Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-05-11

Splendid slls, and butt for yule
Which had not yet lost attraction
For the muscular pioneer,
Who, with wife and child, and nieces
Orphan'd early, left the dear
Chalkwalled England for a home
'Yond tn Atlantics surgng foam:
Now the lions cruel claws
Hold him in their clutch no longer
And he thanks the human laws
fthe Eagle, skyward soaring
For that which the envious roaring
Of the lion had denied
Where the poor sorely tried, !
And he halls the Eagle stronger
Wiser, better than the lion
He of English blood scion
Now the line from off the reel
Coils he with amazing zeal,
Chalks it we'll from end 10 end,
Fastcns it with deity wrought
Wedge, out a splinter caught,
Stretches il that not a bend
In the mark may lead astray
Trusty hroadaxe in its way
Toward smoothly shaven sides
And the line with whir and whang,
Telling of the louder clang
Ofthe steel descending, prints
On the log its guiding glints;
Twice repeated. they bestride
In their mocking, cleaning light
What once the forests pride.
How many strong hearts bowed down
Under misfortunes frown
How many stamch spirits hushed,
Meath The worlds envy crushed.
How many noble minds
Merciless silence binds
Down to Il CALLING life :
Full of its bittrest strife.
How many griniug Wraith-
Hov'ring where struggling faith
Vrestes with haunting doubt
Tosses the soul about
Till gaunt despairs dark wave
Blot. hope beyond the grave.
How many man laid low
Nice-ridden, full of woe,
Chased by all mad desires
To quench those torturing fire,
That once reused, destroy all hope
Ever to hem their scope!-
Gentle brcezes softly rustling
Through the trees, all nature busting
Fan the axeman's heated brow,
Nerve him for the work that
Calls for steady strokes true aims
At the cleaning mark before him,
And his confidence disclaims
Amy doubt as to his cunning
And the stunning
Blows tell
On the air reverberatinS.
On yon birds ear harshly grating,
For he leaves his swinging perch
Going for his mate in search,
And with her, in silent wonder
On such novelty to ponder
As the woodmans merry voice
MingEng with the coarser noise
Of the axe, still clearly rings,
Keeping time to steady swings:
And the prying
Brdlings watch
Broad chips flying
From the notch;
Now tiny
Thrilling note r
From shiny II
Songster's throat:
And the whole melodious choir
Bursts from tree and rock and briar
into ripping, joyous song.
Fen the squirrel who so long
Had a sullen silence kept,
From his hidden bower leapt
And erect upon his launches
Shrill and quick delights launches
Into all this merry din
From his furry breast Within
But the toiler, taking heed
Cf the noonng hour approaching,
OF his weary muscles need
And his stomachs gently broaching
Dinner by the laughing brook
In leafy. shady nook
Where he first had pitched his tent
On settlement intent
OF a little toddler's shouting
Papa tum,' from red lips pouting;
Thinking of the smiling face
OF MS happy wife. the kisses
And the loving, fond embrace;
And his boy, who never misses
Sharing in the sweet caress
With his cousins Nell and Bess:
Thinking thus he gladly ceases
From his task With love-lit eyes
Soon the distance he decreases
To the tent where joyful cries
OF his little household greet him,
Where embrace and kisses wait him st.
From soft arms and cherry lips,
In that home where eclipse
Ever shadowed those bright lives,
Where each willing spirit strives
But to smooth each others sway,
And make life lasting May.
From snowy cloth each savory dish
Appeals 10 sight and smell and palate:
The woodland grouse, the roasted fish,
Wild fruit and dandelion salad;
The golden butter, faky bread,
The foamy milk i'll wooden 'noggns,
The spicy scent of pinewoods shed
From purple depths of tn Androscoggins;
The vivid, odorous, luscious green
OF oak and beach, and birch and maple
Spreads cooling shade around the scene
Surroundings for monarchs table.
With beaming eye and bowed head
The monarch of this happy household
Asks humbly for daily bread,
Entreats the Watcher of the sheepfold
To guard against insidious foes 1T
His loved ones gathered there around him.
Be with them both in veal and woes, /.
And with His tender care surround them. 4g4
Sor does he forget the poor and the needy,
The homeless and wandering, dying and sick,
rhe hard hearted wealthy the grasping and greedy,
Both infants and th'aged bent over the stick.
And "Amensn loud his closing greet;
Soon knife and fork in combat meet,