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


When autumn frosts unlocked their prickly cell;
The ndian-moss a softer carpet made,
Than ever yet on palace noor was laid;
The winter-green displayed its berries red;
The trailing mayfower showed its pink.white head.
The woodlands axe had felled the giants tall
When ,! frosts return no more the nuts will fall.
With eager eyes we'll but vainly search
Along the fence to find the neighboring birch,
Upon whose bark was graved this warning sign:
Beware beware, these chestnut trees are mine"
In boyish faith that all who read would fear
To slight the prospects Of hint so clear.
And impious hands had failed to spare the beech
Upon whose trunk-above the vandal's reach
once had cut with ali a schoolboy's art
The name of her who won my youthful heart.
fancicd then-so deep the lines were traced
That precious name might never be effaced
but with my own In letters just above
Would always tell the story of our love.
Beyond the lane, and through the ruined grove
By path obscure my lingering footsteps rove.
Again as evening closed the summer day
seemed to drive the meek-eyed cows that way;
Beated past the cleaning hour, ,perchanee
By truant herd, with many backward glance
That well betrayed my ill-dsguised alarm,
loudly sang to keep my courage warm;
Or fercely smote the unresistng tree
With ponderous club that lurking foe should see,
Forwarned In season BY such crushing might
How vain the combat with so brave a knight
since have learned on lifes hard battle. field,
That clustering speech betokens fear concealed;
That he who breads, yet dares to join the fray,
Girds on his armor in mder way.
Beyond the wood where once the pasture spread
its green expansc passed with dropping head. e
The brakes and thorns had choked the ground. alas
Where peaceful kline once browsed the tender grass
So tall and thick the wounding brambles grew,
scarcely made nv weary passage through
To find the rock. by length and breadth rood,
Upon whose top my fancicd castle stood;
From which governed as the feudal prince
Far broader realms than ere Pve governed since.
10 build Tori displayed their wlrrIng zeaf;
And mounted guns OF alder, great and slight
Discreetly stationed 10 defend the height.
Anon, inspired by tales OF frontier lie,
In seperate bands we joined the mimic strife;
From bush to bush. now drove the WHY Zoe
Who swift arrows from his henlock bow:
Again from ambush, with demoniac yell
The Indian rushed, and many white man fell.
Mcthought once more heard the warwho9p dread,
And felt the scalping- knife engird my head
With boyish pride to win immortal lame,
With chisers point carved my humble name
In letters deep along the rocky wall,
Assured that Time would spare the awkward scrawl.
In vain, In vain. strove with patient viii -,
Beneath the moss to trace that lettered Skill
All vaiuly thus above these moulderng bones
Will rise the shaft Of monumental stones;
In idle strains our epltapls rehearse
Their paltry praises In more paitry verse
Consuming time-at best, few BRIEF years
viii waste the column false ambition rears
That man alone qndying fame hath won. s
Whose memory thrives on deeds OF virtue uone'
Who leaves u record clear Ind true behind
Or daily efforts ~ befrend mankind
rrom ,,asture grounds and all their memories dear
With pensivc brow sought the meadow near, ,
And forced nv way, as one whose hopes are doomed
Through tangling weeds where once the c'oss'
In having seasons when the heart was hlthe
The sturdy mower swung his cleaning scythe;
While deftly balanced on the herdsgrass long
The bob.o lincoln piped his rustic song
In merry cadence With the whetsDnc mace
Far sweetcr chords than ever minstrel played.
A moss. grown stump alone repaid my v'sw, s,..
To mark the spot where once the maple thre"
Its leafy shadows DER the emerald plain,
A welcome refuge for the sun-ontnt swsns
Where of when mornings dewy nours "ese .Pcn'
We ate the luncheon BY the house dame seuti
With keencr relish by our tolls Increased
Than they enjoy who share more sumptuous ieas[
Ny though!s rebuilt ths rlcxs y stsSsat ,ssn H.
Or dsrkling cloud oerspresd the western ekys
And dIstsnt thunder told that rain was Nigh
Alas, no more III hide In playful glee
Behind the hay -ricks on the howery lea;
When harvest comes. no more the grosning vain
shall bear it, treasure DER the fruitful plain;
Or wavims wheat shall greet the farmsrs eye.
The very clouds had lost their neecy charm,
That brooded DER that desolstcd farm!
bsde sdIeu. a. one who quits the dead.
One last fond look--and the weil-known slop'
Forever hid the wreck u manh0ods hope;
Ana = psassd beyond The sheltering crest
The Aprif suu was hasteninv dOwu the west
Farewell, farewell 70 scenes Of boyhcod days:
from % "siIi~x shrosxs s, and csrss q lie 10 more
ri trace your beauties or your paths explore
With rmotherrd siyhs Within my nchirg heart
Again sought the worlds o'er-crowded mart.
Due hope now checrs-one Frightening JOY awAiu-
To nnd my home inside the pesrly gates
Vancouver Barracks. W. TIL
April 10 1881.
The Iarevst brain ever zen In Amerlcs
vss taken from the skull ~ James -: MAD
dru. Gnmblos, who died q LnodvIlle -
esel!y; e tsres6 see es1ls e r @ss.sss @