The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-08-31
OLD FAvORITEs REVIVED.
Written for the Democratic Advocate
HI EDGAR T. READ.

'ris held that sorrow makes us wise T,,sgsoa.
ltwas Keats. if remember Alright. who
said that = thing of beauty is JOY for
ever: Its loyeliness increases. When the
poet wrote this thought his mind was not
pondering upon old poems, but on a sub
iect far more important, But neyerthe-
less these. the first words of Endymiun
appeal to ns with power all uncunfned to
that particular subject which they intro
duce: aud invite Us to make use of them
as = text for lighter themes. proving to us
what a living example thy are of their own
words They may very aptly be employed
in connection with this sketch. wherein are
brought forth few old iavorite poems.
such aS oHr .nndtatherS and grandmother>
read aud reread, aud perhaps dropped a
silent tear on the open leaf or beheld the
last lines through tear-dimued la,hes.
Puems which aroused the soul to more
manlier actions and thrilled 1t with greater
strength t. press forward on the road of
life poems which turned the mind back tn
scenes Of childhood aud called again into
being pleasant visions Of the DAYS Of wore.
and s,othed the weary heart Of its bitter
almost hopcle>s. anguish by thought of
the evenings mother had rocked the cradle
and baby had driited away to the painless
shores Of lr,,amland. H. irrtiul cry hushed
bv mother sweet voice! HYMN poems
that todd uf the love which fingered with
the memory for dear departed ones. laye
which although it changes with passing
yearS yes increases IN tenderness aud
which l. felt whrH unexpected incidents
irsShen recollection. puem> 1t struggle
against the word daily ebb and flow, If
uuialierag devotion, of purc changrle>>
love aud S,riVings toward that better land
where pain and serr'w are no mor.. bat
isv and happiness shine ir,m the star
cr,Wny,i brow IT the faithful pilgrim \
distinguished Scotch ,-,~ayist ha> written
that IL viii be an evil day when the world
unly rraa~ What was written yesterday and
viii ~ fnr-,stcu Tomorrow tn this
daY uf constant change it J. often With
shade pf imIatienee tha; many ii IT. tuu
To- things # the past old poems old PLAYS.
oli sioTis~ -- uui,-S, they bear a classic
grace. - have not the Interest which they
.h,uI have Rui will vuu MT. dear
r,,s.sler, lrt mc engage Your attention l,,r
>haFt ssas~,n. that NE may together T-rruse
the i,llpwius >,ansss. ani. considering If
ihey b. things "f beauty whether or Boi
they arr q joy. and # l-.>,.,-,ing any hye-
Illness whether ur uat il Increases They
aFr g-sta, Il the heart and appeal 90 the
heart as hglIl,~s lnnocrae, appeals tn trust
el maaliue,- They aTe M, the work ii
usa>trr, g even Ear ,p-.ken ,,u, 1t genius
bai ihey have ,ouchs,i many ehor,i of
sympathy, and will s,tunc With uiany morc
~ the Fuiur than ,hey hsv, in the pas,
'--arh asBgs have pa~es 90 qusst
~ nrsilcss Ialss - care
ksssi fsssss uSr ~ hsassttrft'1
Tlsss fssiipas sftsf paw
ln MANY, If Bo al. viii h. heard "a
u,inor ia she card and acn-s the Eags
may .sFay a -halov in the H-hS bni
h NJ, disturbed. rsther take qnic, pleas
ARE IN the fact that yuu end a spray If
eypr,~- tsinina ~i,h the h"lly wrca,h. to-
night
Eiisa Cook tender I--ru, .'Thr Obi
Arm Chair. j. oae II those which has
iDand a ne-ihng plaec in thousands ii
hearts. where it, pathetic Euris have dts
esvrrrd spring # kiBdrcd sorTow
remember cac ,ammsr evening during
the twilight h.ur. hearing AZ little IL.
tance a swcvi yuice singing -oilly famil.
iar sssag and knowing che pain which
hilei her brrast uprn the ryc,,llection of
former years | coald nUs but h. i,sIrs~,sd
si,h sh~ paihs~ of the singing ani the
beauty II the wursls zs shrs fcIl frpm the
singer hPs
love e. ; love ii ant slss shall darr
q rhAie ae ~ lowing thAs oli ara rizsffs
! ~ tEsarEFcsi ti iane A. q taiatrsi pr3Ers
lss hstrar g san lsars itr rtuisaiussvl ii ifh
n. i.as,ai b. tAs,asaIai tssusis W ms hsart
Ness tie wlA bssak. unl TAX sill starr
W0ad ygu kn9a ihe sfsll A rnaJhsr s'i therr
Ahsi a ,acrs-i thing !. that - arm rizsi4
ia calksos.i's hssaF Iinzess.f near
The hsliuussl -sat. with listening car
Afst kTutir words that mother ~ts1A xtvr.
r. dl ~ to tbr Hssf iearh 10 ltNc.
With lruih fsg my ereSsi aizs tstsi 6f aly -ahie
>iaf S4tsz hi use - lisp nay earliest Frstvr
A sfsrit s--ssie that s'aa sssn chair
! al sna ~airhe,i her many a ,iAy
ben seT eyes gTeu disn AMI her iocks Were gray
Afsf tslrtsst frutn hsr klssie b. hes hef chfid
1esrs r,,4isd ga. tal ;hs last ons sIssi
Ny Idol Was sllsttrrsi. my earth star nssi
leafuI boa mnrh ilsr heart can tssaf.
- hrn "a hrF Die lH ier OIL arm chair
sfs. 80 t.,f . -. -. -. a. No..
With 4uiy~Ftns hfyaih AMI ihrotiiiuE broa.
Twas sberr sile Rnrss-i twas thsFr sIs siis-i.
AMI tseInoyy aoWs with tAya tsis.
Say Is + folly, Arri ss.fa ue usak.
Whilst sealiing druL~ start down my chesk
Bat love ii. love q AMI esnnoi tear
NiF Asni fraun my tnushsEs old arm chair.
Another old song recalls To many minds
pleasant memories If the pas, - Wood
man Spare that Tree George p Nor
NJ. poet, Journalist aud sketch writer.
gained national fame by this song While
engaged in New York Journalistic work -
Al ene time associated with \ r. Willis -
he wrote these lines since ~ dearly loved
Wosiman spare that iree
Touch not a single tssuEh.
In youth IL sleliefd me,
Twas my foFefathers hzpd
That plae'd 1t near his rDi.
Them so0.tulau let Il siAnd
Thy axe shall harm IL not
That obi familiar lres.
NhOss glory and renawn
Are spread u'er land aud ssst
And Would u thou hack il down
Mos.iuan furbsar thy stroke
Ctll not its earth bound Lies
uh SPAN that sged oak
NoW tow ring Ia the >kieS-
Nhen tut an Idle hoy,
~luehi its grateful shade;
Ia all their gushing Joy,
Herr, too my sisters playd
Ny mother Kissed me here:
Ny father press'd my hand
Forgive this foolish tear,
But let that old ssik stand
Ny heart strings rouIpd thee cling
Close a. thy lark. old friend
Here shall the Wild-bini sing,
And still thy branches bend,
Old tree the storm still brave,
Aud woosiman leave the spot
While I've a hand 10 save,
Thy axe shall harm IL not
The genial poet and happy man John |
Godfrey Saxe-and how seldom are these
two qualities To be found in one person,
for poets are, as a rule, irritable in temper
and discontented in spirit, genius as
some one has said. makes disagreeable
companions - has left us several little /
poems of the heart. Filled with tenderest
Affection southern heart in a northern
breast-Saxe was everybody $ best friend. |