The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-07-26
rnnstror r1r WOODS

fon tuf srybAf nfHAtp.
1 turned my steps towafds the emerald woods
while The morning skies an 0ne fair
The brooklols we're hppllng merry song out
on the ambient ar'
A gusn ofmolody hooded the world In happy
waves u song,
For the bids we're singing their sweetest tril s.
I'm the woods the whole day long
The qrssses bent meath the glistenlng dew, like
a heart that was butdened with care.
While the breezes sighed on the noweT'crowned
hills, as soft as a WHISPERED prayer.
smiiing,y out OF the blue.domed sky, the great
throbblng sun loo ed down,
Tlnging the world with roseato glow and
shimmerlng golden crown.
Into the forests sylvan shades turn my wan
derlng feet,
Drunk with the breath of the odorous MOWERS
dlstllling their nectar sweet
And, as paused meath the whispering leaves
my heart with rapture was filled,
All, have found Eden at last sighed whle
softly my pulses thrilled.
Thrilled to the touch Of the Masters hand, as II
sws pit on LIES trembling Tyre,
And tuned my heart TO sweeter song aro
freed II Fl ON base desire.
[ sighed oh, this woodland world is sweet, nc
sorrow entereth here,
The world is false bu. fair nature Is true, and
full OF happy cheer.
For there Ae'e
never tone that Is wrong,
And never a wave Of sorrow to drown this
happy rhythmical song.
Then misty hand crept over my eyes, and out
of the forest dim,
Came a weird little figure bent ard old.
smilingly gestured him.
Whence CONTEST thou, my strange little man
with thy cap of emerald green?
Where did you find that queer little coat, with
its beautiful shimmering sheen?
Then his voice trembled forth like the sigh oil
the winds as 1t drifts through the sombre
[pines
Or walls round the caves on wintry night, OIL
sweeps through the tangled vines
81 once was little acorn" he said, tina
danced on the bough o'erhead;
But the soft south wind swept across my cheek,
wooing me to a bridal.bed-
Of oft green moses beneath your feet, Their
left me alone TO die.
| The rain king heard my sorrowful moan, and
came dripping down from the sky.
And said will thrill you to life again, with
dewy life-giving kiss,
And then l sank to sleep in the ground te
waken again in bliss.
For felt life's current thrilling once more
through every pulsing VEIN
Called into play by the suns sweet smile, and
the dewy kiss of the rain
The years swept by. and proudly stood, gian
of strength and might;
The sun still smiled, the rain still dropped, and
days were long and bright
But my heart forgot to be loyal and true to those
who had loved me long;
For up to my heart there was creeping vine,
whose voice was sweet as song
Closer and closer it twined round my limbs with
its sensuous, passionate grasp
It'll the sun and the rain were forgotten at last
as yielded myself to its clasp.
The sun crept under cloud that gay, the rain
dropped nearly down,
And a sob ere IT out of the chilly north, my
leaves grew shriveled and brown.
withered in the clasp Of the poisonous vine
and hated its hot, warm breath,
But closer and closer it chung all the while. till
read my doom Of death
r ad my doom, yet could not escape from the
clasp of the sensuous arms;
O, how l hated its fresh green leaves, and
subsle swaying charms;
Then woodman came with his glittering axe
and said, You are dying old tree
The cause Of your death is this soft-clingint
vine, think will set you Free
L., hi
then SAID You both must fall.
For the vine has twined round the tree so long
/ canpo oislodge it all
And so he barred his great brawny arm, ant
lifted his glitteIing steel,
said the clinging vine Tllnot loosen my clasp
till the throes of death we feel
Then fell. and the snock shook the slumber
ing word, the forests tIembled with pain
But felt the thrill of the suns sad smile ant
the kiss OF the sorrowful rain.
hen my spirit crept out of the shattered tree
and wandering Elf am l.
Hating the vines and the soft south Winds" thu
fin did reply.
Then a sorrowful moan through the fores
swept, the green leaves trembled with pain
And the Elf crept of Fin the dark dim woods, ant
was alone again
l rubbed my eyes in half dazed way, "Hav'
been ssleep?' said.
\ O the feathery ferns, as they softly sway
they gracefully nodded their heads.
Well. be 1t so l thoughtfully sigh, I've Learned
this lesson to-day,
IT'S better to cling to the heartsw we have proved
and put the sweet temper away.
MARY SITUATION HEwETT.