Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-12-24
THE MEssAGE oF TIIn nELus.


BY Maurine Hathaway. The Poetess of the Pines.
A child looks out the snowclad world.
the Christmas bells
And a song OF hope in his breasts unfurled
At the message their beauty tells;
Some day he'll be grown into manhood strong
With honor and wealth and name,
And the years between stretch fair and long
climbs of fame
But tonighH-ah he's only boy tonight
And by the fire place there
His stocking will hang In the fitfu light
filled with his ample share.
And glee parts the lips of the fair haired boy.
while his heart beats high with his childish Joy;
For the task OF hanging his stocking there
At the chimney place Is his only
oh, what child is the fear Of life .
When radiant fancies and dreams rife
In his breast, where only great hope dwells;
All sweet to him the Christmas bells
maiden lists Christmas bells,
All glad her fair youths prime;
AT the of their ringing her bosom swells
For life is golden chime.
And she pictures that is wondrous fair
As the melody peals and thrills
And startes out the chill crisp air
And echoes afar from the hills,
The song they sing her bridal song
How monody throbs and rolls
While note speaks with sweet tone, long,
or mating loving souls
night in the parlor dim
whispered question low
And her finger gift from him
sparkles bright in the frelghts glow.
There's golden haze Ger the dull gray skies,
There's a rosy mist in the CLEANS
or the embers bright, her langud eyes
heavy with passioned
And a desire in her bosom swells
harks to the of the Christmas bells.
gray haired mother roll
And the surge OF Christmas bells,
every note is sobbng toll
Every peal is signing knel
boy here but
The star OF her wintry sky;
he is silent beneath the snow
she questions,-Why?
Oh, the Christmas strain bring him back again
with smile and his merry face
olden days with his thoughtful ways
His strength his youthful grace.
Now the bells saying, "oh, wat-oh walt,
He you there at gate-the gate,
He you Mother and clasp your hand,
And reason, then, will understand
But numbing pain in her poor heart swels
lists to the of the Christmas bells.
There is one who looks with hunted glance
the gloom of his narrow cell,
And the peal of the Christmas bells enhance
with the tale they tell.
picture they bring is the woman fair
Who ured him into this dark despair
His head bends low his trembling knees
He stole her whims TO please;
Now his rival sits by her side tonight, af
kisses her lips with fierce delight
she smiles at him with that smile SO rare
And playfulIy ruffes his waving hair; Al7s''
convict's eyes to bulge and gloat
cords stand out on his gasping throat
And fingers clench and open again,
While his strong breast heaves with anguished PAIN
And his heart beats mad with a 20 kill
he Kisses her name with murd'rous thrill.
why they revel in Christmas cheer
When he is entombed in this death cell here.
Oh Christmas bells with your tuneful swell.
There is tragedy here in the tale you tell
beautiful bells of the Christmas time
you brighten lives with your rhythmic chime
you sing tragedy and fear,
For others hope a of cheer;
But all there's of love untold
or who died for the worldi-o old;
There is hope in the story Your peaing tells.
So ring ring on. oh ye Christmas bells
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