The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-03
Tm Way to garaaise.

Near a cooling spring on a summers day,
Sat Il maiden fair with wistful eyes,
Asking the way 10 Paradise.
| Natures face was free frem sadness,
Bird and blossom told only of gladness,
| Heavens blue tinted the fairest skies,
But the girl still sighed for Paradise.
Quoth she of an old man bent and gray,
Burdened and sore, who was passing tina
way,
.Teil me, kind sir, you who look so wise,
Is yonder the way to Paradlse?"
Slowly the old man shook his head,
Moving aimlessly where his footsteps led,
Saying between bis sObs and signs,
My heart knows no way to Paradise
A Judge rode by from his court away,
With a mind intent on the case of the day;
The maiden said. with pleading eyes.
Perhaps you know the way to Paradlsef =
II, child, whose life is IA time
Tt study great wrongs and to Judge OF crime
TIC know dark deeds and hear lawyers lis,
know no way to Paradise"
There came by a soldier, brave and strong,
Erect and singing IL battle som;
The girl asked, minding other replies,
= "Can you TIL me the way to Paradise
"That is good; why my trade is to \ kill"
Shouted the warrior with a will,
HE who crosses me is he who dies
caLnot hope for Paradise"
A rich man rode up in a coupe grand,
With IN ar as If owning all the land;
Her question to him the maiden plies
pray tell me the way.to Paradise2
The Cesus thought, as never before
That goldcanuotg gain him that shining shore,
And he made answer i'll sad surprise
Wealth cannot take lis to Paradise"
A priest drew near all sweetness and grace,
With a tender look on his holy face
Father" she cried with hope IN Der eyes,
Teach me the way to Paradise"
"Child, what you seek is with you in part,
In your own pure life and innocent heart,
By this worlds poor light your mortal eyes
May look OH no better Paradise.
Use gifts you have with a wOman's grace,
And much of Heaven may come to this place;
Willing hands, kind hearts are the gentle ties
That make for on a Paradise"
And the priest rode on with a sanity air,
Leaving sad aud alone the maiden fair,
To dream that In some strange land or skies,
Somewhere, there must still be a Paradise.
Yonder a hard beggar crawls apace,
Scanning each person for a giving face;
Asking of him the young girl tries:
Have you ever been to Paradisef"
Would | be here if I'd been thcre2"
said the sonred old man to the maiden fari,
." / tell you, girl, the wicked world lies,
There's no such place as Paradise"
Then sweet night quenched the summers day
And shadows darkened that country way,
Faint stars hung tremulous in quiet skies
Like gol..en promises Of Paradise.
But still near the spring the maiden stayed,
And hone eXpectant her steps DELAYED,
While mated birds grooming lullabies,
Sang to her heartOf Paradise.
There wandered out from the cruel town,
Away from men and a rude world 8 frown,
A youth so fair and of such guise,
He seemed like a god from Paradise.
The young girl leaned DER her fowery bank,
And the questioning gaze of her sweet eyes
sank
Deep into the fair gods heart as she cries,
"Oh tell me the way to Paradise.
/" All day I have questioned the good and the
All day I've wearied of vain replies; [wise,
Now the night is chill and the hour is late
Is Paradise only at Heavens white gate2"
Nay sweet maiden, come with me-,
Ills there on the road past Already,
ere the stars fade from the skies.
[ will lead you the way to Paradise"
so land in hand they wandered down
The road that led them from the town,
golden rod and faint fire-fiies
Lit all their way to Paradise.
a rose thorn caught at the maiden's dress,
And briars and brambles with strange caress
sprang in her path as it to stay
Her steps from going that untried way.
fingered under a shading tree,
And gaZed in the face so fair to see,
While a young bird sang a sweet shrill strain,
OF dreaming song, half joy, half pam.
With wayering touch the midnight breeze
Strayed DER the harp OF poplar trees,
And he whispered low with love in his eyes,
"Hark to the music of Paradise"
still into the forest she followed him,
Still questioned she and her eyes were dim
dewy and anxious, but he still denies
When she asks Is this the Paradlse2"
1t last where wild white roses were,
That %enyious, paled at sight of her,
Where ~fre-fiies' light nor song of bird
No longer nights sweet silence stirred,
lie gathered the maiden to his breast,
His lips upon her lips we're pressed.
The faint stars faded from out the skies,
Love was enough in Paradise.
-CATHARINE COLE.
What D1nocnc a Wonaon |