The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-09-06

last Commencement OF Notre Dame, Maryland.
Hush nearest thou not 50 far and sweet,
AS faint us the tread Of mOOnheam feet,
So soft and clear, like hOwer-bell chimes,
| COmeth the echo of old, old times,
Pealing, stealing along.
WOuld'st thou hear what the wailing echoes say,
| Singing soft OF by gone day?
| OF flowers that blOomed In the golden yOre,
| OF birds that sang, but Will sing no more?
| WOuld'sl thou list to the echoes song2
| Then take my heart from my breast to-day,
And hear the song that the echoes play;
| They are voices that fitfuly rise and swell,
And my soul responds farewell farewell
| over the waters, foam waves white,
C0meth the sound Of laughter light,
And my spirit, borne on echoes wings,
Imneth back TO the dead, dead things
OF my childhuOds vanished hours.
| Five barks rest where the lilies lie
| Five stars thrOb out in the quiet sky.
| Angels OF light from thy far of land,
| Watt them safe from the tOwcr-starred strand,
Temper the winds IN the midnight hour,
Starlight life boats are in thy power;
| Gaily they dance DER the blue waves bright.
| The watsrs leap up to the golden light.
| Hark from the shore the wild birds sing,
| On soft wings horne cOmeth the spring;
| The magic of childhood hallows each brow,
| But the key-tOnes OF life are silent now,
| And aIar afar In watching walt,
| The faces Of angels at Heavens gate
| While echoes waited on Zephyr's sigh
| Flieth on with the song OF the long gone by.
| Softer and saddCr the echoes grow
Sobbeth and soundeth with untold woe,
| For alas the dark wing of sorrow hath shrouded
| The sky that no cloud hath ever O'erclOuded
The wild ring Of music has gone from our mirth,
| But music diyiner from soul notes hath birth;
For till sadness has breathed DER the chords Of on
lie,
The notes will e'er give forth whisper of STRIFE
| Sadly we look to our chidhood's hours,
| To the laughing waves and blushing flowers.
All! echoes, echoes, why need we fly
| From the land where the golden sunbeams lie?
oil nj phi 70
Withered the flowers and flown the Morn.
Peace siren voices, be still be still
We must tarry lis not the will
OF the mighty one.
Tempt not Come echOng thoughts Of those
Who have guided lis here to our girlhOOds close
Those who have sailed DER the waters far,
As pure and true as some lone bright star.
We bless thee, for beauty within thee dwelling,
spring Of pure life eternally yelling,
Never to fade while the blue heavens last,
And echo sings soft from the dead, dead past.
But will all these days with the bright and true
Fade from our lives like the rainbows hue?
VIII nought but the voice of echo tell
OF those we have known and have loved so well?
Surely, while sailing DER life's great main,
Our barks will return to these haunts again;
We will look i'll the eyes, we will clasp the hand,
That has taught us to steer for the sunset land
But the voices whisper it o'er and Ger,
"ThOu art gone for aye, thou'lt return no more"
Oh, say not so to my sad heart sore!
Thou sayst not so when the summer is Ger
When the passionate wall of the night birds lay
Has died from the evenings breath away;
When the golden and purple sunsets past,
And the How rs bend meath the mighty blast
The swallow that flies from the wlntry breeze
To summer skies and southern seas,
Will return from the land Of the date and palm
When the skies grow bright and the wild soas calm,
The breath OF spring will call back the flowers
To look up to Heaven in summer hours
The leaves will grow green meath the kiss OF the
sun,
The clouds glow at eve az they once have done,
A M no itpl1 that tl,,Ng fha
Will return again with the starry hours;
But we may sail o'er lfes great main
And the freshness Of childhood return not again.
All we have jOurneyed DER Grlhoods days,
Have reached the brink where ripping plays,
The tide Of our womanhOod's coming years,
With its lights and clouds, its joys and tears;
And now while the voices OF echoes swell
We must taste of lies sorrOw the hearts farewell
II then the span of our life is o'er
We guide our bnrks to yOn far-ot shOro
May the echoes wait from that distant strand,
strain from our soul hrrps DER sea and land;
To the Father who's guided each wand'ring soul,
Like the shepherd who told the loved story OF old.
May the voices whisper from the far-of strand
'Be thy life as bright as thy soul is grand"
Let thy blessings fall ere the shades in the West,
And our barks will go forth DER the seas at rest
Hear! how the winds in the sails are signing!
From the home of our childhood we're swiftly
flying.
FAREWELL dear Mother, while our hearts shall beat
We will hear thy voice mid the echoes sweet;
Thy gentle words and thy holy air
viii come DER our lives like some soft breathed
PRAYER
Thou hast been where the breakers and wild storms
dwell,
Thou hast guided the bark through them safely and
WE'LL
Yon star that looks down from its throne Oh high
Sees thy life as pure as Won fIeckIess skv;
But we hoist our sails for an unknown sen
God grant we may triumph nj last like thee
Bear with me while | check the unbidden tears
The namelesl doubts, the vague dark fears
4 St no tpllS ~ w ISf