The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-08-17
Wabcn Che Lights Fire Out
800 a Year
iERMS' l6 Months Fifty Cts.
sg Z. 2 Q.

/ f4es " y IT, ~ ~
When the earth has turned her cheek away
From the suns last kiss, to soft twilight,
And the twilight shades have deepen d from gray,
& To the darkness and gloom of night;
When silence in sandals is marking time
Outside Of the steel-barr'd door,
And the gong has rang at the hour of nine,
Proclaimng the day is Ger;
Then he seeks his cot, and longs for sleep
To luH the hours of turmoil,
And hopes his thoughts truce will keep,
To strengthen for daily toll.
But the goddess of sleep, from her silvan dell,
In assigning her FAIRIES, no doubt
Has forgotten the number of his lonely cell,
And forgotten its lights are out.
And alone with his thoughts once more,
The ghosts of his memory return,
And the things he longs to forget or ignore,
Are rekindled afresh to burn. It.
Tis hard to forget in the ache and pain
Of fever that scorches the heart;
While of hopes the few, that yet remain,
Seem but ruins of ashes a part.
For he knows that the brand of crime,
Shuts out all chance to reclaim,
Tho he pay the penalty in serving time,
1t will never restore his name.
Go where he may can he efface
The scar of sin thus engraved
Will time ever heal, or virtue replace
The name among men he craved?
Sad longing is here and bids him arise,
And go forth from this shade and gloom,
And walk again under summer skies
Through fields and meadows in bloom;
Back again to scenes of early years
Where loved ones await him still,
With a hope renewed in daily prayers
Lord do Thou their hopes fulfill.
Out beyond these walls of stones and bars,
In an endless space of sky,
Is power that rules the millions of stars,
And the great silver moon on high.
Twill throw their light on the path he trod,
When his heart was light and young
Where nature taught him the love of God
In the voice it has forever sung.
He strols once more by the little stream
He walks through the maple grove,
He joins the games the school yard green
Which to win with valor he strove.
He lies again meath the orchard trees
On a velvet turfy spot
And huns again with birds and bees,
The tunes he had long forgot
He passes again through the cottage door,
And bows in the evening prayer,
In that circle of home, where never more
Will unbroken assemble there.
He treads again the graveed path
That winds through spruce and pines
And leads to the bower he had built with lath
Long covered with old grape vines.
The old brick church with its slated spire,
And its wooden pews within
Hears again the melody voiced by choir,
Singing an old-timed hymn.
sShow pity Lord Oh Lord forgive!
Let repentant rebel live;
Are not Thy mercies large and frees
May not sinner trust in thee?'
Strolling again down the shady lane,
With his sweetheart as of old,
He whispers to her loves sweet refrain
That centuries ago was told.
he sweetheart then, is the wife of now,
THO her visions of love are slain,
Faithful still, yet cheek and brow
Are furrowed by lingering pain.
5 In the glare Of the city's great ssWhite WAY,
Through the doors of the gilded hell,
He enters again where he first went astray
Down the road we know so we'll
He is led to the court to face his doom,
And manacled, answers his name,
And justice is dealt, and forever the gloom
Of the lights gone out in his shame.
And now in the distance clock chimes two,
AS the belated fairy arrives,
With wave of wand, closes the view
Tho memory with him vet strives
A lullaby sweet will the fairy sing,
AS she bushes old memory's calls
Like the music of water heard from the spring,
Inside of the cellhouse walls.
Yet a fevered dream comes o er his brain,
And calls to his manhood and pride, y
Ahoyl your adrft on the sea againl
& No compass rudder to guidei''
With courage he masters sail and gear
And turning the PROV about,
He anchors at last in the harbor where rs
The lights will never 60 out.