Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 136.pdf/75

A SUMMER EVENING.

I.

TheThe summer sun is setting,
The sky is red in the west,
And over all hangs silence,
And a feeling of peace and rest.

II.

The sultry day is over,
The light begins to fade,
The farmer’s weary horses
Are standing in the shade.

III.

The golden light of sunset
Shines on the corn-fields round,
And the breeze, as it passes over,
Makes a sweet, rippling sound.

IV.

The range of distant mountains
Looks dark against the sky;
And right across the river,
A path of light doth lie.

V.

I gazed till my eyes were dazzled,
At the slowly sinking sun, —
Till the stars peeped out above me,
Telling the day was done.

Spectator.Anon.

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THE HONEST FARMER.

(TO AN OLD TUNE.)

Happy I count the farmer's life,
Its various round of wholesome toil;
An honest man with loving wife,
And offspring native to the soil.

Thrice happy, surely! — in his breast
Plain wisdom and the trust in God;
His path more straight from east to west
Than politician ever trod.

His gain's no loss to other men;
His stalwart blows inflict no wound;
Not busy with his tongue or pen,
He questions truthful sky and ground.

Partner with seasons and the sun,
Nature's co-worker; all his skill
Obedience, ev'n as waters run,
Winds blow, herb, beast their laws fulfil.

A vigorous youthhood, clean and bold;
A manly manhood; cheerful age;
His comely children proudly hold
Their parentage best heritage.

Unhealthy work, false mirth, chicane,
Guilt, — needless woe, and useless strife, —
O cities, vain, inane, insane! —
How happy is the farmer’s life!

Fraser's Magazine.

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A MAN'S REGRET.

O my child-love, my love of long ago,
How great was life when you and I were young!
The world was boundless for we did not know;
And life a poem for we had not sung.

Now is the world grown small, and we thereon
Fill with wise toil and woe each flying day;
Elves from the wood, dreams from my heart are gone,
And heaven is bare, for God is far away.

O my child-love, cannot you come again,
And I look on you with grave innocent eyes?
Your God has many angels; I would fain
Woo for one hour one angel from the skies.

O my child-love, come back, come back to me,
And laughing lead me from the care and din;
Lay on my heart those small hands tenderly
And lovingly to let the whole world in.

Blackwood's Magazine.

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AT HER DOOR.

A fool for my doubting and dreaming
And following up and down!
Shall I fill my life with scheming
For a touch of my lady's gown?

Shall I plot from night to morning
For the glance of a woman's eye?
And take the wage of scorning,
And wear shame’s livery?

O footman, O wonder of whiteness
And diplomatic cockade,
O footman of much politeness
For my lady's lady's-maid, —

As you open the door of the carriage,
Just tell her I've gone away,
But will come to dance at her marriage
On somebody's happy day.

Blackwood’s Magazine.J. R. S..

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A MOMENT.

When the lightning flashes by night,
The raindrops seem
A million jewels of light
In the moment's gleam.

And often in gathering fears,
A moment of love
To jewels will turn the tears
That it cannot remove.

Spectator.F. W. B..