The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-20

hS lAChA d. BitOWN.
The fash OF wit, the bright intelligence.
"The beam OF song. the blaze Of eloquence.
"Set wifi their sun :" Ah, yes; We felt them 4
when burst the truth upon U.S. GoUcH - I
DEADi
md recall the days OF early youth
When first heard those burning words o.
truth,
From that great pion-and DER me came
A spellbound rapture kindled by the lame. 4
Too potent FOR the midnight call to sleep
TIL moonlight verse essayed the spell to keep.
But homeward bound-with echoes from that
strain
In soul begun, there ever to remain;
heard a critic smooth and soft the voice,
The lsping words seemed lingering from
choice;
Whose beings highest impulse TO obey
Seemed genteel things to say, in Centeel way.
Errors grammatical" her fine ear found:
"Of style" her escort echong the sound.
Errors grammatical" One might indeed
Forget his grammar, and himself-ncr heed
The place. the time, the crowd-ali by-gone
dream;
81
When eloquenco the schools can never teach.
! For human veal such depths, suoh heigtta
can roachI @
Ye butterflies. c0ntemn the rainbow's spau;
! Row OF unfaiinR trust TO fallen man!
! Firefies the crooked lightning sudden crash;
! And critlcise the meteor's lawloss flash!
/ Ye ant hills, chide the mountain, rough with
| rocks
! Giants upheaved by earth's primevaI shockss
| And then bid Gough-the genius touched with
fires
From altar pure of hottest desires
For mans redemption--curb his nery sways 81
And fash his brilants in moro licensed wayJ
But OH that he must feel the withering blight
| OF HES bright morning sunk to bitter nighti
SEVEN GOLDEN YEARS! - iesd-weights that
held him low.
Liks TO the dead still pierced with nvfns voc.
I Not that in poverty his lot was cast;
/ With tolls and cares his tender years weY0
passed;
Across the sea, IN stranger land 10 oroaM
! And make for mother, sister. humhse homr; y
These, with their sorrows, sccmsd bus blesg-
ings gwen,
With mother's oounscis. leading up to Heevsn.
But when that fern. to potter's field wss
BY careless hands. but two young hearts "a
mourn
Homeless, alone. his first great grief to bear.
/ The tried drink-solace drove him TO despair:
Then came the blot, the agony. the woe!
Then came the curse that only drunkards
know.
| o. how bis soul hewailed thatsevcn years biott
| The curse OF ariuk-the rawlings Of the sot.
At highest exaltation of the hour,
| The crowds enrapturcd by his wondrous
power,
The speaker paused-tears dimmed his eye.
the While
.ss band az college s.udilts Allai Ae aisias
Then told us Of his years for learning lost.
/ Forever gonc--and at such fearful cost.
| Yet. marcful deilyerance, saved at leugth.
] Saved from that worse than death thrali-yet
with strength
To sound true Freedoms trumpet loud and
high
| And urge the young 10 heed his warning cry.
Yet. as gazed upon that care-worn face
Who're still that early life-blot one might trace;
| Not long. thought, shall glow that Servtd
faine
Soon must those fires consume that stricken
| frame.
But He who saw him In his darkest day
Go, step by step, that fearful, fatal way;
| Who saw him. when the mad and maudlin
| throng
Gave noisy plaudits to his wit and song;--
! No lack OF temptors-or with cheer and laugh
To drag him lower while the bane they quar-;
when helpless pity felt the wretch forlorn,
Some scornful Pity. morc-unpitying scorns
But o, how few to take-too well he know
I l.. ~
/ " no guided HE redemption. made his wit,
! His song. his genius, for His service A.;
Watched him through ell liis struggle, his ono
fall:
Ills rise. released forever from that thrall;--
Foresaw tho years that brought to me again.
In Western land the same unequalled strain.
! And now-whcn late the nations bells have
| poaled
! The knel Of heroes brave on battlefield
Comes tidings or this hero, SCARED, yet brave
| From moral wreck humanity to save. ~.----ks-'
Whose eloquence and wit were flashed ~ HGAe
To lead the drunkard up to manhood's might.
THAT SEVEN YEARS BLIGHT depiored TO latest
breath,
wishing he might forget. forrot-in deathl
For while he yet the faithful warning cried:
YOUNG MAN. KEEP YorR RECORD cLuAHt'~
he died.
We mourn thee, Cough, and ever bless thy
| day.
When shall like star arise to shed Its ray
Down the dark passages OF human woess
| To heal the horrors which it3 beams discloool
Into the foul, damp depths Of living death
To lift self-loathing ones to purer breath;
Guide the weak step from clinging. dsathly
i sod
Into the light of Temperance. Virtue. 0odi
DE Smet, OAK, Feb 2T, 1889. sS