Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-05-04
SIMON oRu6's DREAM.

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sSn 49, ',iihoh slept, for twas sultry weather.
ana the dream and the sermon went on IN.
gotheE "'"' oA w
"' ureamca that he died. and stood at tho
W inc outer court, whore the anpoIs watt
ror thHso who hear tho glad "Iyel donc.n
ana can enter the realms of tho HOLY ono
Wnllc Simon waited, and wondered II he
t'au forgotten tho password, or lost tho key
~ ~. voice above him said, loud and clcar:
~ you Know you must bring your witnesses
~, oi Witnesses there arc many" said no;
"y brethren and neighbors will all speak for
me-"
nu. inc brethren and neighbors came not near.
anu nc heard only whinny, familiar and
clear
ana olu Grayioot, the horse, stood Just at his
While around on the other side, Just coming in
Was crowd OF dumb creatures, SO forlorn and
so poor
Inat the angel wept as he opened the door.
ihcn Simon grew pale, and, trembling with
fear,
Said; "Oh why arc not somo of tho hro,bren
hcrcp
Fray wait pray wait they'll surely come"
A"as Grayfoot that spoke then, and Simon
was dumb:
.On wintry nights rvc stood in my stall,
When tho cold winds blew through the cracks
In the WALL
Iill every Joint and sinew and bono
seemed frozen and dead as the coolest stone.
i've shivercd the drcary timc away,
WIN only some whisps Of the poorest hay
Ihen put TO work with shout and blow,
DO hungry and faint could scarcely 60"
Then old Brindle camc, and, with soft brown
eyes
Fixed on her master in sad surprise
loid piiiui iaie oi starvation and cold,
And how he mad sold her food for gold
The poor sheep told their story, too,
VI bitter wrcnGs their whole life through;
Iurncd out In cold and stormy weather,
10 starye and freeze and cry together.
They wcrc lowly cries but they turned to
prayer,
Close by the car OF Him who says:
u VIII hear tho cries of My poor always"
Tho old house dog, though treated Ill,
Camo near and fawned on his master still
Because the love these dumb things know
is more than human. moro faithful moro true
Then conscience woke like some torpid thing
That Is brought to life by the sun in spring,
And IL laShed and StunR him liilo poisoned
thongs,
AS memory brought him his train of wrongs,
Forgetting nothing Of word or decd,
or cruel blows or selfish greed.
His cruelty treated friends that were dumb,
Would they follow him on through the ages to
Must he see them forever, gaunt, hungry and
col12
For "Time and eternity never grow old"
How oft in dumb pleading they'd asked a caress
From his hands that had beaten and starved
thcml All yes,
He remembered it all, and II stung him to know
That tho love they had craved had been met
only with blow
Oh, could he live over the life that was past
And leave out its sins, to stand here at last
With soul that was white, for a happier fate
Was 1t conscience that whispered: "Too late,
too latel"
He'd cruelty passed over life's narrowing
track,
Till remorse claimed Its own-for that never
turns back;
And sins scarce remembered, remembered too
late,
Grew black as he saw them from Heavens
barred gate.
Twas in vain that he strove to speak, to say
Those sweet; old words: "Forgive, pray"
Sins last sad cry; he was silent there;
He was dumb, with such wocful need OF prayer.
Then voices seemed floating on every breeze:
"'Ye did 1t to these 'Ye did it to these.
Go hence, be homeless, go starve and freeze;
sYe did II to these Ye did 1t to these
sand when you are faint and weary with woe,
You will still hear the shout you will still feel
the blow,
While voice from which you shall never be
free,
WIN whisper beside you: 'Ye did 1t to Me-"
But harkl What melody over him rollsf
Do the angels sing reQuems over lost souls'
His last hope had fed In an agony new
He awoke-to find himself safe in his pew.
What his dumb friends thought none ever
knew,
When food was plenty and blows were few.
But the teacher who follows us ever, 1t seems,
Gives his strongest lessons, sometimes, in
dreams.
Remember, dear friends, that the lips that are
dumb
NAV be those that will speak when our time
shall come
To stand at the entrance, and watch and wait
For the angel to open, or close, the gate.
Our Dumb Animals.