The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-12-27
THE SEEKING OF THE WATER
FALL.
By JOHN G. WHITTIER

They left their homes of summer ease
beneath the lowland's sheftering trees,
To seek By ways unknown to ali,
The promise Of the waterfall.
Some vague. faint rumor to the vale
Had crept-perchance . hunters tale
of its wild mirth of waters lost
ON the dark woods through which II tossed
Somewhere it laughed aud sang; somewhere
Wharled in mad dance its misty hair
But who had raised its veil, or seen
The rainbow skirts Of that DRGlneE
They sought il where the mountain brook
Its swift way 10 the valley took;
Along the rugged slope they clomb,
Their guide q thread OF sound and foam.
Height after height they slowly won;
The fiery javelins of the sun
Smote the bare ledge; the tangled shade
With rock and vine their steps delayed.
But, through Ieaf-openiDgs, now and then
They "a the cheerful homes OF men,
And the great mountains with their wall
OF misty purple girdling all.
The leaves through which the glad winds blew
SHARED the wild dance the waters knew;
And whore the shadows deepest fell
The wood-thrush rang mis- silver bell.
bringing the stream at every turn
Swung low the waving fronds OF fern
From stony cleft and messy sod
Pale asters sprang, and goldeu-rod
Aud still the water sang the sweet,
Glad song that stirred its gliding feet,
And found in rock and root the keys
of its beguiling melodies.
Beyond, above, its signals few
OF tossing foam the birch-trees through;
Now seen, now lost, but battling still
The weary seekers slackening will.
Each called to each "Lo herel 10 therei
It's white scarf fiutters in the air ~
They climbed anew the vision fed,
To bockon higher overhead.
80 tDiled they up the mountain slope
With faint and ever fainter hope;
With faint and fainter voice the brook
Still babe them listen pause, and look.
Meanwhile below the day was done;
A bOve the tall peaks saw the
Sink, beam-shorn, to its misty set
Behind the hills OF violet
Here ends our quest % the seekers cried,
The brook and rumor both have lied,
The phantom of a waterfall
ia. led as at its beck ami CALI
But one, with years grown wiser said:
. So, always bsied, not misled
We follow where before US runs
The vision of the shining ones.
Not where they seem their signals fly,
Their voices while we listen die;
We cannot keep, however feet,
The quick time OF their winged feet.
" From youth TO age unresting stray
These kindly Knockers in their way;
\ ct lead they not the battling elves,
To something better than themselves
" Here, though unreached the goal we sought,
It's own reward our toll has brought:
The winding waters sounding rush,
The long note Of the hermit thrush
:" The turquoise lakes, the glimpse Of pond
And river track, and, vast beyond
broad meadows belted round with pines
Inc grand uplift of mounted lines
What matter though we seek with pain
The garden Of the gods in vain,
II lured thereby we climb to greet
Some wayside blossom Eden sweet?
" To seek is better than to gain,
The fend hope dies we attain;
Lies farest things are those which seem,
The best is that oil which we dream.
Then let us trust our waterfall
Still flashes down its rocky wall,
With rainbow crescent curved across
Its sunlit spray from moss to moss.
"And we forgetful OF our pain,
In thought shall seek il oft again;
Snail see this aster-bloSsomed sod
This sunshine OF the gOlden-rod,
And haply gain, through parting boughs,
Grand glimpses OF great mountain browS
Cloud turbaned, and the sharp steel sheen
OF lakes deep set in the valleys green.
=" So failure wins; the consequence
OF loss becomes its recOmpense;
And evermore the end shall tell
The unreached ideal guided well.
" Our sweet illusions only die
Fulfilling loves sure prophecy;
And every wish for better things
An undreamed beauty nearer brings.
q For fate is servitor of love;
Desire and hope and longing prove
The secret of immortal youth,
And Nature cheats us into truth.
. kind allurers, wisely sent,
Beguiling with benign intent
Still move us, through divine unrest,
To seek the loveliest and the best!
. Ere long tho fitting glimpse of good
Shall rest in in full beatitude;
And more than all 10 earth denied
Shall greet uS on the other side! "
-lHGHfiC