Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-05-26
THE SCHOOLROOM DOOR.

The light is warm on Auburn's hills
With quiet meadows crowned.
And sunsets shadowy spIendor ILLS
The memory haunted ground.
o bowery fields. Illumined trees.
Ny eye TO you once more
Is turned and dim with feeling seeks
What once it sought with glowing chec,-s,
The open schoolhouse door.
walk the upward path alone.
Where once walked with friends:
A pilgrim TO the halls alone,
Ny halting step ascencs.
see the glimmering treetopS rise
Around me as OF yore.
Below tie placid river lies:
Above. the blue lakes Of the skies
And fading hills, before.
o shaded windows, that see
by pilgrim years enGeared,
Where Oft dreamed when fair to me
Lies happy skies appeared.
Grounds, where I used to sport and Play
With classmates. seen 10 more,
Springless ahd summarizes to-day
wind alone my autumn way.
To that old schCOlhouse door
Where are they cow. where are they now,
TIE friends that gathered there,
That stood beneath the morning brow
n lif-'s celestial air:
" here are the warm. young faces met
80 frequent At the door
NJ youth is gre en IN memory yet,
And never can M heart forget
That Cld-tine sChooIrOOn door.
Sor.a sleep beside the mobile seas,
Who's. lives had but begun,
And some beneath ,hc crimsoned trees
Where sIar,s tie southern sun:
ArG here kind nature spreads the fern
The graves o: others Ger:
And fiaIne-tipDed leaves above them burn:
Their feet. alas viii ne ct return
To that old scAoo:Eouse door.
Green springs have rot the light OF old,
Nor summers bright that follow.
Each year from skies OF duller gold
Fits aGtumn's purple swallow:
And life goes on, a frefiy's light,
rs los: thread ever spinning.
And that which makes the future bright
We lose alas. in winning:
Behind Us. longer grow the ways,
And shorter rise before;
I've travelled further than the rest
Towards sunset windows OF the west
o comrades. seen 10 more.
What sayest thou, old class. tonight.
Amid these years Of cares:
Who soon must seek the taper's light
Before life's altar stairs:
Our hopes in Heaven remain alone
OF all oar quest, my brothers,
And all the joys tina: We have known,
And all we own. or yet can own,
Are those we've given others.
The school OF life, than all NOR. wise,
This final lesson leaves:
He who himself the most denies,
From Heaven the most receives;
And in the nght-shades of the past
The eternal stars we see:
Each year is better than the last,
And will forever be.
One taper lights thousand lamps.
One wave through thousands flows,
One bugle's notes awake the camps
Beset with hidden foes.
And all the efforts We have made,
The good for which we've strivel.
Though baffied oft. as gold IS weighed
In the true scales Of Heaven.
cobler school. in mornings bright,
Before our eyes appears.
And We are happy in the light
OF graduated years
Or far or near old friends of yore,
Or pupil, teacher. guest,
He ever loves times schoolroom door
Who does in life his best
The light is warm on Auburn's hills
With peaceful harvests crowned
And still hopes happy prospect ILLS
The memory haunted ground
Farewell. o shadow-mantled halls,
l ne'er may see thee more.
Be mine to go where duty calls,
Well pleased where'er the sunset falls
That may scenes like these renew
Come back and take a parting view
At life's old schoolroOm door.
ezekiah Butterworth. in Youths Companion