The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-06-16
w1Lr rHou REruRN ?
Written for and Read before Mississippi Press
Association, at Aberdeen, By Hiss Maud E.
Smith of Jackson

Smith, of Jackson
tits b magic time the mystic hour,
When the day, wearied by her golden flight,
Drops her bright head like some dew laden
hower.
And signs for rest. Star inwrought, tho,
spirit of soft light,
The evening herald of the approach O. night,
Walks DER the " estern wave. The moon is
up,
Aud with soft and tender grace reigns Ger
h;gh heaven;
One lonely star, trembling with timii awe, sits
by her side,
+ Its soft shame adding but another charm to
beauty in her pride.
The shadows lengthen ser the distant sea.
Flushes the west with rosy fleeing hues,
That came before The parting day glides into
eternity.
+ 1t scarce Is night; tho Jove in bounty strews
Those soft alluring charms of dark eyed
nights,
Mngling with days far merrier delights,
f iii this dim vale this bright even,
Seems I,ss Of earth than does of heaven"
\ silence such as settles DER the heart
When some deep thought holds in thrall,
And pausing spell bound, strange. Wild feeling
start
Iato existence breathless pause, such as
call
The angel natures from our stirred souls, or
tempt them to their fall.
Broods over all From you high mountain to
the gliding stream,
Under the Banyans sacred shade, where bloom
YOUNG flowers
The sweet spell ingereth yet and lingering
seems
As still a death lovely and as ieeting as
our dreams.
Bat bark, dost thou not hear soft step fall
upon the dreamy scene
The flowers lft up their heads, the cloudlets
bright
Take on a softer tint. She comes the star eyed
green,
The shadow OF golden dream perfect being
robed in light
From her own loveliness. Tis Hilia fairest
daughter Of the sun,
Or all tn, East, nay al the world, most loved
and l0velest one;
Her form is beauty's own, her gentle heart
Is like the Lutte tnat love has learned TO play, .
Making sweet music all the Hvelong day.
But now her dark eve, dreaming woe
Her cheeks pale flowers that blow.
Ere winter breath has gone,
Besprak u heart where Joy is dead
4 soul whose brightest dreams have fed
A sky tuats clouded o er.
oh, youth! OH. hope. Oh heeting hours
All, all are fragileS fading flowers.
A look too long, word too IN 4ch,
An idle thought or careless touch,
And the JOY we have held to our heart to-day. +
Has withsred and died aud passed away
SO in our gentle Hilia's breast,
There dwells vague and sad unrest.
Bat yester eve she roamed tins dell
W lth one beloved and loving wells
Too well, alas for JOY 70 stay
When Der souls IDOLS far away
Last eve he fingered by her side.
Tonight the sea bright, trcacherous tide
Bears him away.
Like some neglected and forsaken Lutte, /,
lts choris unstrung, is sweetest music mute,
The hand whose touch could bid all sorrow
fly,
No more IS near; 'twere happiness to die.
Signing she wauders on TO where he stood
Beside thIs stream, beneath this spreading :
Here where he breathed his last fond, sad
farewell.
She's come TO ask by MAJ ic charm spell,
wilt thou return p 4
Bearing within her trembling hands
Here 70 the bank Of this great river,
That, flowing O er its golden sands,
Runs onward to the sea forever, /
A soft-hued shell, trembling light /
Wreathed round with flowers fair and q
bright ,
As thoughts and prayers that hover over .
The distant path Ct her dear lover;
She kneels and with her soft dark eyes y
Raised suPpliant TO the far off skies d
Like some bright sainted spirit OF even, :
Commits her fondest hopes to heaven: r.
To try by this the IIindoo's spell,
Whether the one she loves 50 well,
VIII come from the land OF the setting sun,
Back 10 the home Of his cherishel one.
Blow softly all We winds OF even b
Re stars that with your mellow light
Shine like the beacons Of kind heaven d
Oh, guide her bark DER the waters bright Il
1t glldes along to the night bird song,
The golden waves embrace it.
BY the track Of light in it's wake 50 bright
Ter tlmi1 eyes can trace ia Il
catering she stands her trembling hands r
5lasped er her heart wild beating u
atchlng the she'll as with rise and swell fl
sails o er the waves retreating. l.
)ne moments doubt, then joy then Bliss
Ter lord her love returneth, u
'or as far as her sight can track the light q
he gllmmerng lamp still burnett; "
ne blue waves dance meath the chaste moons I,
glance, n
ne stars On their far thrones Durn, r
md she sings as OF yore,
. her glad heart Ger,
~ love, my life, will return. u
'ach soul hath a hope each life hath star. II
ike this Hindoo maid of yore,
hat we wreath with flowers from our hearts C
fair bowers, .C
nd murmur soft prayers Ger.
. bark whose fate we long know, ii
hat We watch from the golden strand II
tlth tears that start from a beating heart, II
ct sail for far off land. =
'ould you know the prayer of my soul to- %
night, 81
is that the coming hours, %
lay bring your bark from the distant seas, m
He'd high with blus 7ing flowers. q,
nd If perchance some maiden's glance -
our very soul bewilders -
tha( 70, Ia hon jI.