The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-01-11
THE SEEKING or THE WAFER
FALL.


~ JOHN @. WHITTIER.
They left their hom, OF summer ease
Beneath the lowlands shelterine breeze,
To seek. b. ways unknown to all.
The promise Of the waterfall.
Some vague faint rumor 20 the vale
Had ercpf-perchance "a hunters tale
OF It's Wild mirth Of waterslost
On the dark woods through which II tossed
somewhere 4 laughed and sang; somcwhcr
Whirlcd IN mad dance its rnisty hair;
Hat who had raised its veil, or seen
The rainbow skirts of that undineg
They sought Il where the mountain brook
It, swift way 90 the valley took:
Along the rugged slope they clomb,
Their guide thread Of sound and foam.
Height after height they slowly won;
The fery layelins Of the sun
smots the bare ledge; the tangled shade
WIN rock ana vine their steps delayeds
But. through leaf openings. now and then
Iney saw the cheerful homes of men.
Ana 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 where the shadows deepest fell
The wood-thrnsh rang his silver bell.
bringing the stream, az every turn
swung low the waving fronds Of fern
From stony cleft and messy sod
fale asters sprang, and golden rod.
And still the water sang the sweet
Glad song that stirred its gliding feet
And found in rock and root the keys
~ ns 0sguiiing melodies.
Beyond, above. its signals new
81 tossing foam the birch trees through;
Now seen, now lost, but bathing still
The weary seekers slac<cnlng will.
Each called 20 each; " 10 here, 10 there
it, white scarf flutters in the airi'
They climbed anew; the vision fed.
To beckon higher overhead.
so tocd 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:
Above the tall peaks saw the sun
sink, beam shorn, 20 It's misty set
Behind the hills of violet.
4 Here ends our quest,' the seekers cried.
: The brook and rumor both have lied
The phantom OF a waterfall
Has led NJ at it, beck and call"
But one, with years grown wiser. said:
so, always haffled. not miSlcd
We follow where before a. runs
The vision Of the shining ones
TS mn y wherr i they seem their signals fly.
We can not keep. however fleet.
The quick time Of their winged feet
Prom youth to age unrcsting stray
These kindly Knockers IN our way:
Yet lead they not the baifilIg elves,
TO something better than themselves?
: Here though unreached the goal we sought
Us own reward our toll has brought:
Inc winding waters sounding rush,
Tie long note Of the hermit thrush
THE turquoise lakes, the glimpse of pond
And river track, and. vast. beyond
Broad meadows beted round with pines
The grand uplift Of mountain lincsf
what .iatter though we seek with pain
The garden 81 tie gods i'm vain,
III lured thereby we climb 70 greet
some wayside blossom Eden-sweets
10 seek l. better than TO gain.
The fond hope dies as we attain:
Lies fniic-t things are those which seem
The best t. that OF which we dream.
" Then LEI us trust our waterfall
still flashes down its rocky wall.
With rainbow crecent curved across
it, sunlight spray from moss 20 moss
(. And We. foruetful of our pain.
In thought shall seek It oft again;
shall see this aSter blo-soned sod.
This sunshine of the golden rod.
!" And haply gain. through parting boughs,
Grand glinpSes 81 the mountain brows
OF lakes deep set ia valleys green.
80 failure wins; the consequence
OF loss becomes if- rec0mpcnce:
And cyerinofc the end shall tell
The unreachcd ideal guided well.
4 Our sweet Illusions only die
Fulfilling loves pure prophecy:
And every wish for better things
An undreamcd beauty nearer brings.
:" For fate Is -ervftor OF love-
Desire and hope and longing prove
The secret OF immortal youth,
And 2atnre cheats us into truth.
!. kind allurcrs, wisely sent,
Beguiling with benign intent,
still Drse uS through divine unrest.
10 seek the loyclicst and the best
4 Erc long the Hitting glimpse Of good
shall rest ~ full beautitu,ht
And more than all 10 cart denied
shall greet N on the other eidcs
-dHanfsc for january