The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-30
Original Aoetrp.
A POEM.

By R. l.. LNTHIcuM, CLASS OF 1888, WESTERN MARY
LAND COLLEGE.
Oh hope thou bright consoler of the mind;
Oh star that guides us on to shining fields
Of glory and home beyond the grave!
The carving architect that fashions life
And moulds our future with skillful hand;
The great inventor of some future joy,
Thou art the all-in-all ofmortal man,
That tends to make for him happy lot;
That leads him on to that high-reaching place,
Where cen Perfection wisely stands renown'd;
His knowing head, with knowledge, low bent down
As if weight for ages, thereon sat,
But growing still as ages onward dragged
To that approaching end, eternity.
Methought beside the roaring sea 1 saw
The fairest of the fair with waving locks,
And ever gazing on the mighty Deep
With eyes well set, and sylph-llke there she sat-
And time fow'd OH and on, and still no change,
And decades came, and went, and with them came
Men all cast down in spirit, who did look,
And feast their eyes, and being cheer'd they too
Pass'd on, and sorrowing those behind them
Wept and in tears would pray for just one glance
Of that bright one, whose name they said was Hope.
Fen while 'pon the rolling Deep the sailor
When tempests threaten and dark clouds o'erhang,
wistful eye does cast toward that spot,
Where well he knows that fair one may be found,
To see if still she show her smiling face,
And if for him peaceful haven be,
Despite the lowering clouds and bowling blast
We turn'd our eyes, another scene beheld-
Upon cross with blood all cover'd DER
The only hope for sinners dying, hung.
Many round it mourned prayed with Him to die,
And PROSTATE on the ground they spread them out,
Some in their grief would weep and tear their hair
And almost frantic some their breasts would beat,
But He, with arm outstretched as ito quel
Their woe and change their gloom to joy and mirth
Spake FORTH though dying here am, yet still
If ye Alright this life shall lead, hope
For you shall be beyond the frowning grave"
Then, in their sadness, they for joy did laugh,
And clapp'd their hands, and beaming bright each
face
With gladness flash'd, then each his way did go
Rejoicing, and when night, dreary night
Came on, they slept and naught their dreams dis
turb'd,
As if by music lull'd, they slumberd on,
Nor did they wake till rosy dawn appear'd,
And calmly thus through life they onward passd.
But now behold, as morning tints the East
And Sol above busy world doth rise
Dragging on his lonely way pilgrim,
Sad and all forlorn, still doth wander on,
His garments tatter'd, dragging in the dust
Yet little heed to this he pays, so all
Absorb'd he seems, and little doth he care
What course he takes, or at what place he stops
But soon limpid stream he saw, and paused;
And being thirsty drank and felt refreshd.
Then pom u stone close by he sat him down;
He musd and thoughts of boyhood's joyful home
Stole one by one upon his dreaming mind;
The little brook, in which he used to fish,
The school-house too just over on the hill,
Where days of joy, and sadness too, he spent;
And that fond mother who did bless her son;
All DER his mind in quick succession, came.
On other subjects also, too he mus'd,
And ne'er his musing stoppd till ev'ning came.
Then turning round he gaz'd toward the West,
And saw, as fair Aurora sank to rest,
The mottrd herds still grazing on the hills,
The farmhouse, too, the chimneys curling smoke,
And each lov'd scene familiar to his youth.
All these his youth renew, and seem to fill
His dying soul with vigor, fresh and new;
And then toward him coming, he espied
maiden fair with golden, shining hair,
And flowing dress, and agile as fawn.
"Pray tell to me your name, my pretty one,'
Said he; and she, with many blush, replied:
"My name indeed, is Hope, the mind ease,
And lead man on to fame and glory too"
And softly then his downcast brow she touched
And, smiling, gently brush d his cares away,
And left him there in joy; he went his way,
But oft look'd back, and he her praise did sing.
Then hill and dale reechod with his voice.
AS if the news to spread both far and wide
And when he his song did end, loud spake forth:
Take faith take love, take truth, take evry thing
Except my hope, but leave, oh leave me that"