Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-04-01
The Home Circle.
For the Waterman.
THOUGHTS or A sEPTUAGENARIAN.


For the Waterman.
THOUGHTS or A sEPTUAGENARIAN.
The days OF our years are three score years and ton
PSALM &c.
Three score and ten three score and ten
Lies primal morn,--its setting suns
How short the space from now % thcnl
How fast the clrcling year, roll on
To-day stand beside the goal
That bounds the term assigned 10 man
How few remaining Of the Whole
That saw the day when mine began
backward ! turn my searching sight
Along the path used TO go
catch the distant mountain height
But cannot sec the wales below.
Am awaking from dream
A dream that shah soon iorgetl
Are things not real as they seem,
But shadows that around me hiti
Three score and ten three srore and ten
ilfcs primal morn-its setting sun
How long the space from nov % theni
How many years their course have run
Unmlndful Of the things that are,
Forgetting those Of yesterday,
! look away TO scenes aiar,
To manh0od's toll and childhood's play.
Things distant can best recall,
For these have strong Impressions made,
Things urnr-l soon luiGtt iutiu all
SO quickly their impressions fade
But as count them one by one,
And llfe's extended path survey,
The marked cvonts-ifcnds, pleas ures, zone
The sum grows large long seems the way
Yes. life Is short, and life is long.
The years move fast, the years move slow
A. objects fade and memories hrong,
Aud joys and sorrows come aud go.
All Is but seeming Childhood'sd day
l. longer than week 10 mant
The months come round nnd pass away,
And life 10 narrowed 20 span.
Time aies In every gladstone hour,
And nothing can H. O ght restrain,
But yields 20 stern misi0ftunc's power
And fingers In the hours Of pain.
Three score and tou-three score and ten
How often less, how seldom more
wait my time, not anxious when
This troubled dream Of life is DER,
And one f. sitting by my side,
Who joined me on my pilgrim road
Received me for friend and guide,
And helped to bear LIES weary load
Through storm and calm, and shade and shine,
Through woes and Joys and hopes and fears F,
In LIES high noon aud Us decline
We've journeyed on through all these years.
And Others came-one two, three, four
In Gods own time, TO cheer and bless
We did not ask for blessings more
God has not made the numbefless.
Three score and ten-three score and ten
Lies primal morn-its setting sun
The hour Of death-nO matter when,
Provided that LIES work is done
They call me od-they call me old;
My scanty locks arc gray and thin,
Timid the step that once was bold,
And weak the arm that once could win.
Yes am old-besdc the child
Whose race but yesterday began,
And who, by hatterng hopes beguiled,
Looks forward 10 the age Of man.
But 10 the Angel who shall stand
Md desolaton's wild uproar,
One foot on sea and one on land,
And swear that time shall be no more;
And unto Him across the food,
Who walks the shining streets OF gold
Within the city Of our God,
| am not odd am not old.
The longest life, three score aud ten,
Or four score years, II more be given
l. but a moment, now, or then
There's no one Old Or young, IN heausn
A. D. WugELE
Topsham, Maine, Dec. 10, 1873