River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-04-20
SIMON eRus.s DREAM.

The text was Ibis: -Inasmuch as ye
Have done Il 10 these We have done il 10 Ne "
soon SIMON slept. for twas sultry weather.
And the dream and the sermon went on To-
sether.
lie dreamed that he died. and stood at the
gate
OF the outer court. where the angels wait
For those who hear the glad Well done.
And can enter the realms OF the Holy one.
While simon waited. and wondered il he
HAD forgotten The password. or lost the key,
= voice above him said. lead and clear
do you know You must bring YOUR Witnesses
here
40. witnesses there are many" said he;
.-3Iv brethren and uesghbors viii al speak for
And he heard only Whinny, familiar and
aud old Crayfoot. the horse. stood Just at his
While around on the other side, just coming in
sight.
Was !. crowd OF dumb creatures. so forlorn and
30 poor
That ne angel wept as he opened the door
Then simon grew pale. and. trembling with
fear.
said. on why are not some OF the brethren
here.
Pray wait. r-a.- wait. they'll surely come
Twas Grayfoot thaJ spoke then, and Simon
was dumb:
On wintry nights I've stood in my stan.
When the cold winds blew through The cracks
in the wall.
TIL every Joint and sinew and bone
Seemed frozen and dead As the coolest stone
..I've sh.verc,i the drcary time away.
Oft hay
2 men Dut 20 WORK with shout and blow.
- hungry aad lsIn; 1 could scarcely 90
Then old B-.a5se came, and, with soft brown
eyes
rived on her master in sad surprise.
Told a pit5flI tale o. starvation and cold,
Ana how he mad sold her food Tor gold.
The poor sheep told their story. too.
or bitter wrongs their hole life through;
Turned out IN cold aud stormy weather,
To sisrve and freeze and cry together
They were Iowiy cries. but they turned to
PRAYER.
Ana. floating upward. had rested there.
Close Pos tire ear Of Him who >ays.
81 VIII hear the cries OF NV poor always"
The old house dog. though treated III,
cams, near and favurd on his master still,
because the love these dumb things know
l. more than human. more faithful, more true.
Tten conscience woke. like some torpid thing
That : brought 70 life by the sun in spring,
Aad 10 dashed and >tuug him likc poisoned
thu---
A. nrrnrrv brought him his train Of wrongs
Forgetting nothing Of word or decd,
OF cruel blows or selfish greed
His cruelty treated friends that were dumb.
Nould iEcv follow ham on through the ages to
Must he so them forever. gaunt, hungry and
tcife
FOR Time ana eternity never grow old"
How OF in dumb pleading they'd asked carcss
From his hauC~ tha[ had beaten and starved
them An ves.
lie remembered II All. and 10 stung him TO know
That the love they had craved had been met
Oniy with blow
on. could h live over the life that was past,
and leave out its sins. 10 stand here at last
With a soul that was white. for a happier fate.
Was it conscience that whispered. Too late,
too Iate
He'd crueHy passed over LIES narrowing
TIL rcmcr,c claimed It's own-for that never
Turns back
And SINS scarce remembered, remembered too
late.
barred gate
Twas ID vain that NJ strOvc 20 speak, 70 say
Those svee;. old words. Forgive, pray
= u.s last sad cry. he WAS silent there;
IL Nas dumb, with such wOeful need prayer.
Then voices seemed floating on every breeze:
o. We die il to these We did il 70 these
go hence. Do homeless, 20 starv,sand freeze.
re did 10 10 these Ne did IL to these
And when YOU are faint and weary with woe,
You viii Stfll hear the shout. you Wi. sim feel
the blow,
while voice from which you shall never be
free
VIII whisper beside Won: We did it 20 Me-
But harE. What melody over him rolls.
DO the angels sing r,qulems over lost >Ouis3
All. last hope had fiyt In an agony new
lie awole-jO ;lad himself safe in his pew.
What his dumb friends thought none ever
knew.
When food was plenty and blows were few
Buf the teacher eho follows rs ever. e. seems.
Gives his strongest lessons, sometimes, in
dreams
Rcmemrer. dear friends. that the lips that are
duIua
MAJ De- those That viii speak when our time
shall come
To stand AZ tine entrance. and watch ami wait
Tor the angel 10 open or close. the gate.
Our Dumb Animals