The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-03-09
THE TRAVELS OF A POEM.

THE TRAVELS OF A POEM.
A Louisiana Composition Loses its Iden-
tity In Foreign Lands and Comes
Back Home Incognito.
The following is reproduced from
the 1--WE Up To Date" department
of the New Orleans Times Demoera at
of February %:
SIN the Christmas edition OF the
Canterbury Times of Christchurch, New
Zealand, Eve comes across this poem,
which she republishes today in the
certain hope that many readers OF this
column will appreciate the rarely
beautiful thoughts so tenderly ex-
pressed by the poet. Somehow the
lines have a familiar ring, yet the
origin of the verses is quite unknown
to Eve, for nothing is said as to the
author, nor is any name printed at
the bottom. Can any appreciative
lover of poetry identify the appealing
and soul-stirring poem?"
It runs this way:
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.
There were no mother dreams for her
Whose little Son was born King,
Though wise men came with gifts and myrrh
And startled shepherds, worshippingi
For she foresaw the binding tears,
The heartache and the bitter loss
That lay beyond the waiting years
Within the shadow of cross;
and when she held his little form
Against her heart that Christmas-tide
She knew the hollow of her arm
Would one day shield the Crucifed.
And thus denied the hopes of old
To which maternity has chung
The story of her life is told
And at it's end cross is hung.
O, Mothers !-you whose lips have knowa
The sweetness of a child's caresss
Yet stand today brett, alone.
With hearts that ache with emptiness
Turn to that Woman, weary-eyeds
And pierced by life's supremest loss
Whose mother love was cruciieds
Whose hopes were Swallowed by cross
And when the Christmas bells prociaira
The advent of the Saviour's birtht
And far and wide His holy name
Goes ringing through the listening earth
Then let new hopes ascend like myrrh
From you whom grief has gloriied
and sorrow made akin to Her.
The mother of the Crucifedi
IN the course of few days after the
publication of the inquiry as to the
authorship of the fugitive compost
ton the information was forthcoming
as the subioined extract from the ''Ev'
Up, To Date' department. OF March
5 will show:
''Speaking of poetry, reminds EVE
that she has for several days left IN
done a most pleasant duty, albeit tina
it involves small confession, too
Apropos of the really beautiful ant
deeply thoughtful poem entitled "Th'
First Christmas republished from ;
New Zealand paper where no credit o
any sort was given either to author OF
to source) in this column about weel
ago, Eve is more than pleased to re
port that the poem is really the worl
of Miss Ella Bentley, who certainl.
needs no Introduction to the poetry
lovers of the south. The delicate
musical and contemplating tones 0
the poem In question are, indeed, wei
worthy of high praise and are aptl.
representative of those songsters whit
write from inspiration and from TIL
heart, being true poets, not merel!
rhymesters in season and out 0
season.
Incidentally, and now for tn,
laughable confession), this very poem
appeared in the Christmas edition o
The Times Democrats, and evidently
from its being republished here two
months later, Eve was not the onl.
person who failed to see the verses il
the Sunday paper A decidedly amusing
episode, yet, in spite of her natura
chagrin, Eve feels assured that, ever
by a second reading Of the poem, no
body could have been bored, while
those others who failed to note it a
the Christmas season must eertainl.
have enjoyed reading it on Washing
toms birthday, when, as it happened
it was reprinted In this column"
There was more excuse for Ewes in
advertence than she accords herself
since Miss Rentley's poem original!
appeared in the Tmes-Democrat no
two months, but fourteen months ago
that is, the Christmas edition OF 100
instead of that for the 1905 holiday
However much the New Zealand papel
may be open to criticism for having re
printed the composition without credi
either to the author or the Times
Democrat, 1t is deeply gratifying Il
Miss Bentley and her friends that tn,
workofher pen should have been deemed
worthy OF reproduction and of such un
stinted praise as Eve bestows upon it
CONGRESSMAN COMING.
Kentucky; J. M. Gudger, Jr., Norti