San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-03-14

Easily folded and lhlu away,
And our last hours of life be gala day,
For life is ftful dream"
Then came to a manly youth,
Whose brow was noble, in whose eye was
truth.
asked what il life? Canst thou tell1
"Not what it was once" he said, aui smiled;
Life has n keen edge | saw not MS n child,
But will live brayely and well;
And face bravely its trials, if meet them
must,
With conscience clear and heart full of
trust
A life pure within;
Life stretches out fair and inviting to mo,
A name great and honored in fancy see,
Which l am impatient to win.
Others may lag or discouraged sit still
There niche for me mean to fill,
And his eye sparkled with laughter,
As on no walked, and whistled n song,
With a free, happy step and purpose
That my own heart beat with rapture.
Then cried "Oh, Father, why will man
deform
And tarnish his nature by deeds OF wrong,
When the right he may clearly see;
II youth into manhood could emerge pure
and strong
With the good in his heart crushing out the
wrong,
How different this life would be.
Soamau ambitious only for fame,
Sordid aud selfish only ror fame,
And asked him, "What il life ?"
"a period brief and of strife" said no;
"a race for gain or fame as may be,
And not always the wisest win.
"Tberes n lifo beyond. so we are told,
Where visions Of beauty TO the eye unfold
And all are free from sin
l believe no farther than i can SEQ
The greatest minds do not always agree
And | shall make sure Of this
1.-THE brightest point of fame is my goal
/ care for honor moro than my soul
Mems praises to me are bliss;
BY power fair | mean to be great,
And see men fawnng round mo watt
And loud applaud my name.
az have not creed or God, but this,
All else to mo | count amss--
Life's valueless without fame"
There passed me next man grown old,
With u hard, selfish heart, whose God was
gold,
And said, ION, SIT, what II ire
"A thing" he said, (which despise;
It's wears of trouble, aud then man dies,
And what has he for his labor?
friendship's fraud, and love grows cold;
Honor and virtue are bought and sold;
More hate than love their neishbor.
MANS life is u failure, however he tries,
And happiest he who soonest dies
For that's the end of the matter"
Aghast stood at the man so old
Whose soul was so cnllous, SO bitter, so cold.
That to call him man was to fatter
He seemed more demon than ought beside
How can so evil spirit IN mans form bide?
Till all good from his heart is driven?
Then | sat and unused on this checkered life,
To some full of pleasure, to others Of stritci
For what was this life siveu3
Why sunshine to. day and clouds tomorrow,
Aud our sweetest joys bo crushed by sorrow
In thus strange life of ours.
While musing thus step drew nigh
An aged Christian was passing by
Tell me Christian" ] said, what is
life?"
Like beautiful tree is this world Of ours >
Kind deeds and love its fragrant flowers
It's wonderful Ife" he said;
but alas SIN walks in its sunshine aud
shade
And evil beside the good is laid
A thing seems strangely amisS.
But OF one thing be sure; God is ever just;
He will not deceive nor forget thy trust;
And life NAV he summed up IN this;
That though for time all things seem
wrong.
And thy path may be dark, and weary, and
long.
Yet the ell may IL pleasau; and light
Don't idly stand there's much to DO,
And happy indeed are the humble few
Who with patience pursue the night;
Mountains Of tril.s may rise IN thy way.
Thy sun set in darkness, Tut watch and
pray
Tie morning will be light
Not to rust ont was thv life given.
But TO do good there's rc>t IN Heaven
There's a life beyond the grave:
What thy Lanis find to do do Nth thy
might
Those only ale haTTy uho strive 30 90 riELt
AID SEX salle soul O. save
Your life may Be- bright. so happy aai
long.
And IT, closing days ike b.artfui s-r-
r. the mem'ry q oth+rs iuEsr=
Thar-'s ne bfaliy IN living I u1u u-f1l3
A. tie -ecret q lie tLl- ClrlstIa1 toii.
nd Ike q s1ug fr0ll tie sset;est suse--