The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-01-29
by Rsquest.l
WHISKEY DID TT.

Truth, ana wisdom that know
Hosts Of ages long forgotten,
Ghosts Of sages dead and rotten,
Seem to como from out the night air,
Through my easement like nightmare.
Seem to beckon mo to follow as they 50
Out there through tbs misty moonlight.
Past the infinite and finite,
Far away beyond the mountains cap'd with snow.
Now the wind ganst wall and casemen:
Rocks the house from roof to basement,
Every rafter, beam and batten seems to groan
Like to some unsettled spirit making moan.
Swirls7the mingled rain and snow fakes,
Driving 'gainst each chequered pane,
Like to some fantastic demon Of the gloon,
Or q foul Embossed tenant Of the tomb
Seeking burglar-like to break into the room.
Sudden flashes forth the lightning,
Though It's foul and dread November
Night that shall not be forgotten very seon
All the dome Of Heaven uplighting,
And the Utmost soul afrighting,
With livid CLEAN more vivid than midsummer's
s,:n ct noon,
With CHASTITY light more li7id than has ever
shone the moon.
Crashing bursts the awful thunder,
Heavens high arch seems rent asuader.
Rambling, rolling, with rattle
Louder than the din of battle,
When . thousand silly, noisy cannon boom:
Seems the granite rocks are rent up,
All the powers volcanic pent up.
Are conspiring to inaugarate the dirsful day Of
doom,
Prematurely forth from out earth's hidden womb.
Though the storm wrack RACES high,
Through tho FACILITATING sky.
Hark! ! hear wretched cry
A weired, sad, despairing sigh,
As Of soul in mortal agony:
Cry so dread and nothing caring
Nothing caring, mad, despairing
Scarcely can deem it human,
Or whether it Of man or woman.
Cursing Heaven with words unholy,
Blasphemously, melancholy,
Sad words of supremest folly,
Issuing from the dark old church yard
Comes the cry from earthward, upward,
Where the weeds grow lank and tall,
Where the emerald grassy pail,
Covers DER crimes and all the christian virtues
great and small;
Where the lying tombstonas tell,
Standing as 'twi1t Heaven and He'll,
That wife or mother dear
| ssLamented lies inferred here"
A father, sister. or q brother,
Or it may be any ether
Where the ugly monuments,
| Destitute Of taste, anonymously placed,
| With many spike and bar PLACID round
| Cumber the consecrated ground,
| Seeming to say, stand OF, We ara
Select, elect, PECULIAR
Where che falling Elm leaves shed
Their russell covering DER the dead
| And rustling in the wintry blast
Tell Of another sumnerpast.
Though tho tempest still is roaring
| And tie rain in torrents pouring,
With a lantern feeble light
Out sally thro' the thick and nurky night.
Soon I reach the ehurchyard gate,
But outside am forced to wait,
| Say like one Of the unwise seven,
Or soul shut out from Heaven.
| Clsmbering DER tho wall and coping
| Midst dank graves and gravestones cropping,
Der g dead mans skull l stumble,
! Pitching forward, down tumble
Midst charnel heap Of bones,
Thrown out like many stones;
Well nigh fell in grave
Yawning open to receive
Another corpse which on the morrow
rMidst real or simulated :orrow)
Four fathom deep shall there be laid
Down in its dark and narrow bed.
Beside the stiff, stark, clammy dead.
Is that the owl boots from her bower
High in yon ivied Old church tower!
Was that the dismal ravens croak!
Or was it ghost goblin spoke?
By the pale moons scintillations
AS the dark clouds past her fly,
Through the mists and exhalations
Naught that's mortal descry,
Still hear tn unearthly cry.
Fancy eaken carved porch
By the lancet window'd aisle,
Oldest o. the ancient pile,
, To the chancel richly wrought,
Covered with Medieval thought
And it's tracery rich and light,
With many q stored pane indite.
Glistening in the pale moonlight,
The offering of some ancient Knight,
I Beneath his monument who lies
e Waiting the summons to arise.
Pondering thus Of ancient days
And wondering some at modern ways
Beings of Ed spectral train,
Phantom-like fash across nay brain.
Yet by that cry SO dread still haunted.
j. Press forward nothing daunted
: When suddenly sight 80 fearful,
u AS dam'd mine eyes for sorrow fearful.
. Shocking my gaze, and made my spirit MOI
than sad
:. Low on wet and cold grave lying
!, Mourning folorn, despairing, crying.
- Lay form of mortal mold
Ghastly pale and icy cold
A woman ) oung and fair lay there
!. So sadly sunk, for shspy frisnds vas very, vi