The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-08-09
THURSDAY. AUGUST o. 1888
SFELICISSIME.

I Stand upon the hoary mountain of old
time,
God > stern and slerpleas sentineIz. shat
In shadowy dimness. silent ard sublime,
Through the bending cI0a1s vi ,.l"I3 aud
OF glo0la.
| see abound nie -hapes of rare DEVICE
DomrS. mnarets, and towers
OF nature own cOntrirInG, and soft
bowers
OF interwOren branches. vines a:d flowers.
Through uhicii TIP lightly tI," imp,.s!oncd
hour.
hear the cushing melody Of birds.
The dash IF dancing WATERS, aud the deep,
Low murmur 1t the "irds, that creep
Into my soul like music without words;
stand In Paradise
And 10 two being5-roung and beautiful
Beyond the poet'o most cnraptured
Glide through the mazcs resting now to
Gull
Sweet-tinted flowers that fringe silver
stream
Or clustering fruits that in the sunlight
CLEAN
And ali the while their voices fill the air
With swelling anthems to tue God Su-
preme,
And all the while in peace thrs wander
there,
God-loving and beloved. without grief or
care.
The charm is broken. FROM distant hill
see tie Serpent take his subtle way,
TO where, all drranlIess of the coming i'll,
The doomed pair in happy converse stray;
And now, with secret art, he hold, his
prey.
And enfolds them with tongue of fame !;
With charmed words he leadeth them
astray,
Till, all f0rgrtful of the Masters claim,
They do the deed of sin and hide them
selves III shame.
read, in holy verse,
Their everlasting curse
Thou shalt bring forth III pain
And live i'm sorrow, and toll in vain,
And thistles reap, and thorns, Instead OF
And down thy brow shall swcat-drops roll
like rain.
That curse has had no dcath-wc arc
brought forth in pain,
And all the pathway of our checkered
years
Is strewn with ashes and remorseful tears.
Till i'll the midst of grief. we yield Our
breath again.
Yes the world is full of sorrow
And dismay
JOY lives always in tomorrow
Tain tn-day!
Sweet phantuns rise to cheer our brief OK
isLGncc,
And lure Us upward with uplftad hands.
We fnIiOw-aud they fade into the distance,
As fades the mirage upon desert sands.
What boots it that the earth makes show of
Joy?
That roses bloom and trees grow green
In Spring?
That the soft grass springs up without
annoy,
That skies are blue and birds forever
sing?
There are more weeds than flowers,
More sad than sunny hours
And though the leaves are musical,
They all must wither soon and fall
And though the green grass waves,
Down under it are graves.
And, alas they have no souls,
Those little birds whose melody so rol Is
What boots it that wo ring the merry laugh,
Sing the song and craok the merry jest
That we seek l0Vc-dcem kisses more than
chah
Or hold pleasure worth the quest?
And what hnOts it that some glide
Thrt ugh the world with little care?
And what boots it that the bride
IS 50 jublant and fair?
The pleasure that we follow
Like orr laugh is hUilOW-hullOW
Asa bell
That now rings Us To wedding with chime
And now OuricS us in sorrow for il time
With 4 knell
And the Jest seldom Sins,
But it strikes Il tender chord
And the kiss was on the lips
OF the wretch who sold his Lord
DO you sinG?-the sweetest songs
Tell of SORROWS and of wrongs
Doyou love "-pcrfect love
Only lives in realms above!
And the careless are the light
Light Of heart and light of head
And We robe the bride in white
And in white yc shroud the dead