The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-10-30
TaE OLD s-EEelNG ROOM.


r.
come. a pilgrim wan and worn,
T2acE to the boIRe where L was bonn
softly tread to-day
Nv heart bears, as IA molly thIngb
The mauy me morles bring
From llfe's long, weary way
Familiar are these stairs indeed,
Which to the second story lead
How natural to me!
Just as OF old do declare
The knot-hoIe in the wash-board thei .
TIis open stiu-just see
Nine steus-I need not count them through
IL lay you what you Will, Ills 50;
The short flight there has four.
This hanf-rail on the entry-sldeI
What sport for boys adowll to side'
As we-were wont OF yore
The window, at the head, is seen,
Venetian shutters, painted Sreeh'
And they are closed up stlil
The ghostly light of evening fans
So pale irlr0n the stars and walls,
feel a tlulid chill!
Half smiling now, and now half sad
Hail Weeping now, and now Eaf glad,
Do ascend the stairs
I reach the tup--I touch the door
1t opens as II dld ot yore-
Gidslf unaE:ares
The dear old room how many night,
From evening hour til morning light,
Here, child and boy, slept
There, IN tina. corner, STOOD my oea-
Here was the foot, and there the Eead!
All this my memory kept
How sweet our childhood sleep appears;
one rests nSt so in after years
All this too well know
Life nils the anxious heart with cares;
A wakeful head the pillow bears,
And might dull hours move SLOW.
The moon is up. tis full and bright
It pours it's mellow flood of light
Upon the bed and floor;
What moves upon the wall about!
The. shaduvv play of trees without
I've seen that oft before
All. all is still-save but the wall
OF lonely crickets evening tale,
Hid in the wiudow-siu-
1t Is the deach-watch's ghostiy click
wish that worm were still
If there be ghosts-ah. who can tell?
This I4sce this hour, would suit them well
Perhaps some may be near.
] see naught with my eyes that's real
Yet, il my spirit4 sense, feel
As If they might be here
They have no forms, but come as powers,
Aud give me pleasing pain;
They mirror to my heart the plays,
OF al my early EAicyon Gays,
Which caInot cuIEe again
Angels are here, so pure and rare,
They pay upon the NEON beams thefe,
Tuey glide al ~ tbe wall
BaC1- to this ark, ike Noah's dove,
They bring ts-Ir sprig- OF peace and love
1 hail their friendly call.
These spirits guard rs OFT ways,
Sc nl9tAer's Holy Bible says
And L-be,leve IL tao,
Have We the - Oar Father said,
They watch that night around our bed,
Most certainly they do
This did our mother often tel;
We children ali believed It Wei,
Aud did AZ We were told.
You don't believe? your wlSer--yout
Than mother an j the Bible too?
Such folly makes yau bold
For NE this faith wrought ike charm;
1 slept quite free from fear or harm,
In peace till morning light.
I hold it still will believe,
That they who praS this prayer receive
An angel-guard at night.
I've often wished 1 were again
a child, as innocent as then
But That can never be;
So I VIII keep, as best cam
The life OF childhood in the mar
The chiIsl-l-ke nurse IN me.
But, see, higs up has gone the moon
How long I've wandered here alone
lis time for me TO leave.
Cfood-by, my little room, good-by-
Hold there is something in my eye!
This parting makes me grieve!