Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-02-15


shall Literary Society Of Mercersburg
College.
Naomi and her daughter fair had walked
Alone, through dust and heat of summers sur
Till Moab's cities far behind we're lost
To view: each silent filed too full with thought
To spend their time il idle empty talk.
The aged mother sad, perhaps III thought
Uf kindred lost ten short yeurs before
She left fair judah for foreign land,
For had not ne, who then had led the way,
Aud comfort given, in every painful need,
Been taken home, whilst she was left 10 feel
The chilly blasts Of this cold world alone;
To plod her weary way; and guide her sons
To keep their Jewish law, and not forsake
Their Fathers God, for Moab's idol host.
They even they, whose widows with her now,
As loving daughters, hitherto had come,
Were called TO sleep 10 wake no more on earth.
Bu, still though sad in III ell and bowed her head
With thoughts like these, her aged eye grew
bright
And firm her step when thoughts OF better things
Stole sweetly o'er and calmed her troubled
brain,
The thoughts of home, where thought as hu-
man friend
Was near 10 cheer, or hail her safe return,
Her Fathers God, whom she had truly feared
In heathen lands, was still the widows lriehd
She knew that lie would be'her strong defence
Her help in need, her refuge from despair
And lonced TO be where he alone as God
Was worshipped and adored by kindred hearts,
But truly woman in her mothers heart
She could not teal her daughters IRON their
homes
Where they had spent SO many happy days
10 soek with her TO them a land unknown
Without. indeed SO far as she could tell
A single face to brighten as they came
To claim a home, mid those who once were
friends,
And halting in her weary road, she turned
To,hose whom she b. ad loved and who nae come
To 90 with her and share her every Pa'"'
AnI calmI, said though kern she felt the words
"My daughters why should you endure NY
woes?
Return! 90 seek your parents home anu h"u
That rest We SO we'll deserve" But 1hey
Replied "Not so. Thy burdens we VIII bear
We'll 90 with thee, and with thy people dwell
gut still N aomi woult not yield, but pleao
The more, tha, they should stay at home 'mld
friends
And not as she should do, mid strangers roam
Until, in pity, one would take her IN.
And Orpah, looking back saw home aud frleho'
With all their heather wealth, and easy life
OF wan,on luxury, and pompons pride
Al her command, if she but turned her back
IN her with whom she long had lived and Ian
Would follow to her home land honored grave
II she could only pay the price, and bear
Instead of ease, life Of seeming woes
For as she tried TO tear aside the veil
To nierce the gloom, and see th rough future
days.
Twas dark. No light revealed to her that Goo
Would guide her steps, ,and shield her from all IL
=
Nor told her that ."twas better lar 20 stand
In Jacob. tents, Than dwell with heathen Zoos
And live in SINFUL ways, mid pleasures VAIN.
Then choosing rather worldly cares and spares
Che kissed her sister, said last lsre"en
And turned away, to Moab, aud Its COOS.
But Ruth still fondly to her mother cIaVe,
To her the empty pomp, of heathen snow
Was less than nought, for she could ieei III
power
In li,,less life and still more foolish prlde'
And old Naomi plead IN vain that she
Should go, aud follow OrPah to her iano'
Roth home aud sister had no single charm
To win Eer from her aged mothers side
Where duty bound her love had sealed The oono
And never would she leave though ease aho
wealth
Had all their forces joined TO call her back.
She only answered. 10 Naoml'' prayer
With beaming face, and true heroic men
"Entreat me not to leave thee all alone
For where thou goest, will also go,
And where thou dwelle.t, let me always DWELL
Thy people shall my loved kindred be
Aud to thy God, I'll ever bend my knee
Nv greatest, care shall be 10 comfort thee
So long as we shall live; and when DIE
Mywi,h is t, be buried at thy side.
Naomi thus enlreated nothing said,
But rs she cast loving glance at Ruth,
Her eyes were filed with oSergrateiui tears
Tha, slowly trlckled down her wrlnkled cheek,
And Ruth wen, with her, TO her Jewish home.
Thus par,ed sisters nc Ter to meet again
Proud Orpah trod the broad and easy road
She thought to find the way with roses stre~n'
And hoped t'enjoy, mid ever smiling sun
An idle life, but hoped perhaps in 'aln'
For true il is when she turned her BACK
On old Naomi and NaomI's God
She cast shadow DER her earthly life,
But Ruth, more blessed chose the thorny path,
And footsore ,rod that steep and rugged road
That always ends in boundess realms OF JOY,
By duty guided, al her mothers side,
She found her way TO ancient Bethlehem,
Blu, never had she dared to dream
That she should find SO high place on earth,
That from her seed line Of kings should spring
Who long and well should over Israel rule.
And yet, though history tells US thls is true
Her honor did not end with earthly kings
For from her blessed seed 10 after years
AT Bethlehem was born that Heavenly hing
Whom we shall ever love; our Saviour Lord.
Not only did be mould, control and guide
The History Of our human race, aDC give