San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-08-24
COMPANIONS ON THE ROAD.

Iife's milestones, marking year on year.
Pass ever swifter ~ We near .
The final goal, the silent cnd
To which our iated footsteps tehd'
A year once seemed century,
Now like day II hurries by,
And doubts and fears our hearts opprcss'
And all the WAY IL WEAKNESS
Ali me! how glad and gay we were,
Yonth's sap IN all our veins nstir,
When long ago wfthH spirits niRh'
A happy careless company,
We started forth, when every thing
Wore the green glory oil the sprihg,
And ali tho fair wide world was oars, ID.
To gather as wewould its no"crs' tFF..
Then life almost eternal seemed,
And death II dream SO vaguely. dreamed,
That In the distance scarce IL threw
A cloud. shade on tho mountains blue, III p.
Thnt rose before us soft and fair, IN !
Clothed I'm ideal hues of air, Id.
To which We meant In after.time,
Strong In our manho0d's strength 10 chihp'
How all has changed! Years have gone by,
Aud of that Joyous company
with whom our youth first 1oprneyep on n Z
Love earliest loitcred on tire way, 40
Then turned his face and shipped awsy;Tg
Aud after him with footsteps light n TT
The flclae Graces took Their flight. VI ~
And all the careless Joys that lent .,
Their revelry aud merrinient n H Y t.-
Grew silentcr, and, ere We knew, ..
Had smiled their last and sad "adieu."
Hone faltering then with doubtful mind
Began To turn and look behindSO 10 II RI M
And we, half questioning, werafain ~ 1.
To follow with her back agafn.
hut fate still urged MS on our way
And would not let us pause or stay.
Then TO our side with plaintiye eye, HJ .ylu
In place of Hope came Memory, go
And murmured of the pastapd told -e 20
Dear storicsIof the days of ND, ~ M ,A
Until its very drOsS seemed gold,
And Friendship took the ptace Of Love, a 2
And strOve In vain tOjis t0prove 80
That Love was light and instnc ere g.rr.. .I,
Not worth mans regretful tear
Ali all in vain-grant twas a cheat,
Yet no voice eyerwas 80 sweet iI Y
No presence like to Loves who throw al d
Euchantment over all we knew; 49,
And still we listen with sigh, ID. 81 =, rg. -.-
And back, with fond tears IN tho eye, .
We gaze to catch glimpse AGAIN
OF that dear placc-but all In Vain. i.
Preach not, stern Philosophy! ~ &
SOught we can have, and nOught we see,
VIII ever beso pure, so glad, ,. .r.u ODD
So beautiful rs what we had. ... .
Our steps are sad-our steps are slow
Nothing IL like the long ago, --,r-
Gone Is this keen, intense delight '. D. Cd
The perfume faint and exquisite. .,sg. o.
The glory and the eflluence ~ a
That hal0ed the enraptured sens6s
When Faith and Love were at our side,
And common Life was deifed.
Our shadows that We used to throw f....rI
Behind us, now before us grow; s... .
For once we walked towards the sun, .II, .
But now, Life's full meridian done, ....
They change, and in their chill We move, rH
Further away from Faith ind Love.
A chill IL In the air-nO more s,.,,t ,...
Our thoughts with joyous impulse Soar.
But creep along the level way,
Waiting tho closing of the day. 49, y
The future holds no wOndrous prize .As E.
This side Deaths awful mysteries;
beyond what waits for us who knows?
New Life, or infinite repose?
W W. Story, in Btack,cood.