Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-10-17
RESPECTFULLY pREsgNTRp

her friend (f he happily may so term him.
SELF, who this day completes his seth year.
1t is a token of esteem, and I trust that, as
the age of the volume does not detract from
Its value, SO may my accumulating years,
whose burden may soon become beyond
the bearing, give me some title to considera-
ton in the heart and mind of her who receives
it-a cultured woman, a faithful wife, a de-
voted mother, and a steadfast friend. MY
poor gift is old, the giver is old; may the
recipient never know the ills of age, though
her years be made to exceed the scriptural
limit; but, like this treasure of sweet sounds
embalmed, retain to delight another genera
ton her wit of mind and grace of accomplish
ment.
Great Zeus, in dire revenge for daring theft
Of fire celestial, from the gods bereft
By bold Prometheus, first among his kind,
Of purpose strong and all-aspiring mind,
Did fashion woman tender, sweet and fair,
Unknown to earth and peaceful mortals there,
And sent her down to love and strife beget
Where friendships steadier sway had ruled
as yet.
She came, with all seductive graces crowned,
To bless, disrupt, enchant, her world new
found;
The fire Prometheus stole grew cold, and
paled
Before the 6ercer fame her soul exhaled,
And soon his brother fond in suppliarce bent
And worshipped her the gods in wrath had
sent.
Though warned of all the ills that would be-
tide,
He wooed, and in the goddess claimed a
bride.
To Epimethus dover rich and rare
Pandora, god-invested, loving bare,
And duteous laid it at her husbands feet
The list is far too long to here repeat.
Her famous box was there among the rest,
Containing all the gifts that mankind blest,
So strongly locked and golden-hooped and
hasped
That none might poach the jewels there en-
clasped.
Now all these gifts were winged and prone
to flee,
Like iedgling grown and eager to be free.
The story's old: Pandora's self, in careless
mood,
Undid the box DER which in guard she stood,
And ere the appraised lid was closed again,
Behold! were gone for aye, 'yond sea and
plain,
The blessings, one by one, it had retained,
Until of all the brood but Hope remained.
Then mighty Zeus, Pandora to regain,
OF Epimethus asked, but asked in vain,
That she in whom he'd found a Joy unknown
To him so long as he had lived alone,
To realms celestial be returned, the when
The blessings flown should be regained to
men.
But armed with love, the proffer needing not,
The husband held the gift the gods had
wrought.
o, wondrous, ~all-embracing pow'r of Lowell
Like Faith, it hath the gift to mountains
move,
And both conjoined all earthly ills Withstand
As angry seas are stemmed by peaceful
strand.
So here's a health to Epimethus true,
Who proudly scorned his plighted faith to
rue;
And to Pandora, heaven-crowned and eraced,
Who dearer joys for those she'd lost replaced!
The book I give imprisoned holds secure
The souls of men; in cadence sweet and pure
They breathe again, responsive to the will
Of her whose touch awakes sweet Music's
thrill.
The gift in friendship, not in wrath, is sent,
And love, not strife, is by the giving meant.
1t needs no lock its treasures to retain,
For when released they swift return again.
Then take the humble gift, and know the tie
Of friendship binds no less than love; as high
Its plane, and, more unsel6sh in its sway,
Its sacrifices free itself repay,
While Love a full return in kind demands
And asks the utmost grace with outstretched
hands.
Then freely take my gift, assured that aye
The thoughts that prompt its giving shall
abye! ELI D. AXE.