Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-12-18
THE IRON GATE.

Read by oliver Wenueil boimes MI VI ca Niaos
given in honor OF the seven,ieth anniversary Oh
his b!rtN.
Where ia tn.q patriarch you are kindly greetlng7
Not unfamiliar To nay ear his name,
Nor yet unknswn to many JOYOUS meeting
In days long vanished-is rs still the same,
Or changed by years. forgotten and forgetting, ;,
Dpll-eared, dim-sighted, slow OF speech ana
s!ul DER the sad degenerate, present fretting,
Where all goes wrong aad nothing as 1t ought7
Old age, the gray beard--wen indeed know him,
SHRINK, lettering, bent, OF aches and Ills the
In sermon, story, fable, picture, poem
Oft have met him from my earliest day.
In my old E,op, toiling with ha bundle,
His load OF sticks, politely asking death
Who comes when called foc--would he lug or trun-
His fagot for him2 lie was scant OF BREATH
And sad a." EeolesisGtes, or the preacher"
Has ne not stamped the image on nay soul
In that last chapter, where the WORKOUT teacher
signs DER the loosened cord-the broken bowl7
Yes, long indeed L We known him at distance,
And now nay lifted door latch shows him here;
take his ehriveied hand without resistance,
And find him smiling "a his step draws near.
What though u gilded baubles he bereaves US,
Dear TO the heart of youth, 70 manhood's prime
Think OF the calm he brings the wealth he leaves
The bearded spols, the legaoies OF time.
Affairs once flaming, stil with incense fragrant,
Passions uneasy nurslicgs rocked asleep;
Hopes anchor fsster, Wild desire less vagraDt,
Lie's dow less noisy, bat the stream-how deep
Still, rs the silver cord gets worn and slender,
Itslightned tssk-work tugs with lessening strain,
Hands get more hopeful, voices grow more tender
boothe with their s9ftened tones the siumbrous
brain.
Youth longs and Manhood strives, but Age remem-
Sits by the raked-up ashes of the past;
Spreads its thin hanIs above the whitening embers
That warm It's creeping life blood till the last.
Dear to his heart is every loving token
That comes unbiddeu ere lis oolse grows cold
Ere the last ingering ties of life are broken,
Its laborB ended and HISTORY told.
Ali when around us rosy youth rejooes,
For us the sOrrow-laden breezes sigh,
And through the chorus Of its iocund voices
Throbs the sharp note OF Misery's hopeless cry
An on the gauzy wings OF fancy, flying
From same far orb / track watery sphere
Home of the struggling, suffering, doubling,
The silvered globule seems glisteniug tear.
But nature lends her mirror of Illusion
To win from saddenins scenes our age-dmmed
eyes,
And misty day dreams blend in sweet confusion
To wintery landscapes aud the summer skies.
60 when the iron portal shuts behind us
And lifs loTgets us ia its noise and whirl,
Visions that Stunned the glsring MONDAY find Us,
And gIimmering starlight strews the gates Of
pearl.
come not here your morning hour to sadden
A iimpng pilgrim leaning ON his staff
/ who have never deemed il ain to gladden.
The vale of sorrow with u wholesome laugh.
II word Of mine auothers geom has frightened,
Tnrolgp my dumb lips the heaven-sent message
came,
If hand OF mine another's task has Hghtened,
IL felt the guidance that Il dares not claim.
But oh my gentle sisters- OIL my brothers,
Thosa thick-sovn snowhakas hint of tols release;
These feeble pulses hid me leava TO Others ..
The tasks once misunderstanding asks for
peace.
Time claims his tribute; silence now is golden;
Let me net vex the toe long suffering Tyre
Though 10 vour love untiriug still Deholden,
Tho curie Y tells nie-covef up the fire.
And now with grateful smile and accents cheerful,
And warmer heart than lock or word can tell,
In simpiest phrasethe5e traitrous eyes are
fearful
Thanks--brothers, Sisters chlldr rem and farewell