Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-01-08
CARRIERys ADDRESS.


Come gentle muse and with thy harp Of gold,
Touch thy sweetest strains on this happy day,
Ere waking beauty peeps meath curtains fold,
And the morning shadows doth fade away
Aurora cometh. and scattering her roses,
The glowing Earth receives them with smile:
The gate of pearl in the orient Closes
And music is heard like an echo the while.
Oh merry morn how beautiful thou art
AS now. and in the past we ook'd to theei
A thousand memories rise from the heart,
And make this hour JOY unto me.
In ehildhood's days hoy well We remember.
The longing we had for the Christmas time
The visions Of pleasure in old December;
The play and the ride. and the sleigh bells chime.
The Christmas tree with its candy and toys
Aud the mistetoe bongh which hung near the door;
And musc's sweet voice, and the dancers joys
As round and around they turnd on the hoor.
The story that grandam in corner would tell,
About witches who rode on broomstlcks at night
And elves and fairies with trumpet and bell,
Who played on the green when the moon shone bright
How oft they came to the maidens in dreams,
On Christmas eve, and would show them their love;
How sylphs would glide on the sllvery beams
of the moon, from the starry realms above.
When crandam was young how her sweetheart told
His love in words that charmed her to hear;
How handsome he was; and had lands and gold
fortune at least ten thousand year.
But he was a slave to the ruby wine,
And was inconstant and tickle and vain
willing worshipper at Folly shrine;
And lost TO all that was noble to gam
Then raising the specs she had on her brow,
We noticed tear her eye remain;
And thought, dear grandam, if he were here now
This lost love of thine would seek thee again
For thou vert still beautiful: In thy face
Time set but few marks OF advancing years
Thine maiden loneliness we yet could trace
In thy form, thy smiles and thy deWy tears
Oh Christmas times how fondly we greet thee!
For memory wings us back to the days
Of happy childhood when we would meet thee,
In the food tide of our innocent ways:
Labor and toll did not then Cypress us;
Our pathway ahead was strewn with hi sweet flowers
Those whom we loved were ready to bless us.
And Hope led to her Eden bowers
AS wears roll on let us seek for the gem
Of sweet contentment this boon we snoulo crave
IT'S the centre stone in Life diadem-
And points to happiness beyond the grave
Arc,nd the hearthstone it regneth as Queen:
In it we shall find the sum Of all bliss
We have our desires-and nothing Is seen
Beyond covet, in world above or TINS.
Let ms be dong-acting we'll part;
The noblest aim of mankind here below
Is to give cheer to the desOiate neart,
And on the needy our charities bestoW
Well give thee joyous greeting glad ne new year
Come with rosy smiles as thou dds t OF yore-
Youth and maidens will ever hold thee dear,
And all receive thee as we have before
And now adieu kind patrons, till again
Another year is numbered with the pastl
Then let us hope to greet you in a strain,
That will, at least, be welcomed as the 4aS''
And we will watch, as time doth speed his hight
Mid scenes changing IN life chequered way
And pray to see a brighter dawnng light
Spread its royal mantle in beauteous array
Tllumne the heart-and in her own glory
Nav TRUTH majestic arise like the sum-
And from the mountain tops, gray ana noary'
Proclaim to the world, her missions begun
Peace and good will to all mankind to be
New hopes and joys laid up Tor us IN store;
And future natal days glores shall see,
And heaven smile upon us forever more
Then will the days elysan be here,
And one great brotherhood for man to know:
These happy Christmas times last all the year,
And love ever reign in the world below