The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-08-17
(AH rights reservcd.)

From jostllng throngs In ife's bewdcring maze,
MY thoughts went back to scenes OF boyho0d days.
longed once more that peaceful spot TO view:
Revive Its hopes, lis blaneless Joys renew;
BY memorys chart each well-known path to trace,
And count the beauties Of that haIlowed place.
fondy dreamcd-alas my dreams were vain
Amid those haunts TO fresh enjoyments gain;
From vexlng cares to lind u sure relief;
where youth was glad To bury manhood's grief.
One April morn as bright the landscape glowed
NY footsteps pressed the once familiar road;
With quIck.LiI pulse and with strange delight
Drew near the h0ck that veiled my home from sight
As oft paused behind the sheltering crest
To nurse the joys that filled my youthful breast,
Again ! stood midway the rising slope
To feed the raptures Of expectant hope.
. transient bllss--alas, too quickly sped
Beyond the height was desoation spread
My vision scanned the dismal scene In vain,
To find the home that once adorned the plain.
The panneled fence In wide confusion lay,
Whose white washed glory once had lined the way;
The neghboring fields where corn and clover grew
Oerrun by weeds now met my wondering view.
With aching heart from which the peace had fled
sought my home; as one may seek the dead
Der bloody Held, or roam the churchyard drear
To ind the grave where sleeps form once dear
As II bereaved, the gate thus drew nigh,
That freely swung In happier days gone by
Beneath an elm that grew beside the road
TO welcome all who sought that blest abode.
The friendly elm still bent its arms above
Where nesting sparrows chirped their Of love:
No gate remained that swung by rustic art
To cheer the sadness of my aching heart
leaning post, hinge and shattered BRACE
Now barred the entrance to that hallowed place.
passed within, us one who lifts a pail,
And stood beside the cellars crumblIng wall
Devouring hames had left no lingering sign,
Except grave to mark that home OF mine
For like tomb the dieary opening seemed
AZ down my cheeks the rills OF sorrow streamed
thousand memo,es thronged the viewless air
Above the spot that held me weeping there
vrnI a,l.
Whose ashes lay within that cherries tomb
The kitchen clean whence came the homely fare
That needy guest With 'sborinx swain might share;
The ample porch the room for evening cheer
WEsTs ~ aimed IbecaKsere salu
Ere loving hands prepared my nightly beds
The neghboring youth pure enjoyment found
As kindly Jest Or riddle quaint passed round;
To guess the kernels In the game hugull:
Where graver minds on deeper plans intent
Ger fox and geese In wary silence bent;
By grander tactics proved the wiser hend
When sober checkers claimed their thoughts instead
Where parching corn In wiry bondage pent
With merry laugh its noisy music bent;
The toothsome walnut and the chestnut sweet,
When games were done. supplied wholesome treat;
And apples rare, the cider pure wthal.
Made up feast unknown In kingly hall.
seemed once more to catch the warning sign
When stately clock proclaimed the hour OF nine
All, well know the honest dial burned :.
With shame TO ind Its hands were backward turned
In wonder room where stood my curtained bed
Fantastic dreams once filled my pillowcd head;
And there traced when SHOWS obscurcd the plain
The frosty landscape orr the window pane;
When burning fever parched my ispiug tongue
Twixt life aud death the doubtful balance hung
An anxious mothers watchfui care
Had stayed the doom that seemed ID wait me there,
A. DER my couch she leaned with batsd breath
To CLEAN the hope that called her child from death
Her sacred dust within the churhyard Les
Her soul hath passed beyond the azure skies:
Through yonder door--eh. well remembered day
Her shouldered form was gently borne away.
Again In thought climbed the garret's height
And stood within its dim, mysterious light;
Beneath the rnfters CROPPED with eager eyes
To lind some rare. but long forgotten prize.
curious lock pcrchantr repaid my zeal;
o. better still an ancient spinning wheel
A broken clasp, bolt, or rusty knife,
Was ample fortune In my boysh life,
While mute smaEement hlled my artless mind
To think that men should leave such wealth behind
q happy youth, content with treasure small,
When cares were few, no worm-wood stceped IN gall
Embittersd each full cup OF tasted bliss
Destroyed each hope, aud blIghtsd friendshps kiss
When one smail pocket held possessions vsst,
Supplied the present, and repaired the past;
eure promise gave when harmless plans were laid
~ wise exchange to swell my stock in. trade!
Thus fancy r0amed those dear, familiar halls
Above the cellars black and crumoling walls;
While down my cheeks the tears VI sorrow spec,
A. mournsp weep sbovs the Silent desd-
turned aside 10 shed yet other tsars
Where stood The barn ln happier by-Eone years
The woundinx thistls and the plantain vieo
with dock weeds tall the very spot y hide,
Where once the Oh he'd found respltc free
Tron weary bondage on the nsighboring lea;
when frosis wers keen. enjoyed sure repsss
xsd vsicons shelisr from The w!nsry elsss;
When uerry huskers met BY lanterns light
r. ioln their labOrs and their tales rsrlte;
Wkile younger swslns on playful misehies bent
FROM scsdoId high tue ysxinE mi:sls sent;
VITA smolhcred laughter. watched The angry glance
II random ahot had reached its mark perchnnce;
Whsse pelting AsIls that smote the soundmg noo'
M csckIInw hun unseemly e6orts tnsds
70 tell mauklnd another egK Was ln1o;
And sh0utinx boys lro,n irksome oooks relee:eo
AZ mas nnkL ~ 1iscordant sounds Inrrsaseo.
Whora e'nr. ~ 1snxruucc ol the ncw-usowu hay
Ho1 ullo1 ~ ~ eesolstion lay'