Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-19
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The play is lone, the curtain drops,
Slow falling 70 the prompters EEL;
A moment yet the actor stops,
and looks around 20 say farewell
II is al trksome word ard task;
And when hes laughed ard said his say,
He shows. as he removes the mask,
\ face that's anything out gay.
One word ere yet the evening ends
Let's close il with parting rhyme;
And pledge hand 70 all young friends,
As fits the merry Christmas time;
On LIES wide scene you, too, have parts
That fate ere long shall bid you play;
Good ni:ht.-with honest, gentle hearts
A kindly greeting go Away.
Good uight!-rd say the griefs, the joys,
Just limited in this mimic page
The triumphs and defeat Of boys
Are but repeated In our age;
I'd say your woes were not less keen,
Your hopes more vain than those Of men;
Your pangs or pleasures OF fifteen
At forty-five played DER again.
I'd say we suffer and we strive
Not less nor more as men than boys;
With grizZled boards at forty-five,
As erst at twelve in corduroys;
And il, in time OF sacred youth,
We learned at home to love and pray,
Pray Heaven that early love and truth
Hay never wholly pass away.
And in the world, as in the school,
I'd say how fate may change and shift
The prize be sometimes with the fool,
The race not always to the swift
The strong may yield, the good may fall,
The great man be q vulgar clown,
The knaye be lifted over all,
The kind cast pitilessly down.
Who knows the inScrutable designS
Blessed be lie who took and gave!
Why should your mother, Charles, not mine,
Be weeping at her earnings graveI
We bow 10 Heaven that willcd it 50,
That darkly rules the fate OF all,
That sends the respite or the blow,
That's free to give or TO recall.
This crowns his feast with wine and wit.
Who brought him 10 that mirth and stater
His betters, see, below him sit,
Or hunger hopeless at the gate
Who babe the mud from Dives wheel
To spurn the rags Of LazarlsI
Come, brother, in that dust we'll kneel,
ConfcSsing Heaven, that ruled it thus.
So each shall mourn; in life advance,
Dear hopes, dear friends, untimely killed;
Shall grieve for many forfeit chance
And longing passion unfultilled.
Amen whatever fate be sent,
Pray God the heart may kindly glow,
Although the head with cares be bent
And whitened with the winter snow.
Come wealth or want, come good or Ill,
Let old and young accept their part,
And bow before the awful will,
And bear it with an honest heart.
Who misses, or who wins the prize,
Go, lose or conquer, as you can;
But il you fail, or II you rise,
Be each, pray God q gentleman.
A gentleman, or old or yOungl
bear kindly with my humble lays)
The sacred chorus first was sung
Upon the first Of Christmas days;
The shepherds heard it overhead,
The joyful angels raised it then;
Glory TO Heaven on high, II said,
And peace on earth to gentle men
My song, save this, is little worth;
lay the weary pen aside,
And wish you health, and love aud mirth,
As fits the solemn ChriStmastide,-
As fits the holy Christmas birth.
Be this, good friends, our carol still
Be peace on earth, be peace on earth,
To men Of gentle will
WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THAcKERAY.