The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-01-08
NEW SERIES.
Iiferary.
..Onc Of the Roys.,,


Lower the curtains, Jack, softly,
And light up the chandelier;
STIR up the fire, there, lightly,
Now draw to my bedside here.
I've something to say at parting
The shadows are stealing nigh,
So bow your head while / whisper,
And list to me ere die.
Prop up the pillows, Jack, gently,
Then give me your hand in mine,
No chink of glittering glasses,
No flowing of amber wine;
I'ye got few words to say, lad,
Bout the time we tive have seen.
When, filing the crystal goblets,
We drank to woman, or queen.
All, many night, old fellow.
As the time flew swiftly along,
We've flooded the air with laughter,
- And filed The hours with song.
We've pledged our friends and our sweet
hearts,
We've drank to our true loves ewes,
To the bine, the black, and the hazle
TIL stars faded fron the skies.
We two have roamed home together
Full many morn, my lad,
Shouting the echoing chorus,
Registering, reckless and glad.
We've tasted life's sweets together,
We've drank at its springs of joy,
But. Jack, the curtain is falling,
Pm dying tonight, my boy.
| lived while lived for pleasure,
filled my cup to the brim,
Nor thought of the solemn shadows,
The specters and phantoms grim
That waited beyond my vision,
That cluster around me now,
That touch with their sable pinious
NY aching and fevered brow.
Fer true TO the ties that bound US,
Old friend, you alone are here,
OF all who joined us in revel
To watch mid the shadows drear.
Beyond gay voices are ringing,
Aud eyes CLEAN Joyous and bright;
Sav, Jack, do they know Pm diving
Here in my chamber tonight?
As freely the red wine bubbles
And foams in the crystal glass,
Do they give thought | wonder, -
To Inc as the hours pass;
Do thev think mid sparkling bumpers
OF old Bourbon and old Rye,
That Pm lying in the shadow,
Do they toast me as die?
Will they miss me at the banquet,
Will they miss me, think yUu, Jack?
And upon the old times faded
Will their ewes look kindly back?
will they think of when we gathered
In The moonlight on the hills,
Drinking red wine and cl;awba,
Careless. thoughtless OF life's ills.
All, WELL twas heeting pleasure,
The wine and the laughing eyes,
The blue, the black, and the haze
Where the Turing love lights rise:
For you, old chnm, tbev are waiting,
From me they have flown away,
The night. on the cleaning hilltops
Have gone from my life for aye!
I've been thinking, Jack, old fellow,
Tint my days have gone to waste,
That my revels and carousings
Were the fruits OF ptnipered taste.
Through all the years that have faded
| never haye known care, r
And now as the death gloom gathers,
can't remember prayer.
lve been nursing the hollow beantiss,
I've cherished the fieeting joys,
Ny life has been spent in seeking
A bills. that burdens and cloys.
Past honors seem strangely barren
OF good in my clouded sight,
lnd, Jack, the future looks misty
Aud dark as die, to Eight.
Remember, sometimes, cid fellow,
Oar friendship when | am dead,
When the bright hued birds of summer,
Sing sweetly above my head.
You'll think of our days together,
or rollcklng times now past,
But, Jack, don't 'tle" to their glamour,
lis shadows fall round at last.
Prop up the pillows. Jack, gently,
Then give me yonr hand in mine,
No chink of glittering glasses,
No flowing OF amber wine;
We've tasted life's sweets together,
We've drank at its springs of joy;
But, Jack, the curtain is falling,
I'm dying, o-night, my boy.