Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-10-01
From Time to Eternity

Away back To eternity.
Go back beyond the days OF youth,
Where everything that was, was truth.
Beyond the sorrow and the tears,
Beyond the suffering and the fears,
Beyond the anguish and the gloom,
Beyond the shadow of the tomb.
Beyond all trouble and all pain,
Beyond all losses and all gam,
Beyond all sobs and bitter signs,
Beyond the limit OF the skies.
Before there was a ray Of light,
Before there was a day or night,
Before a prayer was ever prayed,
Before the world was ever made.
Before there was q moon or sun,
Before old time itself begun;
Before there was u now, q then,
Before there was q where or when.
Before there was \ here or there,
Or anything, or anywhere;
Go back q hundred thousand years.
And farther still though filled with tears.
Go back until within the past,
You fail TO find the place at last,
Where the beginning you can see,
At n end of Eternity.
Go back until there's not a trace,
OF anything, but God and space;
God all around, below, above,
Unlimited in power and love.
Away back here, removed from sight,
Where everything that was, was right;
Away back here, removed from sin,
Is where my story does begin.
The New Year brought me some sadness,
And it brought me a touch of pain,
But it brought me a heap of gladness
When my tears we're dried again;
For it brought me care and duties,
And some disappointments, too;
Yet it brought me charms and beauties
When my troubles and tolls were through
A few more lines, then l will close,
When | tell about pains and woes;
Our troubles come, our sorrows, too,
When wife orhusband thatshould betrue
Their love and hearts grow cold for you
For now my wife and baby's gone,
And my business and my home;
| also decided her my land,
Thinking peace I'd made with them.
So we could live together again
But my hopes were all in vain.
AS l now have done all that I.know to do
To gain her love and friendship true,
But was all in vain you now can see;
| will love no one that don't love me.
The next she wanted was a divorce SO bad
That she would neither talk or write a
word,
But when she is free, l guess they will
be glad,
Yet trouble like this is very sad;
For o the baby will be taken from me
, And | know not when its face ! shall see
As she passed me by on her road to
Hartvifle,
Seeking a divorce against my will,
CFor July the 10th, just two years ago,
Was our loving honeymoon day.,
Then We both rode together happy and
gay;
But what has been can no more be,
For she now has q divorce from me.
Now have nc money nor / have no wife
But trouble like this will happen in life,
Yet to be free from all care is sure pref
ty nice,
As l don't want to fuss because it isn't
right.
Now we are apart, and lonely is my life
As l am away from my baby and wife;
But am now selling goods with all my
might,
As Pm willing to do just anything that
is right.
With Bibles and glasses | am willing togo
On the road to sell to pay what | owe,
Yet times are hard, and business goes
slow
With q man whose troubles the world
don't know.
As / gave her all in this world | had,
Leaving our debts all unpaid,
Thinking her love would never fade
Or cause her true lovers heart to ache.
Yet q true companion will never forsake
By letting other people step in their way
So boys, be careful, when you change
their name, ,
Be sure they love, and you the same;
Lock hearts and hands, (you are sure to
VIM
Then your work and love will not be in
vain;
Your happiness and business you are
sure to gain
II you will go hand in hand down Low
er's Lane.
| hope no more trouble will come my way
As.l knOwNnothing nor to do, or say,
Only to remember my wife and baby
when ] pray,
And hope to meet them some happy day.
On Easter Sunday a. ! came back home
I walked from Hartville and wrote this
poem
About my wife and baby who are gone