The Republican journal., 1892-12-15
Written for the journal.
A Picture.

Safe sheltered from the north wind shrill
BY stately pine and lordly oak,
Midway between the vale and hill,
saw uprise the curling smoke,
That mingled with the sparkling dew
And faint dissolved in ether blue.
Below. like silent sentinel,
A red brown cottage peaceful stood;
In front, sloping interval;
Behind, the dark green of the wood;
And like monarch self-confessed
A mountain reared its lor1ly crest.
No sound was on the crisp air free
That sported wild with natures gift,
And like sparkling crystal sea,
Unbroken swept the winters drift:
Enshrouding field in ermine rare,
And sottening every outline bare.
No fences left to tell the tale
That man the peaceful scene e'er marc d.
No weather beaten post or rail,
Alone to keep IA watchful guard,
And hold the bridge in calm repose
Till warmer suns shall kiss the SHOWS
Nc sparkling mountain streamlet bold,
In noisy music winds along,
But lTisoned in a stern stronghold
II murmurS low ITS ctaSeleSS song,
And in IA plaintNe munody
Flows onward toward the distant sea.
No wild bird fitted O er the road,
Nor ptrched on branches brown and bare,
But htnulng meath their frosty load
The trees flung down their burden fair.
Tie 1ea1lie.ry DRIFT the light winds shook
IN crevict deep and Sheltered nook.
W ltllN the loW-ruoftd cottage room
The freight dances ON the wall
Nc darkene corners tile1 with gloom,
IN every nook the sweet rays fall.
With art t,ley touch the paper rude,
Till fair il blooms in flowers roSe-hued.
These tw, sea-ca astle> in the bed
OF Goals and tower and lninaret,
Are outlined there, and oft a head
With flowing locks is firmly set,
Bt tween the back log and the rest,
\ strange but not unwelcomed guest.
The lnrcll- bark glows in colors rare,
And falls apart like ilmy lace,
The soft flame stirs the clustering hair
And gently kisses neck and face.
And mirrored in her love-lit eyes
Is all the bliss of Paradise.
He watches in deep content
The lalnbtnt flames in colors bold
AMI counts each hour thus Sweetly spent,
As mser counts his boarded gold.
For love can paint with subtle tone
Each bhssful joy we call our own.
Sometimes in calm receptive mood
They watched the sun sink to his rest
The while with clasping hands they stood,
Kissed by the rose clouds in the west,
With not a shade to intervene
Soft night and love shuts in the scene.
Sometimes she sewed, sometimes they read
Strange tales of oriental birth,
While bright the birch fire glowing shed
Its colors on the clean swept hearth;
And often as they watched the flame
Sweet visions out of dreamland came.
They saw the castles OF their youth,
The Untultiiment OF past years.
Laid on the fire of fadeless truth
And SLOW dissolve like angels teas,
\ nj saw, from ont those ashes rise.
\ faith clear as sunlight skies.
OH golden hours uf love and prime
VIII some kind alchemy of fate
Stlll now the restless wheel of time
And bid the hurrying cycles wait,
That these fond hearts in bond divine
May drink. their til OF lifr's sweet Wine?
A. fades the light from walled room
When >ioWly y dies the hearth ire out,
s. faces the glow ot youthful bloom
Beneath the VeXing wears of doubt,
lint still along an autumn path
May bloom a golden aftermath.
HELEN y. PACKARD.