Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-12
Written for the RECORD uSIoSI
A DREAM OF MY SCHOOL-DAYS.

sit alone in the school-room
The lessons are now all done,
And the children have departed
FOR their dear homes, one by one.
1t seems so silent and lonely.
With no voices lowering nigh,
AS sit here in the fading lisht
And muse on days gone by,
When another held the sceptre,
And sat i'll this self-same place
Till beside me. like a spectre,
Methlnks see her facet
Then out from the deepening shadows
Come my playmates, at my will
From every bench aud corner
see them thronging still.
Yes, still in the same old place,
AS peer through the gloom,
can plainly see their faces
Floating around the room.
There's Lily, the dear little fairy,
And pet OF all the school;
There's Anna, winsome and airy
And Mamie, born to rule;
Laura, the plump little darling,
With dimples counting a kiss;
And Emily, quiet and gentle
The pride OF the school she is.
But, look! Through yonder doorway,
Wild with laughter and glee.
Come the boys of my happy school-days,
To spend few hours with me.
see Ninion, tall and stately,
And Clarence, clever and shy
While FIoy slips in behind them,
With mischief in his eye.
There George. with pocket of pancakes,
And Frost, with his bonny smile;
Dear Bonnie has brought his violin,
The moments to beguile.
There are Frank, and Thad. and Charlie,
Irwin, Gillespie and Ed;
Joseph, John and Daniel.
Nicholas, James and Fred.
Then come Maggie, Jennie and frankie,
Teresa and laughing julie
Kate and Lizzie, and Mary Ann,
The gayest girl in the school,
Two shadows, white as the starlight,
Seem to grasp me by the hand
And see dear Georgia and merry Joe,
Returned from the spirit land
Come, take your place among US
What are you doing there ?"
They cry, as they gather about me,
And pull me from my chair
Come: Bonnie shall play his fiddle,
And we'll dance and sing once more,
As the careless, happy girls and boys
We knew in days of yore.
Come, cheerful companions, unite in our song.
Here's to the friends we love-
May bountiful heaven theirsweetlives prolong;
Here's TO the friends we lover
The years that have passed are but dream;
Cast all duh care away
And think not twill return again
At the breaking of the day.
Look See Miss Hattie's kindly glance
Is beaming on US all
She'll let us play, and sing, and dance
Then have game OF ball.
She said it would be fair and right
For us to come together,
And hold high carnival tonight
No matter what the weather"
1 can't resist their joyous mirth-
And as take my place
] rise above the cares of earth,
And the wrinkles leave my face.
"Oh, sympathy deepens whenever we sing,
Friendships the mystical word in our ring.
Here's to the friends. here's TO the friends,
Here's to the friends we love ~
"Oh, happy ones, win you not stay -
cry i'll wild delight.
And let us spend another day
In youths warm sunshine brightr'
"Alasr' they cry. eve cannot come
But one night in the year
And when we see you. sad and lone,
We haste your heart 10 cheer
$50. when you are tired and weary,
And the days are cold and long;
When your task seems thankless and dreary
And everything goes wrong;
when you cannot see the harvest
From the seed you SOW with care,
And the trials you meet with daily
Seem more than you can bear,
Cheer uPl press on, from day to day
Thy work is just begun
And at its close we wait to say
Dear friend, it is well DONE
As their voices, in harmony blending,
Ring out on the silent air
My dream has n sudden ending
| awake in the same old chair,
But feel strengthened and happy,
AS gaze around the room,
For the sound of bygone voices
Has banished away my gloom
Yes, I'll SOW the seeds of knowledge,
And the yielding time shall tell
For leave the harvest in His hands
Who doeth all things well. M.E.P
Elk Grove. December g. 1885.