The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-06-20
SIMON oRUB's DREAM.

otNiOTN y OHEAtHs
The text was this: "Inasmuch as ye
Have done it TO these, We have done 1t to Me-"
Soon SIMON slept for twas sultry weather.
And the dream and the sermon went on TO
getheE
He 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 If he
Had forgotten the password, or lost the key,
A voice above him said, loud and clear:
do you know you must bring your witnesses
hereS"
"Of witnesses there are many" said he;
my brethren and neighbors will all speak for
me-"
But the brethren and neighbors came not near,
And he heard only q whinny, familiar and
clear.
And old Grayfoot, the horse, stood Just at bis
While around on the other side. Just coming in
sight,
Was crowd OF dumb creatures, so foriorn and
so poor
That the angel wept as he opened the door.
Then Simon grew pale, and, trembling with
Said: 'ioh why are not some of the brethren
herea
Pray wait, pray wait. they'll surely come"
Twas Grayfoot that spoke then, and Simon
was dumb:
ION wintry nights I've stood in my stall,
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
"Tve shivered the dreary time away,
With only some whisps OF the poorest hay.
Then put to work with shout and blow,
So hungry and faint I could scarcely 60"
Then old Brindle came, and, with soft brown
eyes
Fixed on her master In sad surprise,
Told pitiful tale Of starvation and cold,
And how he had sold her food for gold.
The poor sheep told their story, too,
OF bitter wrongs their whole life through;
Turned out In cold and stormy weather.
To starve and freeze and cry together.
They were lowly cries. but they turned 70
prayer,
Close by the ear Of Him who says:
~ Will hear the cries OF My poor always"
The old house dog though treated Ill
Came near, and fauned on his master stil,
Because the love these dumb things know
Is more than human, moro faithful, more true
Then conscience woke, like some torpid thing
That Is brought to life by the sun IN spring,
And 1t dashed and stung him like poisoned
thongs,
AS memory brought him his train of wrongs,
nothing OF word or deed,
Of cruel blows or selfish greed
bis cruelty treated friends that were dumb,
Would they follow him on through the ages r.
GOMEZ
Must he see them forever. gaunt. hungry and
coldr
For 'Time and eternity never grow old"
How oft in dumb pleading they'd asked caress
From his hands that had beaten and starved
themi All yes,
BE remembered 1t ali. and It stung hirp to know
That the love they had craved had been met
only with blow.
Oh, could he I've over the life that was pact
And leave out its sins, to stand here at last
With . soul that wes white, for happier fate,
Was It conscience that whispered: "Too late.
too latel"
He'd cruelty passed over lies narrowing
track,
Til 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 be strove to speak, to say
Those sweet, old words: "Forgiye, pray"
SINS last sad cry; he was silent there's
He was dumb, with such woeful need OF prayer.
Then voices seemed floating on every breeze:
. 'Ye did II to these sYe did 1t to these
10 hence, be homeless, go starve and freeze;
Ye did It to these Ye did 1t to these
And when you are faint and weary with woe,
You will still hear tho shout, you will stu feel
the blow.
While a voice from which you shall never be
free,
WIN whisper beside you: Ye did It to Me-"
But harki What melody over him rollsf
Do the angels sing reQuiems over lost soulsi
His last hope had fed In an agony new
He awoke--to ind himself safe In his pew.
What his dumb friends thought none ever
knew,
When food was plenty and blows were few
But the teacher VINO follows US ever. It seems.
aiyes his strongest lessons, sometimes. in
dreams.
dear friends. that the lips that are
dumb
Nay 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.