The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-07-05

i'm Pointed out the road TO Heaven, bade me walk tn
y narrow way;
For that way and that way only leads to realms c
Us endless day.
,b Would that had loved her counsel, would that M
young mind had hung,
Ever on the tender warnings falling from her saint
" ed tongue!
But my heart grew wild and stubborn, far beyont
- my youthful years.
/ despised mether's teachings, scorned mother
"a love and tears,
Evil comrades then courted as l older larger grew
ID And my incursed lips full often the red wino-cup
poison knew.
V Oh how oft I've seen my mother weeping bitter
burning tears,
: Der her weak and errring offspring, making dark
her failing years.
y Oft and oft she pleaded with me- and the promises
made,
n Quick were made and quick were brokcn-dccper
down in guilt srayed.
Deeper down in sinful passion, and the cravings
OF the heart,
And in many seer of madness my lost spirit owned
part.
Till at last-ah, Heaven help me-my young hands
were stained in blood
At my feet / stretched comrade weering in
crimson flood
For my soul was crazed with drink, and calm
thought could interpOse,
had dashed him low and bleeding, struggling hard
in deathly throes
Oh, my God! the years have passed me, yet ETBR-
NIFTY shall fail,
From my ears to hush the sounding OF that COM
rades dying wall
In my dreams pve heard it often, in the night time
dark and still;
And my form would quake in terror covered in a
dreadsome chill
When saw his face before me looking up so still
and white,
Swift turned and hurried from him, branded by
the curse Of Cain
But the tidings reached my father ere my feet had
gained the door,
And he drove me coldly from him, bads own
his name no more
All in vain plead for pardon, all in vain sought
for grace;
For he cast me from his presence with an angry
clouded face.
On the scene then came my mother, and when she
had heard it all,
Prone upon the ground she heightened praying for
me in her fall
Oh, the thousand rending horrors of that long and
dismal night,
When struggled through the woodland, longing,
praying for the light!
On and on l struggled madly, and the coming of the
day,
From the scene of my dishonor found me many
miles away.
Then for many years wandered over miles OF sea
and shore,
But the scene left behind me cung around me
Morn or even, noon or night, my two eyes could
trace, i
Visions of murdered comrade with the death mark
his face;
Visions of an angered father standing in the door
way bright; I
and white. r
Then my soul would seek the wine-cup thus to Y Y
drown within its flow,
All the mem'ry of my madness, all the mem'ry of :,
my woe.
Old and gray at last I tottered to the scenes of
youth again, o
rOttered back to find that loved ones all within s.
their graves were lain. G.
For within the church-yard cleaning in the pale n
and glimmering night, II
Stood two gravestones looking ghostly meath the
mOOnbeams' misty light. Z
There beneath one lay my father aud beneath the "
other lay, 81
)alm and still my angel mother-both had long Ia
since passed away. n,
hen knelt me down to read them, and my soul OF
cen now oft starts, u
Is think of the inscriptions written-"DIED on et
BROKEN HEARTS" !"
Witty then the tear-drops triekled down my old an
and wrinkled face, he
nd with hands raised high to Heaven silently l IN
prayed for grace; be
rayed Tor grace to ever after aid me shun the pli
tempters snare; on
ohk anu eaIhesuy WIesucu WIN ule LOIu Ill
humble prayer. thu
Oh
ill at last peace came DER me- came peace from oc
Heaven sent, 10
nd l rose refreshed and strengthened on good pur-
poses intent act
ears have passed since that sad hour in the ~.
ehurchyard drear and still, ,r
ct my vows remain unbroken governed by a aio
heavenly will; ON,
ears have passed. and all my being consecratcd to us
its God, asE
e'er has left the lovy pathway by the blessed 6iu
Master trod. uO'
is over; comrade, listen; when my heart has it
ceased to beat, pol
nd mine eyes have closed forever, never more hay
your eyes to meet, der
" me low within the churchyard where the green ,s;
grass ever grows, the
y me low and let no grave-stone mark the place f
Of my rePose; int,
y me there beside my parents, 50, though here us
we moved apart the
NAV .le.r In sss,b beside them with an easv will
restful heart. We
nd thee nearer comrade nearer for there the YOU
angels wait can
re thee well, my comrade ever, meet-me-up- in G
at Heavens gate! its,
TO Q
A lady friend asks why man uses pro- we
ne language when he hurts himself. and
,at's easy enough. When he cuts his the
ger. for instance, he naturally tries TO the
m the flow Of blood. Christian in &