappointments. and our grief.
Sorrows klsRt nov. were light, then weighed
And eIsfmsd onr tears for every surly
For life's q cloud. cen take It as We will
The changing wind ne'er banisnes or Ilits
The pangs Of grief but make II darker Sill
And happiness is nothing but its riffs
There is a joy in sturdy manhood. still;
Bravery is Joy; and he who says VIII -.
And turns, with swelling heart and sosres
While arm resolve upon his purpose Eaits.
Is happier for the deed; and he ylhoYe Snare
Is honest toll. pits that agsl22s - 4.a,aae eSss;
Dark clouds and fearful o'ef our paths are
They take the shape Of monsters in the afr
And almost shut our eager gaze frem HeaV-
enl - -
Disease is there, with sliny, lOathsore
with hollow, blOOd-shot eyssespd sessE J
Longing 70 strike US down with pasgs Of
And Ind Us there. with weakness xalllng
Ruin is there. with cunning ambush laid.
Waiting some praise in the RANKS OF trade
Some prohtless endeavor, or some tFust
BY recreant knave abused, to snatch the
From out the mouths of them we love the
And bring gaunt hunger. an unwelcOme
D,s0rsoe is there. of honest look bereft.
Truth in his right hand. slander in his left
Pride in his mouth, the devil in mis- eye,
His garment truth, his cold bleak hearta
Forging the bolts to blast some honored
Longing tosee some victim wronged or
To see him step into the pool Of shame,
or soiled BY loved ones that to him belongs
A dark cloud hovers over every zone, .
The cloud Of ignorance. The great unknown
Defying comprehension, still hangs low
Above our feeble minds. When we who
now
Have stumbled meath the ever varying load
That marks the weary stud ents royal road
Have hurried over verbs in headlong haste
And various thorny paths OF Language
Have run our nuddled heads with rueful
.,ealnst figures truthful. that yet seemed tc
Have peeped into the sciences. and learned
How lnnch we do not know-haye brayely
= turned ~. ..
our guns Of eloquence on forest trees,
And preached grave doctrines to the way
When we have done all this. the foggy
with scarce q rift, is stEl above us bowed
And we are children, on some gardens
Cropping iei for nOwers the opposing wan be
Who, flushed and breathless. may at last
With few scanty blossoms for q wreath
But never was = cloud so thick and black,
But IT might some time break, and on Ii
track
The glorious sun come streaming. Never
So but It's threads might bleach to lighter
hue,
Was sorrows mantle OF so deep a dye.
And he who, peering at the troubled sky,
Looks past the clouds, or looks the cloud
Or, finding none. remembers their great
And strikes them for him sell, is that mai