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52

TWO PATHS OF LIFE.

Two young men in early youth,
Went to seek a life's long way;
Both were manly bright and free,
Both hoped not to go astray.
With light hearts they started out,
Down life's long and brilliant way,
By a shady wayside path,
Both were happy, joyous, gay.
Birds sang sweetly as they went,
Nature looked with brightest smiles
There upon the hopeful two,
Who ahead had many miles.
Miles and miles they walked along;
Never sorrow cast a ray;
Soon ahead they saw two paths,
Parting east and west away.
Soon up to the forks they gained,
Wondering which way they'd take.
Then they saw near, down each way,
Maidens standing e'er they spake
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Both were fair the young men saw,
And they knew not which to ask;
But soon each a path went down
To find aid upon life's task.

WISDOM'S PATH.

“Ah, fair maid,” said one young man,
When he came to maiden fair,
“Which way does this road lead me,
Down through pleasure or through care?”
“Wisdom is my name, young man,
And I'm here to lead thee on,
Down this way of mighty lore,
Through life's sunshine, through life's dawn.
“This is wisdom's path, my friend,
And it leads thee to Success;
See it glimmering down the way,
Does it not thy soul impress?
“Can you see its lordly light,
Shining in yon far off sky,
Telling thee by splendor rare
That its station is up high?
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“Wilt thou let me guide thee on,
Lead thee to that brilliant goal,
By yon mountains, by yon streams,
Safe into successful fold?
“I will lead thee safely through,
I will guide thee day and night,
By sublime and lofty mien;
Take this way and you'll do right.”
“But, fair Wisdom,” said the youth,
“I am with another man,
Who has started to there learn
If that road through pleasure ran.
“Let me get him, and we three
Will go down thy brilliant way,
For, I think that he will come.
We'll together through life's fray.”
“Nay, my friend,” the maiden said,
“He has chosen Pleasure's route.
She is fairer far than I;
He has followed Pleasure's suit.”
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“Then I'm with thee,” said the youth,
“Now we'll start upon the way;
“Take me, Wisdom, for I know
With thee I will never stray.”
Then with Wisdom turned the youth,
Both together down life's way,
On towards bright, far Success,
Smiling, wise in youth's bright day.
By the streams and mountains's way,
With a firm and happy stride,
Years and years they walked along,
With the surging worldly tide.
By the cities and the towns,
Through the schools that Wisdom fills,
Crossed the path of sorrow's frowns,
Over Pleasure's pleasant rills.
While they traveled down their way,
Crossing o'er the paths of life,
Once they found one very broad,
In their busy, onward strife.
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“What road is this, Wisdom fair,
That here lies across our path?
See how hard they struggle on,
See the people wrought in wrath.
“See its misery and its pain,
See its passion and its care,
See! 'tis filled with shame and sin!
Who are they who travel there?”
“That broad way,” said Wisdom sad,
“Is of drunkenness and vice;
Mind it not, but keep with me,
Death's its ending and its price.
“More, as bad, lie on ahead,
In our path before Success,
Ready to lead thee away
From the right to dark distress.
“They that choose to take this course
Live in misery and in woe,
Slaves to passion and to lust.
Never in that pathway go.”
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Farther on was one more way,
Just as wide but brighter strewn,
All with beauty, all with grace,
Trees and waysides, richly hewn.
“This,” said Wisdom,” is the way
That your brother, years ago,
Sought to tread with Pleasure fair,
Soon its ending he will know.
“See its trees, its beauty rare;
Here it looks as if a dream;
Pleasure's crossing Wisdom's path
Truly in her brightest sheen.
“But it crosses other ways,
Such as sorrow and of pain,
Often wending down this way,
Seeking pleasures down that lane.”
“Ah, dear Wisdom, may not we,”
Said the man there at her side,
Seek more pleasure down this way,
Let us shortly here abide.
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“See yon glimmering ahead,
Mark its nearness and its light;
Straying takes us from its way,
Come with me, 'twill end in plight.”
Then fair Wisdom pulled him on,
Though he lingered long and sad,
Looking, hoping just to have
Pleasure's beauty and its fad.
After years of fruitful toil
Did they reach their aim, Success.
In the light of that bright goal
Did he Wisdom thus address.
“I have followed thee long years,
I have trod thy way all through,
I've been useful in this life,
And my thanks all go to you.
“Mark the good that I have done,
As I'm at my journey's end.
Why not still abide with me?
Leave me not, my dear, true friend.
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“Though I know that this is all
That you promised in my youth;
I am sorry we must part,
But I'll mind thy guiding truth.”
“Wrong thou art, I'm with thee still,
We are not yet to the end;
Though you've reached success in life,
I am still thy guide and friend?”
Years went by and in success,
Did they at that place abide;
Then to city of Old Age
Did he walk on with his guide.
In old age he lingered long,
Still with Wisdom ever near;
Always with her guiding hand,
Was she just as true and dear.

PLEASURE'S WAY.

Pleasure's waiting was now o'er,
When a young man came to see
If that path was Pleasure's way,
And from care he'd be made free.
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“Yes,” said Pleasure, with a smile,
“'Tis the only way through life.
I am here to lead thee on,
Joyous, free, through worldly strife.
“Look far down my shady path,
See its grace, its beauty grand,
See thou life's most gracious gift,
Come, my dear youth, take my hand.”
“Yes, but may I get my friend?
'Tis the way he sought to go.
He and I have come thus far,
And good seed we wish to sow.”
'Tis no use, he's gone with her
Who was standing down that way.
She has flattered and has said
That with her he'll never stray.
“He's had time to come this way,
If he had not sought to go
Down her way of work and toil.
Pity him, he will soon know.”
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“See that light far down his way,”
Said the youth at Pleasure's side,
“What's its meaning and its name,
Will he in that place abide?”
“Yes, that place is far Success,
Sought by all, but reached by few;
Have no thought of greatness, youth,
Do not let it trouble you.
“Struggle not for what is far,
Enjoy pleasure year by year;
Look at false ambition's fight,
Deal with it with care and fear.
“Think of names and fame oft won,
Think of riches, wealth and lore;
When men die they leave behind
All their fame forever more.
“Live, while living; when you die
You can't take your fame or wealth.
Death will come with his dark hand,
And take you with that old stealth.
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“Come with me; your friend has gone
Down the way I said he would;
You are right, you keep with me
And 'twill end all well and good.”
Pleasure and the youth then turned
Down their way, o'er pleasure's path,
Hoping to avoid through life
All the cares that sorrow hath.”
Years of pleasure, ruddy wine,
Balls and parties never care,
Boating, sailing, joyous life,
Hoping ever to well fare.
Years and years they went along
Joyous, gay, with happy hearts,
Sorrow's path crossed many times,
And in life played many parts.
Many times did Pleasure's way
Wind on down through care's broad path,
Many times did Pleasure's way
Wind far down in vice's wrath.
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Once, through pleasures, both were lost,
And soon found themselves astray,
Wending down to drunkenness
Till they found a brighter way.
“What road is this?” asked the man,
When they saw the light of day,
Which had shown to them the path,
That seemed like a heav'nly ray.
“This is Wisdom's path,” said she,
“Let us take it till we find
Our own way, and ne'er again
Will we stagger with the blind.
“Never did I think we would
Go too far on down with this,
But here's Wisdom to our aid,
And 'twill lead us back to bliss.”
Then on down meek Wisdom's path
Did the two then seek to use
Wisdom's knowledge in their need,
The wise and prudent e'er will choose.
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“There's that light upon this path,”
Said the man to woman fair,
“Oh, how near it seems to be!
Why does it so brightly glare?”
“That's Success, I told thee once,
Seeming near, but far away.
All it means is toil and care;
Mind thou not its tempting ray.”
“But,” he said, “is my friend there,
Is he far within that sphere?
Why can't we, dear friend of mine,
Seek to go, and that place near?”
“Nay, my friend, 'twill take long years
For him e'er to reach that goal.
Maybe he has turned astray
And is now a long lost soul.”
“Is life real?” then groaned the man,
“How uncertain does it seem!
What hard toil is it to go
On towards that brilliant beam.”
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For a time all things went well—
Finally tiring of the place,
And soon finding pleasure's way
Tempting them from Wisdom's grace.
Joyously they laughed on down
From the path of Wisdom grave,
Hoping ne'er again to find
Such a prison for a slave.
Joyously again did they
Journey down their own broad way,
Thinking not of future's wants,
Never of a rainy day.
And while crossing o'er want's path
Did they feel their careless wrong,
But again on Pleasure's way
They soon broke in mirthful song.
Years went by and then they came
To the city of Old Age,
With their volume nearly filled,
Many sufferings on each page.
66

OLD AGE.

Once while strolling round the streets
Of this city, I am told,
Did two feeble old friends meet
As on down their way they strolled.
“Once again we meet in life,
In the city of Old Age,”
Said the man of Wisdom's way,
Who was feeble, but a sage.
“Yes, dear sage, we meet again,
But our ways were far apart.
If you could do o'er again,
Would you on that hard way start?”
“Yes,” dear friend, “I reached Success,
Which was all in life I sought.
Art thou fully satisfied,
Was thy pleasure dearly bought?”
“Nay dear friend, I enjoyed life.
I had cares as others do,
And we stand here in Old Age;
I'm a man as well as you.
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“When we die our names are blanks,
Which the young will surely fill.
I've had pleasures, you've had toil,
What's thy pay for all thy will?”
“Well,” said he, “of Wisdom bright,
I will leave a name in earth,
That will stand long years to come
In true manliness and worth.”
“And my children can now look,
On a sire great in name.
Now, I ask thee, friend of mine,
Can thy children do the same?”
“Thou art right, I see it now,”
Answered he to wise man, grey,
“'Tis too late for me to mend,
I must keep my same old way.
“Youth was wasted, past is done,
And retrace I cannot now;
I'll keep on until the end,
As beneath my age I bow.”
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In Old Age the two oft met,
And their lives they oft talked o'er,
By a river, broad and deep,
Both together by the shore.
Then the parting in Old Age
Came along one dreary day,
And the man of pleasure's path
Stepped forever from his way.
Then the one of Wisdom's path
Crossed death's river, deep and black.
Never more in walks of life
Would he ever make a track.

THE END.

In a city, old and still,
Seemingly to touch the sky,
Stands a marble statue, grand,
Pointed out by passers by.
'Tis in mem'ry of the sage;
May it stand forever more,
To guide people to the end,
Just as great in mighty lore.
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Far away from statue grand
Lies the man who'd pleasure sown,
Buried 'neath a willow tree,
Soon forgotten and alone.
'Tis the end we all must meet;
Mark in youth the way you'r led;
Ne'er forget these sleeping ones
In the City of the Dead.
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