Volume Vi Part 28 (1/2)

Friends of my youth I shall love you for ever-- Closer and firmer ye twine round my heart; Though now the wide sea our lot may dissever, Affection and friends.h.i.+p can never depart.

Land of my fathers, I leave thee in sadness-- Dear to my heart thou shalt ever remain!

Oh, when shall I gaze on those bright scenes of gladness?

When shall I visit my country again?

THE STREAM OF LIFE.

Down by a crystal stream Musing I stray'd, As 'neath the summer beam Lightly it play'd, Winding by field and fen, Mountain and meadow, then Stealing through wood and glen, Soft'ning the shade.

Thus, then, methought, is life; Onward it flows-- Now mingling peace with strife, Toil with repose-- Now sparkling joyously Under the glare of day, Drinking each sunny ray, Purely it flows.

Now gliding peacefully, Calm and serene, Smoothly it takes its way, Softly I ween Murmur its waters past-- Oh, will that stillness last?

See, rocks are nearing fast, Changing the scene.

Wildly it dashes now, Loudly it roars, Over the craggy brow Fiercely it pours.

All in commotion lost, Wave over wave is toss'd; Spray, white as winter's frost, Up from it soars.

Yet where the conflict 's worst Brightest it gleams; Rays long in silence nursed Shoot forth in streams: Beauties before unknown Out from its breast are thrown; Light, like a golden zone, Brilliantly beams.

Thus in the Christian's breast Pure faith may lie, Hid in the day of rest Deep from the eye; But when life's shadows lower Faith lights the darkest hour, Driving, by heavenly power, Gloom from the sky.

DAY-DREAMS OF OTHER YEARS.

There are moments when my spirit wanders back to other years, And time long, long departed, like the present still appears; And I revel in the suns.h.i.+ne of those happy, happy hours, When the sky of youth was cloudless, and its path was strewn with flowers.

O those days of dreamy sweetness! O those visions of delight!

Weaving garlands for the future, making all of earth too bright; They come creeping through my memory like messengers of peace, Telling tales of bygone blessings, bidding present sorrows cease.

Long-lost friends are gath'ring round me, smiling faces, gentle forms, All unconscious of earth's struggles, all unmindful of its storms-- Beaming radiantly and beautiful, as in the days of youth, When friends.h.i.+p was no mockery, when every thought was truth.

Joy, illuming every bosom, made fair nature fairer still-- Mirth sported on each summer breeze, and sung in every rill; Beauty gleaming all around us, bright as dreams of fairy land-- Oh, faded now that l.u.s.tre, scatter'd far that happy band!

Now deeply traced with sorrow is the once unclouded brow, And eyes that sparkled joyously are dim with weeping now; We are tasting life in earnest--all its vain illusions gone-- And the stars that glisten'd o'er our path are falling one by one.

Some are sleeping with their kindred--summer blossoms o'er them wave; Some, lonely and unfriended, with the stranger found a grave; While others now are wand'ring on a far and foreign sh.o.r.e, And that happy, loving company shall meet--ah! never more.