The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-04-23
GKISELDA AND SEnlRATlS.
ATALE FOR THE TINES.
BY
Affixed }. HOU0H, PASTOR n. E. oHUKCH,
BRATTLEBoRo, VERMONT.

copyrighted 1894.

: }
nature of his theme
And mixed in with his molten though
the colors of her dream.
Peace had been his if he had spoken
only as he wrote,
But like the young men of his day, he
preached without note.
In his discourse two streams of thought
opposing met and surged,
Two minds contended for two spheres
and different action urged
Griselda seemed triumphant for one
moment, then, the next,
Semiramis would rise up like phoenix
from the text.
And each before John Allen sat with
eyes of liquid fire,
Semiramis beneath the desk, Griselda
with the choir.
When in burst of eloquence for wom-
ans rights he plead,
Semiramis looked up and smiled, Girls
elda bowed her head.
Then, deity painting sacred home as
woman'S native sphere
Griselda listened with smile, Semira-
mis- a sneer.
The people marvelled as they heard,
and, service ended, said:
"Griselda has our preachers heart,
Semiramis his head"
John Allen left the church in haste !:
l.,
At vesper service, all could see strug-
gle vexed his SOUL
His custom was to pause and greet but
looking left nor right
He passed in silence from the church
and out into the night,
Beyond the town. and in a lone, wierd
glen, some miles away,
An old man lived apart from men, they
called him Hermit Gray.
His pleasant cottage by stream was
built long years ago,
But whence he came, or what his past
the wisest did not know.
Sweet gentleness with sadness beamed
upon nODlc ldCC,
His eyes had depth of soul and looked
far out beyond that place.
The Cashier of the Concord bank was
often heard to say,
No man in town could write cheque
as large as Hermit Gray.
The only certain fact about his past was
that ashore,
The sole survivor of a wreck he came
men knew no more.
Then he was handsome, in his prime
the face his hands had traced
On canvas, and beside il still another
picture graced
His lonely cottage in the glen-a maid
en- with child
That lay asleep upon her arm, and in
its slumber smiled.
The story was that wife and boy were
drowned one awful day
Near thirty years before, in sight of land,
out IN the bay.
John Allen overtaken once by night,
had roamed about
Through wood and glen until he found
the Hermit's cottage out.
The old man opened wide his door and
welcomed him to rest
And cher ished MIN as one beloved, or
some distinguished guest.
They talked until the morning light
awoke the birds. and still
The old man held his guest, yet not
against the preachers will.
A deep mysterious sympathy had made
the strangers one,
The Hermit seemed a father, and John
Allen like a son.
And oft the old mans eyes upon the
the pictured babe would rest
Then with keen heart hunger view
the fair face of his guest.
On parting late that day where town
and country meet and blend,
The old man said-"Seek me when you
would find bosom friend"
late, late, far, deep into the night of ,
that bright Sabbath day
The Hermit's window down the glen
sent forth kindly ray.
The old man had gone from the hills
and to the seaside crossed,
lie only did this once year, the day
the ship was lost.
lis journey ended now he sat the past !
days dreaming DER,
When weary, worn, John Allen stepped
and stood inside the door.
emiramis-from lip to lip in Concord
town her name,
ince she returned from school, had A
passed with words OF praise and blame
he formed base ball team of girls,
and taught them how to play,
Run bases, slide and 'twirl the sphere A
the most deceitful way.
ehind the bat or in the field she played +
erect and cool.
struck out the last one on a side with I
all the bases full,
Iade double plays, knew all the rules, G
could talk an un,nire doun