The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-28

Now my willing footsteps wander through
our golden haunts once more;
Once again hear the vine leaves whisper
ing at the open door,
As Of old, the rich glad sunshine necko
with amber, wall and floor
Scarcely down the caves. the zephyrs lift
the elm bOughS verdu0uS mass,
For sweet June was here before me-here
her dainty feet did pass;
Here she drOpt her flOw'ry mantle down
amid the scented grasS.
Beauty gladdens all the landscape, white
mists along the sea arise;
Silvery in the morning brightness, purpl!ng
as the daylight flies,
Till Night, on her sapphire tablets, writes
with stars grand mysteries.
Greeting of ia miliar voices fall, in music
everywhere,
Every gale and bud and blossom send
'Orth incense like a prayer,
And the bird-nOtes float like blessings
through the dewy sleeps OF air.
have stilled my hearts wild yearning as
the solemn months sweep round,
And ] watch not for thy cOming-liston
not for word or sound,
But my soul with thine keeps talking in
thought mystic hush profound.
There are hours when strength seems
weakness. Joy n dream that ends in
tears
When long to wander back ward and I'M
weave the griefS and fears
Woven into my WcOf Of being all these
dim and silent years.
When | would throw off fetters growing
dim with earthly rust,
Gather up thoughts wasted jeWels-scatter-
ed pearls Of broken trust,
And, like thee, would drop down softly
meath the flowers and into dust.
Not that all earth's light and beauty
passed with thee beneath the sod;
That were letting finite sorrow ShrOud the
bOundlesS love Of God
And the pail blot out the glory of the
path the Saviour tTOd.
Something of immortal vigor through the
earth-bound spirit flows,
And my soul puts forth its blossoms, tho
9flcfs wintry tempest blows,
just "a roses lean up smilIEgat the foot Of
Alpine SHOWS.
OFT times Joy Is Wrung from sadness and
bless Gods power divine,
That 10 lengths Of grief are stretching to
the Heavenly way from mine,
And my iourneying should be brighter for
the light that falls on thine.
Can the blossoms of the dead years spling
again with OdOrOus bloom?
Can the rainbow of dead summer all their
vanished fires resume?
Harder were the resurrection of yUTth'S
hopes that find il tomb.
How deluSiVc were our dieamingS bios
sOm-lIkc with sweetness rife,
In the spanning rainbow's beauty we for
got the torrents strife
Till a tide of life cclestiil drifted in upon
thy life.
Like to ivy over ruins, memories overrun
dead hopes
Hopes that vanish like the sunbeams when
mOrn's rosy portal opeS,
Like the SplendOIs when dim twilight
deepenS down the sunset slopes
Every heart hath recolIections that the
lips breathe not aloud;
Some like rosebuds. rich in sweetness fold
ed in their vernal ShrOud
Some like lurid lightniEg5 hidden in the
black midsummer cloud.
But like white pearls, underlying all the
moaning Of the sea,
Like TO hidden gems enriching the deep
mines ObScurity,
Meath my spirits outward seeming lie
fond memories of thee.
Other voices have grown silent other forms
and smiles have fled
But while the Eternal liveth we but mock
to call them dead.
They but left Times dusky bolders for
the golden gates instead
Though our pathways seem divergent,
those where raptured seraphS stand,
While hear 10 strain celestial for the
droppingS OF Times sand,
Yet we oft are gliding closely for warm
claSpirgS of the hand.
For Times journey winds not onward till
its vista'd gloom appalls,
Near, and yet unseen it circles round and
round the Heavenly walls;
Suddenly the gateway opens, unawares the
glory falls.
am learning earthly lessons, heart and
brain and soul at school,
Time may bring its bitter teaching change.
enforce its StprneSt rule,
Still, like dark clouds edged with sun
shine, faith shall make life beautiful
| may weary of the conflict ere this dust is
thrown aside,
But like fragrant lilies Springing Whitley
from the stagnant tide,
May my soul from Times dark waters come
forth, white and glOrified.