Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1884-01-03
THE C4RRTER'S ADDRESS.


Come with me here, thou gracious Muse ol
Indeed the noblcst of the gifted Nine,
Make fluent tipped my ,crabby village pen,
Is mission speed to herald forth to men
The quiet charms Of this our Valley home.
Whose walls are mountains, whose lofty dome
Bluc rs the azurcof ba5y's eyes
And heckcl with cirrus cloud Of creamy dyes
Looks kindly down.
Fair Shenandoah LovelieSt 'mong the wales,
/ AthWart whose nesting acres no angry gales
sweep ruthless by-tor 10, or night or day
Yon soaring giant grimly holds at bay
Thetcmptest's frown.
Vow CHARLEsrowY claims her briefpoctic rights,
\ need Of praise demuTcly invites.
Placid she sits. in gown Of silver gray.
/ Hex small hands folded in a restiul way.
Grave beyond her ycars-herqcaint, sweet face
Bears yet the impress Of its youthful grace.
Anon are raisel the liquid eyes Of brown
To note her children striving for renO"n.'
Then crceps adown the check diamond tear
As twilight draws its maple curtain near
And westward turn. in Sorrows Nstful suisc,
To Edge IIilrs acres those maternal eyes
Where dearest mounds look starwari tiro' the
night,
/ Till amber dawn assumes an orange light,
And mutely question purple skic. acsr
/ Ifcycr they shall ope to Gates Ajar.
Fair CuAnLrsrows! Qaaintest village OF the
Vale
Whose silver river threads thy brimmins dale
Whose paths of plcasantness and abiding peace
Are hcckcd with sunli 5ht sLilncrinS thrO tE~
fleece
Ofcirrus cloud: while siftel starbcam' ill
/ With radiance golden thy evenings calm and
still
For thy dear brow an oxilel lover wcayes
This rvthmc chaplet. 10 its laurel leaves
Thy throbbing Mother-heart
Can nothing know ofjoy or grief apart
The sweet Sgriagtimc finds eer meadows
I All primrose statr'6-a clover here and there.
And lilac laden. zcphyrs soft and light
Steal gcntv down from Shensndoab's : beight.
The yernal twilight gathers slow!y 'rcCnd-
While vet the mo6atains bcetling brow is
droWnd
In crimson glory, whose quiverins fire,
Abatcs at length its scarlct-geldcn stream
And leaves the moant InassiAepurple dream.
on higher planes the Sumner sunlight spends
It's 6erccr plnW ere here its warmth dcSccndS.
While tcmpering breezcs lin ger tbrO' the days
Till evening folds eur Fa4ley IN rs haze.
Sweet summer nights, when thro5binS purple
skies
Stoop lo,iBg down to dose ths tilted eyes,
And diamond seutinels twinkle calm and clear
TIL rn,v dawn in hlushng state is near
While breath of syspJ ar tbc heavy air distils
Is rsC.cj hithcr from low lying hills
EIs
With Golden promise, see. the Autumn cones,
And now alicld the merry harvest huns,
The tas.cl'd cars their ample trutagc yield,
And sturdy forms The saving scythagc wicid.
Thcorcharis. laden with their luscious wealth,
Give rudly token of awaiting health
In dimped spheres, whose fragrance, subtiy
swcct
Unconscious guide the steps Of straying feet.
The grateful foliage dons cyrh and crown
Of sold and crimson. and sober russell brown.
While mead and mount, in heather CO! aHi
LIN Gile The coming Of i winter day
".
Nj here. indeed. whcrcsapphirc skies have met
With ,lancing dew the thirsty plain TO wet
Hath. Ger our homcstcuds ever boiling bent
Dark Glo-tcrs winter Of our discomfort.
All. MOI the hc.ulds of the Icy king
Atlirst. 10 ShcnaudOali'S quiet Vale doth bring
But frosty sunlisht-bracingc evening AR,
Andmoonight pale to gem thcmcads out there.
with magic cryst lls asltler in the mist,
Like Beatty'6 tears il eTci shc is tit'
Vet doth he~ tears the RcaUty's d.arfas enhance
And Temps the lover 10 a second chance
AT routing lips. that were but made 10 yleid
And So tht diamonds glimmcrin the field
Whose sweet brown bosoI ihy}te4 lever
And tempts the slumbrous starlights magic
kiss.
/ Now. later harldnGers enter eu the scene,
+ ClothG I'm the likeness of cherries men
/ Crisp. searching air and drcary neutral skies
! Whence come anon the Valleys snowy glisc.
Audccl2ly penetrating, steady iaiins ram
I sheer doNnv ard dryen-now slantiHG gains
the pane.
/ These be the couricfs that close prcccde
/ The bearded winter Need
Pen descriptive lcpgcr here abide
since panoramic whitcness far and VIDE
The dazzled cyesight srccts'
and 10, it mce;s-
/ Nv sc-ahlr- pcn-right here and now
4 n. annual task: the when. the where, the hoV
f 70 tcu of worldly doings sirss glad and free
/ Was ushered in old Eighteen Eighty Three.
f Nov }v 1aeflith good Masters will Try
+ To DO il up right crisp and brown ana dry
/ Nor longer duwdic than occasion calls
/ Ger what they dub my sentimental drawis
/ Z We sung sufficient the pletn, pIour valley
Aud if the charming metre teelA tally
/ With hard pan facts Why, bless you, doA yot
sec,
F 40 one viii know IL saving you and me.
No. f.- beyond the threshold Of the Year.
Where flre.rn ma-nates, rich in courtiy gear
. Before orr gracious President slowly hic
. 10 give a greeting and la5orc1 smile,
/ I.oi enters there, unusheres an. shseeii.
\ ualHd Guest. TIE guests % come between.
4 be9rtei thrust has stretched upon the hoor
In death embrace the senior Ofthe Corps
DiplomatiGuc. Thus Uawaiis gifted soi
Pass'd from the feste ere scarce 1t had begun,
and gave TO AHIHUB, whose arm was ieehn
sore,
The blessed chance TO have it shook no more
Tho Yankee "s0rercigns, couple THOUSAND
strong.
Had cool'd their heels the New Year mornin
long
Within the ante-room. Il was q shame
To turn 'em out. Heidi it al the same