, 1873-06-22


II sense. And this certainty, which is Il
aobling and eleyatfng force Of life, is ali
consolation for death.-P0puldr Science Ao
PHASES OF LIFE.
"sie transit gloria n,tsadt."
What is life7 "a heeting shadow
Gait upon the track Of Ttme;"
But its sure experience teaches
Many q truth, profound, sublime.
We are all poor, erTing creatures,
Guided by each impulse weak,
Striving erer for Some object
In the distance which We seek:
Far and farther still receding,
Still We follow In its flight.
Dlscoutanted, restless ever,
Standing in each others light.
Once attained, Rom6 other phantom,
Mock1ng, lures us on Its way;
Wild excitement, restless craving,
Track our footsteps day BY day.
Rivers still 60 rushing By US:
Busy crowds go hurrytug on;
Sunlight smiles, yet hearts in anguish
Break, and "brokenly live on"
Fools, we dive into the future,
Fancy 'tis be5ore ua stretched
hut the things therein enshrouded
Human eye hath never reached.
Philosophers, thro' years Of study,
Times great mystery ue'er have solved,
YET we, in our erring blindness,
AL it, actions have resolved.
"Lifes dream, and mans \ shadow
Thrown upon bolstarous sea-"
And our longest spans but seeme.h
Atoms In eternity.
Such 1t Is, and ouch tho lesson
That it teaches day BY day:
Mortals all pursuing visions.
Dreaming thus their years away,
Earthly things are false, unreal;
Fairest faces only hide
fu 1+,+ With ,arArn
1nsincerity aud pride.
We should all have sen-rcliance,
Interested, selfish, vain,
Is the world, for, If it serves us,
Double 1t expects to gain.
Mise1s hoard up golden treasures;
Others to ambition bend;
Each at something striving, grasping,
Needless Of their certain end.
In the BRIDE now nt the altar,
In her robes Of virgin white;
She, In words Of solemn meaning,
Vows of lore and truth doth plight,
Early hope SO fondly cherished
In that hour seams Ill fulfilled:
fet, could she the future gaze on,
Soul and feeling would b. chilled.
Like tho flowers In spring-time, blowing,
Summer sees them faded lie;
They set forth fair example,
Bloom today, tomorrow dio.r
Next behold funeral passing;
Ask who is tho victim now;
Last years. brlde,-.ho cypress mingled
In the blossoms On her brow.
Look upon that baby-cherub
Smiling in mothers face:
She with lifelong love il Watching
Every w1tehing, dawning grace;
Boon, alas! tlr 20 lips grow liyid,
Cheeks have lost their rosy hue,
Eyes have lost their laughing brightness,
Death hath stolen that swee. bud too;
Mothers heart is wildly throbbin3,
Throbbing with d yearning p=in,
For the little bird Of passage"
Gone meier to return again.
Tho long 5ears. with ienRtheped shadow.
Pass, q bitter fruit they'll bear, -
Vacant zeat and missing footsteps
Pattering down the nursery-stair.
Death alone We can but count on;
See, It thoTers by our door;
at its portals we are standing:
One brief struggle-all is Ger.
Then before US, panoramic,
5pectre-lke, come forms aghast,
Shaped in all the faults and follies
OF stern recording past
And there ia an eye that catches,
In one scrutin1zing look,
Years misspeut, without 4 harvest,
Like some foul, ill-written look
All our thoughts, and wortlg, and actiOng,
There are viewed with e:rnestnesa;
Covering at tho Throne Of Justice,
N'e can offer no redress.
Let us, then, with hearts unEul1ied,
Conscience clear, look up to God;
Patient, bear with wrong aud tnsu1t,-
Tread the steps the 5aTior trod.
We could scatter Joy around us,
Sweet as dew upon the rCsc;
Heal the heart In sorrow lniuG,
Dry the tear Of grief that flows
Words Of kindness, gently uttered,
TEEN with hope, lke Eoah's dove,
And, for erring sinful norta1s,
Gid poth to Heaven above
Earth might be one scene Of sunshine
ora - mi f1H 2if Yt0 t.tr 1{xh&
Crystal atreana are murmuriuR music
Flowers are blooming, Akie8 arc bright:
Look into the glorious starlight
Peaceful srniles the vault Of Heaven;
Every knee should bend to worship
Him who thus such gifts hath given.
Wander forth into the meadow;
Take the tiniest Aoweret there,
Look at Its minute perfection,
God hath formed its petals fair.
Fair and spotless as that f1o1eret
He created every beart,
But in some unGu2rded moment,
Sin hath claimed the better part.
There the seed hath grown aud douri7hed
Into ains Of darkest dye,
To come forth deadly harvest
When tho hour Of death is nigh,
0h | the bright, the blissful futuro
In that realm beyond the skesi
Oh /! the happy, blest reunion
With the loved we'll realize,
Z We gently boW,-not ,nurmur;
Bear the cross and win the crown -
Trend with footstsp firm, unahr1ndng,.
Every petty grievance down;
Z we'll only lore each other,
And temptation ever fly,
Is it Is for man appointed,
Once, and ouly once, to lie.
1harity and truth but strdy:
Faults In others meekly cbide:
Ioly angels then will steer us
Safely to the other side.
4 STREET, CHICAGO. DA1sy