Poems of home and country Also, Sacred and Miscellaneous Verse |
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AT THE OLD HEARTHSTONE AGAIN. |
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 | Poems of home and country |  |
AT THE OLD HEARTHSTONE AGAIN.
SEPTEMBER 16, 1876.
Once, on a bright and happy night,
At the full moon in September,
A fair young girl, in brilliant curls,—
Long ago, but we remember,—
She pledged her loving heart and hand,
In the joy of opening life,
Thenceforth to be, or weal or woe,
A fond and faithful wife.
At the full moon in September,
A fair young girl, in brilliant curls,—
Long ago, but we remember,—
She pledged her loving heart and hand,
In the joy of opening life,
Thenceforth to be, or weal or woe,
A fond and faithful wife.
And so two souls, like mingling drops,
Began their course together,
Making one life,—like rainbow hues
Blended in showery weather.
A day, a happy moon, a year,
The tide of time rolled on;
Days, weeks and moons,—oh, who can tell
Where the glad year has gone?
Began their course together,
Making one life,—like rainbow hues
Blended in showery weather.
A day, a happy moon, a year,
The tide of time rolled on;
Days, weeks and moons,—oh, who can tell
Where the glad year has gone?
41
One day within the happy nest
Another life was breathing:
Three souls—not two—in union new,
Young buds of joy were wreathing;
Two Marys made the mansion bright,—
Two Marys, great and small;
And one high shadowing arm of love
Embraced and gladdened all.
Another life was breathing:
Three souls—not two—in union new,
Young buds of joy were wreathing;
Two Marys made the mansion bright,—
Two Marys, great and small;
And one high shadowing arm of love
Embraced and gladdened all.
Yet more, as sped the rolling years,
Like dewdrops of the morning,
The unwarlike infantry advanced,—
Married life's best adorning;
And joy and promise, hope and love,
Illumed with shining ray,
As sunbeams glittering on the sea,
Life's varied, cheerful day.
Like dewdrops of the morning,
The unwarlike infantry advanced,—
Married life's best adorning;
And joy and promise, hope and love,
Illumed with shining ray,
As sunbeams glittering on the sea,
Life's varied, cheerful day.
At last, when the young curling locks
White rose-leaves came to sprinkle,
And near the corner of the eyes
Appeared just one small wrinkle,
Six youths and maidens stood within
Those loving arms, caressing,
These prizing what those joyed to give,
The sire's and mother's blessing.
White rose-leaves came to sprinkle,
And near the corner of the eyes
Appeared just one small wrinkle,
Six youths and maidens stood within
Those loving arms, caressing,
These prizing what those joyed to give,
The sire's and mother's blessing.
And who are these? How swift old Time
Works the most wondrous changes!
How the arithmetic of youth
That slippery elf deranges!
The six are twelve; the twelve,—ah me!—
Eleven more, sweet mother.
To these add HIM and HER; and, please,
The NINETY makes one other.
Works the most wondrous changes!
How the arithmetic of youth
That slippery elf deranges!
The six are twelve; the twelve,—ah me!—
Eleven more, sweet mother.
To these add HIM and HER; and, please,
The NINETY makes one other.
42
'T was only two, in earliest years;
Then Mary made it three;
One wore, long since, the shining robes
Of immortality.
My head is puzzled o'er the count;
My brain is in a fix!
'T was two, 't was three, 't was four—and now
They say it 's twenty-six.
Then Mary made it three;
One wore, long since, the shining robes
Of immortality.
My head is puzzled o'er the count;
My brain is in a fix!
'T was two, 't was three, 't was four—and now
They say it 's twenty-six.
One Mary once,—now Mary 's five;
One Anna,—now two more;
One S. F. S.,—now three; two Sa.'s,
And babies, half a score.
Of lawyers, two; of preachers, four;
Of presidents, a pair.
What wonders, in the land of dreams!
On earth, what wonders rare!
One Anna,—now two more;
One S. F. S.,—now three; two Sa.'s,
And babies, half a score.
Of lawyers, two; of preachers, four;
Of presidents, a pair.
What wonders, in the land of dreams!
On earth, what wonders rare!
So here, to-day, in grateful love,
One precious band, we mingle;
Each for the others bound to live,
No heart, no interest, single.
Some keep and bless the early home;
Some watch where day beams wake;
And some where gorgeous evening dies,—
All for each other's sake.
One precious band, we mingle;
Each for the others bound to live,
No heart, no interest, single.
Some keep and bless the early home;
Some watch where day beams wake;
And some where gorgeous evening dies,—
All for each other's sake.
God keep the little circle whole
For years, the jewels brightening:
Each joy, through Him, made richer joy,
Each grief, He, for all, lightening;
Till, in some happy clime rejoined,—
Rejoined, no more to sever,
We meet, and weep, and sing, and praise,
And love,—love on, forever.
For years, the jewels brightening:
Each joy, through Him, made richer joy,
Each grief, He, for all, lightening;
Till, in some happy clime rejoined,—
Rejoined, no more to sever,
We meet, and weep, and sing, and praise,
And love,—love on, forever.
| Poems of home and country | |