The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-02-11
The Home Circle.
TEE VILLAGE PREACHER AND The

Near wonder oopse, where once the garden smiled,
There. where a few torn shrubs the place disclose,
The village preachers modest mansion rose.
A man he was TO all the country dear,
And passing ROB with forty pounds a year;
Remote from towns he ran his godly race,
Nor e'er had changed, nor wished TO change his place;
Unskilful he 60 fawn or seek for power
By doctrines fashion'd TO the varying hour;
For other aims his heart had learned 80 prize,
More bent 20 raise the wretohed than to rise.
His house was known TO all the vagrant train,
He child their wanderings, but relieved their pain;
The long remembered beggar was his guest,
Whose beard descending swept his aged breast;
The ruin spendthrift now no longer proud,
Claim d kindred there and had his claims alOw'd;
The broken soldier, kindly babe TO stay,
Sat by his fire, and talkd the night away;
Went DER his wounds, or, tales of sorrow done,
shoulder'd his orutch and show'd how fields we're won.
Pleased with his guests, the good man learned to glow
And quite forgot their vices in their woe;
Careless their merits or their faults to scan,
His pity gave ere charity began.
Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride,
And cen his failings lean'd TO virtues side;
He watohd and wept, he pray and felt for all.
And, as a bird each fond endearment tries,
To tempt its new fedged offspring TO the skies;
He tried each art, reprOvd each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds, and led tho way.
Beside the bed where parting life was laid,
And sorrow, guilt, and pain, by turns dismay,d
Despair and anguish fed the strugg ing = III,
Comfort came down the trembling wretch to raise
And his last faltering accents WHISPERED praise,
At church, with meek and unaffected grace,
His looks adOrn the venerable place;
And fools, who came to scot, remained TO pray.
The service past, around the pioUs man,
" 18th ready zeal, each honest rustic ran
Fen children followed with endearing vile,
And pluokid his gown to share the good mans smile
His ready smile a parents warmth exprest,
Their welfare pleased him, ard their cares distrest;
To them, his heart, his love, his griefs were given,
But all his serious thoughts had rest in Heaven:
As some tall cliff that lifts it's awful form,
Swells through the vale, and midway leaves the storm,
Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread,
Eternal sunshine settles on its head.
Beside yon struggling fence that skirts the way,
With blossomed furze unproftabiy gay,
There, in his noisy mansion. skilled to rule,
The village master TAUGHT his little school.
A man severe he was, and stern 80 view;
/ knew him we'll, and every truant knew:
Well had the boding tremblers learned to trace
The days disasters in his morning face;
Full we'll they laughed with oounterfeited glee,
At all his jokes for many a joke had he;
Full we'll the busy whisper ciroling round
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frowned,
Yet he was kind, or, if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault;
The village all declared how much he knew:
Twas certain he could write and cipher, too;
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,
And even the story ran that he could gauge;
In arguing, too, the parson owned his skill,
For cen though vanquished, he could argue still;
While words of learned length and laundering sound
Amazed the gazing rustios ranged around
And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew.
-OEiver Gold