River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-11-07
The Closing Scene.
BY 7. B. Rad.


BY T. B. READ.
" thin the sober realms OF leafess trees
The russell year inhaled the dreamy air
Like some tanned reaper ~ ms hours oil ease,
When all the fields are lying brown ana
bare.
The gray barns looking from their hazy hills.
Ger the duu waters widening in the yalos,
sent down the alr o greeting u the mills,
On the duh thunder OF alternate hails.
All sights were mcowcd, and all sounds sub
dued,
The hills seemed further, and the stream
sang low
As in dream the distant woodman hewed
His winter log with many muftied blow.
The ombattled forests, erewhie armed with
gold,
Their banners bright with many martial
hue.
Now stood lile some sad, beaten host OF old.
Withdrawn atar in times remOtest blue.
On sombre wings the yulture tried its light,
The dove scarce heard his signing mates
complaint,
Aud like star slow drowning in the hight
The village church-vaue seemed to pale and
faint
The sentinel cock upon the hillside crew
Crew thrice and all was stiller than before.
Silent, TIL some replying warder blew
His alien horn, aud then was heard no
more.
Where erst the jay within the elms tall crest
Made gauulOus trouble found her unhedg-
ed young
f.nd where the orioe hung her waving nest
by every hght wind like censor swung
AHera e,v,,,,,, tt,,. No.. e.. - A
Nc busy swallow clrcing ever near,
toreboiing, as the ru~ tic mind believes.
An early harvest and pienteous year;
Where every bird that walked the vernal feast
Shook the sweet lumber from its wings at
morn,
To warn the readers of the rosy nest
All now was sunless, empty and forlorn.
Alone from out the stu6bie piped the quail
Aud croaked the crow through all the dreary
gloom
Alone the pheasant, drumming in the vale,
Made echo IN the distant cottage loom.
There was no bud or bloom upon the flowers
The spiders moved their thin sbrouds night
by night,
he thlstle down, the only ghost OF flowers.
sailed slowly by, passed noiseess out Of
sight.
md all this, IN their most dreary air,
Ahd "htle the "oodbine shed upon the
porch
Iis crimson leaves, as If the year stood there.
Firms the floor aIth ITS inverted torch
Amid all this, the centre OF the scene.
Inc whlte-halred matron with monotonous
tread,
Piled the swift wheel, and with her joyous
men
Sat nA- fate and watched the Hying
She had known SORROW. He had walked with
her.
Oft suqped, aud broke with her the ashep
crust
And on the dead leaves still she heard the stir
Or his thick mantle trailing ia the dust.
While yet her cheek was bright with summer
bloom,
Her country summoned, and she gave her
All
And twice war bowed to her his sable plume
hegave the sword to rust upon the wall.
Regase the sword, but not the hand that
drew,
And struck for liberty the diving blow:
Nor him who, TO his sire and country true.
rem mid the ranks OF the invading foe.
Long, but not loud, the jroning wheel went
on.
Like the low murmur Of a hive at noon.
Long, but not loud, the memory of the gone
breathed through her lips a sad and tremu-
lOus tone.
At last the thread was snapped, her head was
bowed,
Life dropped the distaa through her hands
serene
Aud loving noighbors smoothed her careful
shrOud.
While death and winter closed the autumn
scene.