Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-26
THE uNATTAlNABLE.

| In Eastern tale some grave sweet poet tells
OF how shepherd, with his strolling flock
| Dwelt on the sunny Persian plains, content
| For many years. and wise in leaving gain,
| Toll. strife and folly to the world affair."
| OF pride and vext ambition knowing naught,
| And naught OF care save for the dumb brute
| kind.
! Or else to find q shade Of wavering palm
| To dream meath when the stars came out
Contented all the years until one day,
| In beauty royal as her princely robes,
| The daughter OF the king rode by; and 10.
| In rare and witching grace her shadow fell
| Betwixt him and the sun; and afterwards
he never knew content, nay, revermore.
The unattainable! Too oft alas.
| Its shadow falls betwiNt US and the sun
| Too oft its silhen pomp shuts of from view
The bloom and beauty OF the lowly path;
| Too oft its smile and splendor blurS
| The vision with the rheum Of discomfort,
| For an, its pride and power resplendent,
crowned
| With royal grace, strikes sharp upon
| The lowly pt rtion Of dull commonplace
The pomp and richness Of the purple makes
The homespun seem SO poor and mean!
Thou ledst the shepherd from the lower land
| And taught him somewhat of the stars, and
Perchancs 'twere better had's. thou never
croSt
The lowly path. O. unattainable
Twere better had he never caught thy smile
Or sought TO follow in thy daring lead
Thy shining course that beckons up. away,
Il U
For how, alas, could ne, the lowly shepherd Lad,
Know thy fair path, SO smooth and free to thee
Would be to him so stony, cold and Steep
How know the dangers lurking on its upward
The believing deeps of black despair that yawn
It's either side along-the angry swirls
OF envious winds that sweep to depths below
The unwary crowding on its frightening
The whitening bones of legions, and the means
OF weary thousands striving still to climb
Alas. faiDrG al
When overweight and worn is learned at last
The falSeness OF thy lovei
o. Syren, thou
Whose royal beauty ne'er hath paled with time,
Whose rare enchantment subtle as the breath
OF light and warmth goes out through all the
world
Anuring thousands up thy dizzy course
What heart hast thou for those who strive and
fall
For those who climb and almost reach the goal!
Thy lovers by sad thousands perish cen
In sight OF cheer and sound OF mirth, erewhile
Thou holdest riot and high revelry
Within the Splendor of thy princely halls.
Thou hast no requiem for the valiant dead,
Thou hast no tear to hallow clay or sod,
Thou hast no flowers or song bird, thou,
To break and cheer the lonely watch OF death.
But for the living Ihou'hast smile and song;
Alluring smile. so rare, SO deadly sweet,
He counts him rich to drink its subtle warmth;
Iofollow fast and FAR thy maynard lead,
Zen tho his heart grow gray with soullesS
hope.
The weary days of toll and e'er to catch
The tiutter of thy purple still affair
The weary nights of watching, still TO heap
The echo of thy songs SO faint as tho
Thou heldst some cold and distant star
Thy sure and nearer company! And yet thy
path
Is royal, oh, thou daughter OF the king.
And leads up TO the heights where nearer burn
The glory OF the stars Alas. that il
Should leave so far below the scent OF rose
And violet-the plain and peaceful vale,
Where blythe content blown from the primrose
lips
or peasant commonplace in memory seems
More sweet than song of royal promise, warm
With tender breathfngS Of thy love:
AZ, thou vert kinder. thou rare commonplace,
Thou gavest peaceful days and restful nights,
Contentment in the humble joys and cares
That trod so lightly in the shepherds path.
Thou madest rich the heart in loneliness;
Content to share thy toll and gain and wealth
or simple faith, to pipe thy humble songs,
To fare upon thy coarser bread and wear
Thy peasant garb and lie upon thy hard
But reStful couch. AlaS alas! the day
When thou, oh, crowned unattainable,
When thou, the daughter OF the king" rode by
WILLIE F. PRUIT.