The Delta independent., 1903-02-27
THE REUNION AND BANQUET

!
tnr It's wn;er is pur', clear and cool
As IT was v hen was Il thought ess boy,
or when gr ndhilcr went 10 school.
AMI the mountain air is us fragrant now
| With the sp'cr-wood and birch and pine,
As IL was " hen a boy gathered their bark,
| Or the wild grapes from the vine.
And The win,ergrcen berries are just as red.
And the whortleberr.es as blue.
IS they were six ihou.ant Yeas ago,
WhcD tlesc mountain tops were new.
Wkie over all. the green ieafrd laurel
Bioonis forth each coming >nr.rg,
With crown OF flowers tia. far rxcels
The jewel dccked crown Of the king,
Then say to myself what a we come Is this,
To he met al thy outer gate:
Oh beautiful valley ot Cumberland,
Tiny treasures are many AMI great.
AMI happy inieed are ihy daughters and sons,
Tho rest In thy shadows 81 bright:
Enjoying the fruits of thy fertile sUil.
Secure from disease OF blight
loos down and see at the moun.ail's base
The iirsless st !cks q '.Au!l'ta Forge"
n, NOR. OIL The r red hot gatewAys
The melted nIetas flow.
Nor the noise and clash OF the "Irou Forge"
Eesouhds through the vale below.
Far down In the valley beneath ne
gaze on the woodlands and farms:
An of III the dist an e l. shippens5urg;
That town uf a thousand charms.
An high III tile monnl git above IL
On the homes Of busy meet ant
And merchants, .eep IN the town.
And there in those quiet s-ave,ar!s
Are II irble aud iettered stunes
That tell of long depar cd friends
And iart Ger th-ir Wondering bones.
While out from the cd town westward.
Wher. the surface Is high and dry,
Ar thousand nrwer monuments.
Where the frieHds Of my late years lie.
BY that creek in the meadow flowing ives,
Stands the old-lime ctsiiering mills,
E1cii grinding away by the power caught
From score of bright, ripplin. rils.
A lesson Is taught fr1In these mlI> and ells
Thai rulers or subjects should learn:
Thai lis gathcrin. sr scattering the LIKE gems
That siren ,ihcns OF weakens In turn.
Pleas parion--rve s,rayed from my subject
10 muse on the fortunes Of men.
That cosnc like the fash OF FREELY.
Or fades like the ink froIn tn. pen.
But we can all leave pen pictures behind rs
For olers 10 read At their will,
of whether We scatter our gifs TO the wind,
OF gather them in like the nil.
NOuaway from lessons Of mils and riils,
y rsxJay&Sa "a m liosre on the hili
Surrounded BY many an acre wide
OF smooth. rich Ian to il
A home and a farm that tile owner feels
Is his thorough reward for TOLL
by the gtft OF heaven or right OF dover,
That ne human Law sh sol
And there on that wcll-tilled farm see
fnnh my mountain outlook here.
4 hundred wsll-rc ncmbered sights
That bless IL every year.
I see In the or, hard behind the house.
The apples ripe and rarc,
The glossy rluins the luscious peach,
The golden quincs cherry aud pear.
And there with fits leaves of deep dark green,
And its vines sprcadin VIDE aud lun',
Is the wsll-tfained grape vine loaded down
With thu fruit that IS famed in song.
with the fruit thai grows better by pressure and
age,
As the wine grows red and strong
But warning IN time--bewarc my friends,
Too much might do you wrong
Now another scene-'tis the old farm vel
Where at morning, a; no,n and At night,
Both man and beast allay their thirst
With the sparkling water bright.
With the water that God himself d.siill,
In the rain cloud aud IN ountain dell,
And then by his wisdom rr-dirrcis
Through the earth TO the old farm well.
HOW good. IL the men of the crowded town
Ana the Aaiors far out At sea
Had less TO drink of the liquors strong
Ard more of the waters free.
think twould be better for head and heart
And cause NOR: of truth 10 dwell
In the breasts OF all --if only We could,
All drink from the old farm well,
Yes. that old farm well is dear to me still,
Though thousands of miles away,
And often sigh with moiscncd eye
For that we'll Of my boyhocds day.
Ali would could rest by its mossy brink,
With my old time frie nds who are gone
And sing tho same soags that we used to sing,
From twilight to mornings dawn.
Tho ol d farm harm with its massive walls
OF limestone old aud gray:
Stands back from the well On the hill side,
Half hidden In bank OF clay.
While up on its roof and under It's caves
The swallows and tame doves shield.
Thus making the barn the home ot tie binds,
A. well as the beasts of the field.
And ALI hrouvh It's ha ascmeut arc stable.
To shelter the live stock from storm;
While under its br Jgc WAY are cellars
For storing the root crops warm
And under It's roof are huge mows and bins
Filled full of new hay and grain:
While down In its gsrnerS Is corn and wheat
Stored safe from The snow and the rain.
But what matters storms to the husbandman,
tie smiles at the wintry blast:
since God has promised to him who
That spring time and harvest shall last.
1t y only such farmers can safely dare
The Storm King In all his might.
As he trusts in heaven and follows the plow
With heart that Is honest and right.
See down in the meadow waving
In the breeze Of the early morn,
IL the latest crop OF the season.
The goten and yellow corn.
II siands like . free gift fnom heaven.
xaftguard frpm hunger and woe:
promise and pledge sS dear to us all
As the pledge OF the bright rainbow,