The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-10-22
POetical.
HON MEWARD BOUND.

our trusty, wc,l-bcloved friend
Was hOmeword bound across the sea,
From lonely sojourn In far lands
lie came TO clasp our clasping hands,
TO bear our welcome sweet;
TO bring his wanderngs to an end
In this dear home with mine and me,
To make my quiet bliss complete.
81 come" he wrote (hls letter lies
Before me in the sunshine fair,
al come with heart content to see
The JOY which God hath given to thee,
My comrade true and tried
fain would see It with mine eyes
fain would hear thy self declare
How deep thine happiness, how Wide.
al come b cause | long to see
The honny English flowers a-bloom,
Because a spirit Of unrest
Doth vex my lately-quet breast
With whispers ia my sleep
OF daisled meadow, breezy lea,
OF April sunshine and perfume,
OF health clad mountains grey and steep,
81 come because the rolling years
lave stilcd the passion Of my youth,
Because the ragged path Of time
Hath led Inc up to heights sublime,
And |, who could not see
Thy first great bliss for binding tears,
say to-day In honest truth
God way was best for thee and me,
81 come to take thine hand, my friend,
To look upon thy sweet wifc's face
TO see thy children fond and fair
To breathe again the blessed air
That famed me at my birth;
Intl beside these TO the end
20 from forth my dwellirg-paCe
To ind grave on English earth.
al come, my friend" All me. sweet wife,
What marvel that the tears run down?
What marvel that these tender words
Smte mournfully on true heart. chords,
Since he, whose thoughts they bear,
lie, who had loved us all his life,
Who for loves sake laid down loves crown
Hath parted from us otherwhere.
lie thought to see our happy home,
our welded bliss our children dear
He thought to see thee by my side.
Who dared not look upon my bride,
who lov'd thee IN his prime:
But DER his grave. with crests offoam
The wild Atlantic bllows rear
Their heads and makes mournrul chime.
lie VIII not see this home or ours.
This little Eden all our own,
lie VIII not bring within our door
IN added blessing to loves store
OF cheerful sacrifice;
And to the height OF heavenly flowers
our precious blossoms llhave grown
Before they meet his kindly eyes.
He Will not see, my sweetest wife,
Thyradicnt beauty past It's morn,
Nor tender traces OF the tears,
The signs and smlles the hopes and fears,
OF wife's and mother care.
If through the mists OF failing life,
lie saw thy face, It must have worn
The look that remember there.
The April look OF long ago,
When all were young and thou vast free,
And on the hawthorn-boarded away
We loltered in the glad MONDAY,
Beneath sapphire sky;
AL, wife! then dawncd loves summer glow
My beating heart sprang out TO thee,
But my true friend went silent by.
He was the wOrthier OF the twain,
Ills pulses beat as stroug rs mine,
lie looked on thee with lover eyes,
And never sought to win the prize,
But standing calm apart.
Smiled brUthcrly upon my gain,
Abe pressed into my cup OF wine
The Crushd, ripe nrst fruits OF his heart.
All, my lost friend that tender debt
Which he had purposed to repay,
The debt which came with sweet loves brit
Can never be repaid on earth,
But thou hast surely found
happy end TO lfes regret;
Gods angel met thee by the way
And thou, indeed, was homeward bound
An the Year ROuR,