The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-15
The Closing Scene.


The following il pronounced by the Westmin
ster RerIe10 to be unquestiOnably the fnes
American poetry ever written
Within the sober realm of Ieafass trees.
The russet year inhaled the creamy air;
Like soue tanned reaper, in his hour of ease.
When an the hskis are lying brown and bare
The gay barns booking from their hazy hills
O'-r the dim waters Wiisning in The vaIesi
sent down the air greeting % the mills
On the dun thunder Of alternate hlfs.
All sights msIloEed and all sound. subdaed
The hills seemed further AMI The streams NJ low
A. in dream the distant Eoodman hewed
Ills wiater log with many a mafIed blow.
The embaitied brests, ers~hfe armed with gold,
Their banners bright with many martial hue,
Now stood lie some sad, beaten host Of old
Withdrawn afar IN tines remotezt blue.
On ,lImb'rous wings the vulture tried his Night;
The dove scarce heard bis sghing mates complaint
And, Ike slow drowning Ia the light
The village church v.ne seemed 70 pale and faint
The sentinel eoek upon the hillside Crew
Crew thriee-and all stiIler than before;
Silent, tH some replying warden blew
His alien horn, and then was heard
Where the jay, within the eIa's tail crest,
Made glrruioas trouble round her unhsdsed young
And where the orioIs hung her swaying nest,
ny every light wind Ike a swung
Where sang the noisy martins Of the caves,
Ths busy swallows eirrIiug ever near
FoFeboding, the rustic mind believes,
An early harvest and a pleuteous year.
whsre every bird that vsaked the vernaI feast
Shook the sIumber from its wings morn,
To the reaper Of the rosy east.
All now was sonsess, empty and foriorn.
Alone, from out the stubbIe. pIped the quail,
And croaksd the crow through all the dreaTy gioomi
Aloue, the pleasant, drumming In the vale.
Made echo in the distance to the cottage IOOm-
There Was nc bud no bloom upon the bowers,
The spiders their thin shrouds night by night
The thistle down, the Ouiy ghost Of flowers,
saiiei slowly by-Passed nOiseIess out Of sight.
Anil all this-Ia this most dreary air,
And where the wOodbins shed upon The porch
Its crimson ieaves. Il the year stood there,
Firing the door with its inverted torehi
Amid all this. The center Of the scene,
The white-hAired matron with monotOnous tread,
Piled the swim wheel ane with her JoyIess mien
sat ike hate and watched the flying thread.
shs known lie had walked with her,
of supped and broke with her the ashen crust,
And In the dead leaves stIl she heard the stir
OF his black mantle trailing in the dust
While yet her cheek was bright with summer bloom,
Her country summoned, and she gave her all;
twice bowed her his sable plume
Re-save the sword 70 rust upon the wall
Re gave the svyoEd, Tat not the hand thar drew
And struck for liberty the dying bow
Nor him. who. TO bis and country true,
Fell mid the ranks Of the invading Doe.
Long, but loud, the droning wheel on.
Like W q hive nooui
Long, but oui, the memory Of the gone
BreaIhsd through her Hps sad ard tEsmulOus tune.
A. last the thread snapped, her head was bowed
Lif. dropped The distlf through her hands serene;
aud loving neighbors smoothed her careful ahroud,
While death and winter closed the autumn scene.