Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-01-16
THE CONTRAST,
Or Two Scenes in the Country.

To find a refuge from the baylng hounds.
a cross the corn field, through the dusky light,
A flock Of quails now take their rapid flight,
And seek meath hazel brush and leaves and mold.
A shelter from the night so bleak and cold.
Hard Fy the road there stancs--and long has stoed-
An old brick farmhouse sheltered by the wood.
Tho ugh early IT'S, yet darhness coming on,
The lamp-light hickers brightly Ger the lawn.
This, to belated wanderers passing by,
Bespea5s OF chez ful hospitality;
And to the traveller, who may chance to roam,
| Recalls bright visions of his own dear home.
Back from the house, behind a struggling fence.
The old barn stands, filed with rich stores immense
| Each dumb domestic brute with plenty fares,
For now the farmer plies his evening cares.
Down from the NOW he tosts the fragrant hay,
| Which, in descent the wind blows every way.
/ Impatiently, the cattle sanding round
| Deyour the precious norsels from the ground,
I Nor wait until the farmer with trm tread,
/ Conveys the fodder to the Warm-built shed.
/ And thus from busy round TO round he HES,
| And those dependent on his care supplies.
( At last his work is doe, his heart is light,
I For ulrs made snug and cosy for the night.
/ Now buttoning close. his coat beneath his chin,
/ He seeks his own bright Preside within;
! For through the easement cleaning bright and
! warm,
! He passes On,-the Wintry STERN sweeps by;
/ He enters ina bright sceEe meets his eye.
! talk not to me of pleasures bought with wine,-
/ Of circles gay where wealth and beauty shine
/ Talk not Of joys gained by ambition lust
/ Where despots rise and empires sink to dustl
! Nor can the man Of science with all his lore,
Grasped from great books, and natures boundless
store,
Feel half the pleasures, though in wealth's proud
dome,
| AS feels this man while viewing his dear home.
The hoard is spread with bounties rich AID rare,
! Al gained by honest industry and care.
| The say DRY yiands and the fragrant tea,
! FAN on the senses, sweet as melody.
The supper's O'e-, the dishes cleared away
The children, weary Of the busy day,
Have found repose as sweet as oceans Gains,
Watched o CT by him who careth for the lambs.
The farmer looks his latest paper DER,
The wife takes down her eveningwork once more
and as she sews, her mind all free from care,
Anon she MARBLES forth some cheerful air.
Now leaving them, to each sure delight,
Wen close the door and bid them both good night.
The scene is changed; the night has colder grown,
And frost and snow fakes fill the piercing air.
A deeper blackuess DER the earth is thrown
A gloom so cold and dark as to compare
With that which sinks the soul to deep dispair.
Through the wild darkness, on dismal moor,
Seen through each bIindi. gust of drifting snow,
a dim light through q shattered pane and door,
Cleans spectral like with pale and ckering glow,
While in the vale the trees moan sad and low.
1t is an cid hut in this dismal spot
Where virtue, vice and poverty re combined.
One look of home or comfort it has mott
No trees to shelter from the storm behind,
But each loose board flaps idly in the wind.
Within It's dark and cherries as without,
A mother sits beside the smouldering FIRE;
a thin shawl wraps her shivering frame about,
And IN her arms she clasps with fond desire
Her child. Meanwhile inc winds rise higher.
Close by her side and nestled at her feet,
his Ftte cold cheek +. essed against her hand,
And gazing up with eyes as calm and SO Get
As visions of some far OF summer land,
Sits WILLIE with his curls like golden sand.
The gentle child is thiuly clad, though clean,
And as he sits in sleepy silence now,
The cold w nds through the shattered walls unseen,
p teal chilling DER h feeble frame ana brow
Sweet flowers beneath the frosts ofautumn bow.
The clock ticks onl The embers lower burnt
All, Ye who deaf the bitter dregs Of life,
a moment from your gilded maelstrom turu,
And here behold the sad-the damning life,
You're making for the drunkard's child and wife
The mother, rising. lays her babe to rest;
And Willie shiverinE, seeks his little bed.
Now draWi ing close the shawl across her breast,
= he passes TO the window with slow tread,
And gazes on the clear sky overhead.
IT'S grown 50 cold the clouds have passed from
sight,
Across the sky extends the milky way;
The stars are glittering in the vault Ofnight
And on TIA air, borne through the moon g pale ray.
The glittsring frost work forms silver spray.
She heeds it uotl Her thoughts are far away
In a dear old cottage by the mountain stream,
Where, in the Vale, the purple shadows lay,
Andon the eastern hills golden CLEAN
Reflects with smiling face the suns last beam
And such was once her chIdhoods happy. homet
All, memory dear. bring back those days Of yore,
Where ne'er again her wesry feet may roamI
Bring back 70 her those dear loved scenes once
more,
Ere her tired soul rests On the other zhorel
A gust Of wind and snowi the dream Is goneI
And kneehng by hsrsleeping boy so fair.
She lays her cheek to his all pale and wan,
And as her tears fan on his waving hair,
She pOurs her soul to Sod in humble prayer.
Pray on. thou poor forsaken, sorrowing wifsI
No mortal man can e'er this boon deny.
Oh, look TO God, e'en in the hercsst Etrifsl
Look up to Jesusl He win hear thy cry
For in the darkest hour he passes BY
And thus this mother, vretched, cold, alone.
| Watches and means the weary night away.
The deepest darkness Ger her sky is thrown
Her husband Keeling now ia drunksu sway,