St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-07-23
THE SCHOOLROOM DOOR.

1he light u warm on Auburn's hlllO
With quiet mesdows crowned.
And sunsets shadowy splendor nils
The memory haunted ground.
o bowery fleldsi nlumined treesi
Ny eye 10 you once more
Il turned, and dim with feeling seeks
What once It sought with glowing chcckA
The open schoolhouse door!
Iwalk the upward path alone,
Where once I walked with frien0ss
A pilgrim TO the halls alone,
Ny haltinR step ascenda.
see the glimmerinx treetops rise
Around me Is Of gore.
Below, the placid river lies;
Above, the blue lakes of the skies,
And fading hills, before.
. shaded windows, that see
BY pilgrim years cndcared,
Where Oft dreamed when fair % me
LIES happy skiee appeared!
Grounds. where I used to sport and play
With classmates. seen no more.
Springlcss ahd summcricss to-day
wind alone my autumn way,
To that old schoolhouse door.
Where are they now, where are they IN,
The friends that gathered there.
That stood beneath the mornings brow
In life's celestial air.
Where are the warm. young faces met
So frequent IT the door.
Ny youth il green iE memory yet,
And never can my neart forget
That old-timc schoolroom door!
Some sleep beside the mobile seaA
Whose lives had but begun,
a.
Where slants the southern sun:
And here kind nature spreads the fern
The graves Of others DER;
And ame-tipped leaves above them burnt
Their feet, alas will ne'er return
To that old schoclhousc door.
Green sprinsa have not the light of old.
Nor summers bright that follow.
Zach year from skies OF ddller gold
Fits autumn's purple swallow;
And life goes on. . nrenyIs hight
It's lost thread ever spinning,
And that which makes the future bright
We lose, alas. In winning;
Behind US, longer grow the wayA
And shorter. rise before;
I've Travelled further than the rest
Towards sunset windows Of the wesA
comradesi seen no more!
What sayest thou. old claes, tonight
Amid these years Of cares;
Who soon must seek the taper's light
Before LIES altar stairss
Our hopes In Heaven remain alone
OF al oLr quest, my brothers,
And al the joys that Ne have known,
And al We own. or yet can own,
Are those we've given others
The school Of life. than all more wise.
This final lesson leaves:
He who himself the most denies.
From Heaven the most receives:
And In the magistrates OF the pass
The eternal stars We zee:
Each year il better than the last,
And viii forever bel
One taper lights Q thousand lamrs,
One wave through Thousands aows.
One bugle's notes awake the comps
Beset with hidden foes
And al the e9orfs We have made.
The good for which we've striven.
Though baf1ed Oft, ~ gold IL weighed
In the true scales Of Heaven.
A nohler school, In mornings bright
Before our eyes appears.
And re are happy in the light
OF graduated yearA
Or fsr or near. old friends Of yorA
Or pupil. teacher. guest
He ever loves tines schoolroom door
Who does In life his best
The light ID warm on Auburn's hills
With peaceful harvcsts crowned.
And stin hopes happy prospect nllS
The memory haunted ground.
Farewell, o shAdoW-mAntled hAllat
Ine'er may zee thee more,
Be mine 70 90 where duty calls,
Well pleased where'er the sunset falls
That may scenes like these renew,
Come back and take . parting view
At life's old echoolroom door!
1ezckfah ButterWorth, II YOUTHS Companion