 | The youth's coronal |  |
131
THE STOVE AND GRATE-SETTER.
Old Winter is coming, to play off his tricks—
To make your ears tingle—your fingers to numb!
So I, with my trowel, new mortar and bricks,
To guard you against him, already am come.
To make your ears tingle—your fingers to numb!
So I, with my trowel, new mortar and bricks,
To guard you against him, already am come.
An ounce of prevention in time, I have found,
Is worth pounds of remedy taken too late!
And proof that the sense of my maxim is sound,
Will shine where I fasten stove, furnace or grate.
Is worth pounds of remedy taken too late!
And proof that the sense of my maxim is sound,
Will shine where I fasten stove, furnace or grate.
The Summer leaves now whirling fast from the trees,
By Autumn's chill blast are tossed yellow and sere;
And soon, with the breath of his nostrils to freeze
Each thing he can puff at, will Winter be here!
By Autumn's chill blast are tossed yellow and sere;
And soon, with the breath of his nostrils to freeze
Each thing he can puff at, will Winter be here!
132
But hardly he'll dare to steal in at the door,
Your elbows to bite with his keen cutting air,
And give you an ague, where I've been before,
To set the defence I to-day can prepare.
Your elbows to bite with his keen cutting air,
And give you an ague, where I've been before,
To set the defence I to-day can prepare.
And when he comes blustering on from the north,
To give you blue faces, and shakes by the chin,
You'll find what the craft of the mason was worth,
As you from abroad to your parlor step in!
To give you blue faces, and shakes by the chin,
You'll find what the craft of the mason was worth,
As you from abroad to your parlor step in!
For all will around be so pleasant and warm,—
Your hearth bright and cheering—your coal in a glow;
You'll not heed the winds whistling up the rough storm
To sift o'er your dwellings its clouds full of snow!
Your hearth bright and cheering—your coal in a glow;
You'll not heed the winds whistling up the rough storm
To sift o'er your dwellings its clouds full of snow!
You'll then think of me;—how I handled to-day
The cold stone and iron—the brick and the lime:
And all, but the surer foundation to lay
For comfort to give in the drear winter time.
The cold stone and iron—the brick and the lime:
And all, but the surer foundation to lay
For comfort to give in the drear winter time.
I lay you, against this old Winter, a charm,
To make him, at least, keep himself out of doors!
'Twould melt—should he enter—his hard hand and arm,
When loud for admission he threatens and roars.
To make him, at least, keep himself out of doors!
'Twould melt—should he enter—his hard hand and arm,
When loud for admission he threatens and roars.
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If gratitude then should come, warming your heart,
As peaceful you sit by your warm fireside;
Perhaps it may teach you some good to impart
To those, where the gifts you enjoy are denied.
As peaceful you sit by your warm fireside;
Perhaps it may teach you some good to impart
To those, where the gifts you enjoy are denied.
For He in whose favor all blessedness is;
And out of whose kingdom no treasure is sure,
Was poor when on earth;—and the poor still are his:
His charge to his friends is “Remember the poor.”
And out of whose kingdom no treasure is sure,
Was poor when on earth;—and the poor still are his:
His charge to his friends is “Remember the poor.”
Nor would his disciple be higher than He,
Who once on the dwellings of men, for his bread,
In lowliness wrought! but contentedly, we
Will work by the light that our Master has shed.
Who once on the dwellings of men, for his bread,
In lowliness wrought! but contentedly, we
Will work by the light that our Master has shed.
| The youth's coronal | |