Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-10-01
Life of Man and Of Flowers

VI NTitisth, stcth aiiu Sotus
And hear the winds soft murmurs,
Like the voices We loved OF old.
But fair and bright on the mountain
The glowing eolors blend,
Their little day OF brightness,
Soon, like our lives, to end;
The dark fir and pine tree.
In their robes OF living green,
Like memories fresh and fadeless,
III the forms 10 longer cen
Oh! the fading leaves have lessons,
That speak to the thoughtful heart,
Lessons Of hope for the springtime,
As softly they depart;
We have laid our treasures lowly,
And earth now seemeth drear,
But in the Heavens s%pringtime,
We shall know and love them there.
The blue OF the Aster blossom
Was caught from the bending sky,
The gold OF her heart was garnered,
When the Sun-God iourneyed by.
And there by the roadside waiting,
She blossomed i'm the sight OF men.
The treasures her heart had gathered
To the giver she gave again.
o, glory of wayside blossoms!
To give to the world thy store,
And scatter the seeds OF beauty,
Till men be blind no more;
o, teach to my soul, Oh Asters,
To draw from the sky its blue,
And scatter liie's golden treasures,
On the path journey through.
The tiny seed sinks into earth,
Is lost to sight OF sun,
And yet its upward shoots give birth
And roots which downward run;
Hidden in seeming grave OF gloom,
BY unsee magic power,
From natures laboratory room,
Comes forth the perfect flower.
Man, like the seed, returns 10 earth,
Earth hides the forms held dear;
Are they not OF higher worth,
Why should we doubt and fear?
Are we so blind we cannot read,
The tracings of his power?
Our maker from this mortal seed
Shall bring immortal flower.
Deep in the silent forest,
Where, perhaps no one e'er trod,
| found a beautiful flower,
Showing the handwork OF God;
| wondered why it was planted
This lovely, fragrant flower
Where no n but | would see it,
And 'twould perish in an hour.
| gazed at its charming beauty,
Marveled at its heart OF gold,
And thought OF our many blessings,
And OF His love untold;
Each flower He plants for a purpose,
Though lar from view or sight,
And We, like the flowers, are cared 1,
And watched over day and night.
Why bury me in costly style,
That soon will be forgot,
Beneath the clay forever hid
To lie and mould and rot?
: The source OF life, it mystifies,
. From whence to where it flows,
The highest learned in college walls,
Know what the humblest knows.
Autumn leaves are lightly falling,
From the tree tops overhead,
While the crickets, softly calling,
Make OF them a winters bed;
Springs delight and Summers glory,
On the autumn leaves We trace;
} Here is written all the story,
OF the years maturing grace.
Sigh not for the songs that are past,
Grieye not for the fast fading flowers,
Rejoice in the gifts that thou hast,
Be glad through the bright autun
hours;
Fear not, tho the winter draws near,
Inc winter so weary and long,
September the golden, is here,
Oh, welcome her now with a song.
For the merry birds have vanished,
There's a stiffness in the air,
While the lonely face OF autumn,
Greets u vision everywhere.
Swift the gliding months pass Onwar
Changing seasons come and 60,
And the passing years remind us,
That our lives are fading too.
Oh! the thought OF desOlation,
Brings to all a %saddening pain;
But like springtime's glad returning,
We shall wake, to live again.
Nothing perishes-but only
Changes form to something new,
Everything on earth that dieth,
Life in some form will renew.
Songs OF birds and streamlets ripplin
Meadows, flowers and leafy trees,
Make OF earth a land OF beauty
What indeed must Heaven be?
To every dear one, your duty do,
In che~erfulness all day I pray;
And you, like me shall soon be blesse
With sweet flowers upon your way.
God knoweth the way for you and (
me
He hath made the journeys plan,
He knoweth our strength and the Gro
we bear,
And the weight OF the love of man;
He knOweth the way TO the journeys er
The reasons that seemeth strange,
And out of a wonderful love doth sen,