Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-05-17
VOL. 50.
PASSING UNDES THE ROD.

ICopied from an old magazine by Miss
Effie L. Boehm, and published at her TO
quest.
saw the young bride, in her beauty and
pride
Bedecked in her snowy array;
And the bright flush of JOY mantled high
on her cheek,
And the future looked blooming and gay
And with a woman's devotion she laid bel
fond heart
At the shrine Of idolstrous love,
Aud she anchored her hopes to this per
ishing earth,
By the chain which her tenderness woye
But l saw her when those heart-string'
were bleeding and torn,
And the cham had been severed IN two
She had changed her white robes for the
sables Of greet,
And her bloom for the paleness of woe
But the Healer was there, pouring balm
on her heart,
And wiping the tears from her eyes,
And he strengthened the chain he had
broken in twain
And fastened 1t firm 10 the skies
There had whispered voice-'twas the
voice of her God,
II love thee-I love thee-pass under
the rod ,"
I saw the young mother in tenderness
bend
Der the couch OF her slumbering boy,
And she kissed the soft 7ips as they muir
INJURED her name,
While the dreamer lay smiling in joy
Oh. sweet as the rosebud encircled with
due,
When its fragrance is flung on the air,
So fresh and so bright to that mother be
seemed,
As he lay in his innocence there.
But saw when she gazed on the same
lovely form,
Pale as marble, and silent, and cold,
But paler and colder her beautiful boy,
And the tale of her sorrow was told !
But the Healer was there who had
stricken her heart
And taken her treasure away,
To allure her to heaven he has placed II
on high,
And the mourner will sweetly obey;
There had whispered a voice-'twas the
voice of her God,
Il love thee-I love thee-pass under
the rod"
l saw the fond brother, with glances of
love,
Gazing down on a gentle youAg glrl,
And she hung on his arm, and bresthed
soft in his ears
As he played with each 6 raceful curl.
Oh, he loyed the sweet tones of her sIlvery
voice,
Let her use il in sadness or glee
And he'd clasped his brave arms round
her delicate form,
As she sat on Ter brothers. knee,
But saw when be gazed or her death
stricken face,
And she breathed not a word in bis ear;
And be clasped his brave arms round an
Icy-cold form,
And he moistened her cheek with a
tear.
But the Healer was there, and said to
him thus,
"Grieye not for thy sisters short life"
And he gave to his arms stil! another fair
girl,
And be made her his own cherished
wife
There had whispered a vOice-'twas the
voice Of his God,
II love thee-I love thee-pass under
the rod ~
! saw where father and mother had
leaned
On the arms of dear gifted son,
and the star in the future grew bright TO
their gaze,
As they saw the proud place he had
won
And the fast coming evening of life
promised fair,
And its pathway grew smooth to their
feet,
And the starlight of love glimmered
bright at the end,
And the whispers Of fancy were sweet.
But saw where they stood, bending low
o'er the grave,
Where these hearts dearest hope had
been laid
And the star had gone down in the dark
ness Of night,
And the Joy from their bosoms had fed.
But the Healer was there, and His arms
were around,
And healed them with tenderest care
And He showed them a star in a bright
upper world,
Twas their star shining brilliantly
there
They had each heard a voice-'twss the
voice of their God,
Il love thee-I love thee-pass under
the rod 30