Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-10-10
From the Cradle to the Grave.

Possibly there are few readers of
the INDEPENDENT who have not
read the following beautiful inscrip-
tion of "Life" by Robert G.. Inger-
soil, and many who have read it will
be pleased to read it again:
Born of love and hope, of ecstacy
and pain, of agony and fear, of tears
and joy-dowered with the wealth
of two united hearts-held in happy
arms, with lips upon life's drifted
font, blue-veined and fair, where
perfect peace finds perfect form
rocked by willing hands and wooed
to shadowy shores of sleep by siren
mother singing soft and low-look-
ing with wonders wide and startled
eyes at common things of life and
day-taught by want and wish and
contact the things that touch the
dimpled flesh of babes-lured by
light and flame and charmed by
color's wondrous robes-learning
the use OF hands and, by the
love of mimicry beguiled to utter
speech-releasing prisoned thoughts
from Grabbed and curious marks on
soiled and tattered leaves-puzzling
th0 olh Will SIoOhcu
and their changing, tangled worth
and 80 through years of alternating
day and night, until the captive
grows familiar with the chains and
walls and limitations of a life.
And time runs on in sun and shade
until the one of all the world is
wooed and won, and all the lore of
love is taught and learned again.
Again a home is built with the fair
chamber wherein faint dreams, like
cool and shadowy wales, divide the
billowed hours of love. Again the
miracle of bIrth-the pain and ioy,
the kiss of welcome and the cradle
song drowning the drowsy prattle
of babe. And then the sense of
obligation and of wrong-pity for
those who toll and weep-tears for
the imprisoned and despised-love
for the generous dead, and in the
heart the rapture of high resolve.
And then ambition, with its lust of
pelf and place and power, longing to
put upon its breast Distinctions
worthless badge. Then keener
thoughts of men, and eyes that see
behind the smiling mask Of craft
fiattered no more by the obsequious
cringe of, gain aud greed-knowing
the uselessness of boarded gold-of
honor bought from those who charge
the usury of self-respect-of power
that only bends coward's knees
and forces from the lips of fear the
lies of praise. Knowing at last the
unstudied gesture of esteem, the
reverent eyes made rich with hon.
est thought, and holding high above
all other things - high as hopes
great throbbing star above the dark
ness of the dead-the love of wife
and child and friend. Then locks
of gray, and growing love OF other
days and half remembered things
then holding withered hands Of those
who first held his, while over dim
and loving eyes death softly presses
down the lids Of rest. And so, lock-
ing in marriage VOWS his children's g
hands and crossing others on the
breast of peace, with daughters
babes upon his knees, the white hair
mingling with the gold he journeys
on from day to day to that horizon
where the dusk is waiting for the
night. At last, sitting by the holy
hearth Of home as evenings embers
change from red to gray, he falls
asleep within the arms of her he
worshiped and adored, feeling upon
his pallid lips loves last and holiest
kiss.