The Newtown bee., 1900-02-02

The sad infrm1t1es Of age. Then, in less desponding mood, He filled his pipe ot briar wood. And sending forth cloud of smoke The veteran, selt communing, spoke :- "Did repine at growing old And that my blood was thin and cold, Ah, how ungratetul to the Power That gave lite's precious fruit and flower; That lowered me with printed page, IlIumed by poet and py sage, 4 tount of joy from youth to age; And the de lights of Nature yields To him who loves the woods and fields; And, dearer far than all besides, My home and one who there presides. My children still survive to cheer The Indian summer ot my year. My dearest friends, if they be few, Are old and tried, and stanch and true. Now calm and cheerful IL await The final messenger of fate." There came a boy along the stream Whose countenance had lost the gleam Of hope and joy youth should wear; His face was clouded now with care. "What luck, my boy?" the veteran cried. "rve lost my hook." the lad replied. The veteran produced his book, Well filled with every kind ot hook, And showed to his delighted eyes
  AS held him breathless with surprise. The youngster will not soon forget The kind old fisherman he met. The angler made no longer stay, But down the stream pursued his way No maledic tions did he launch At line entangled in a branch, And when his hook caught in root, He saved it with 6 crotched shoot; And every lingering he took l Was dropped with care back in the brook. Ere half the afternoon had fled The sky with cloud WAS overspread, | The wind went moaning by; ! But, lost in reveries profound l The angler needed not the sound, l I'll whlrling softly to the ground A snowflake caught his eye. The angler turned, his courage braced, And hurriedly his steps retraced. And, as he faced the snow and wind, Concerning pr1l "treed his mi cd." SO, ,April with what careless ease I:You charm when you wish to please. With summer breeze and sunny skies Ton lead us where the mayflower hess Whose pink and white commingllng seek To match pretty maiden's cheek.
 You tempt the student from his books To wander by the winding brooks / Then suddenly you trown;
 And all the sky is black with cloud, The air Is chill, the wind Is loud.
 And hail comes rattling down.
 o, goddess ot the fickle brow.
 The coquette of the monthz art thou" Meanwhile, his steed impatient chewed The bitter cud of solitude,
 And also every twig ot beech
 Or spicy birch within his reach;
 Now pricked his ears at every sounds
 Now trampled nervously the ground,
 And when the veteran appeared,
 Looked up and whinnied, plunged and reare AnG paved the earth with restless hoof, And thus e. >r sssed his sharp reproof.
 With shor1 lay the angry horse | Plunged forward on his homeward course; l With fiery haste and nostrols wide
 He took the road with rapid s.ride,
 And while he proved his racing blood
 Hurled from his heels shower of mud.
 This was endured with patient pluck
 By one inured to fisherman's luck.
 He knew the joy that anglers feel
 In bearing home well filled creel; But still was not inclined to boast.
 When he recalled the trout he lost,-
 That monster! parting from his hook
 When lifted from the boiling brook.
 His journey done, he drew the rein
 And spoke in moraHzing veint-
 "Tve had my day, I've played my part,
 I'll go to rest with thankful heart.
 The cloud and sunshine Of one day
 The changing scenes of fife display
 Out of the mystery of night
 We wake to see the morning light,
 We have our pleasures and our pains,
 Our triumphs. failures, losses. gains;
 Our little day is quickly spent,
 The stars shine in the Armament,
 The night returns, to bed we creep,
 And life is rounded with sleep.'"