POEMS BY MISS ELIZA JANE STEPHENS.
9
Till mercy's sweet angel at last interposed
With piteous pleadings commingled with tears,
"For what is a betterment worth," she would cry,
That's wrought by chastisement and gloomiest fears?"
With piteous pleadings commingled with tears,
"For what is a betterment worth," she would cry,
That's wrought by chastisement and gloomiest fears?"
She plead, too, the frailty and weakness of all,
By nature imperfect since formed from the dust;
And if a sore punishment fell on the bad
She prayed it should never descend on the just.
By nature imperfect since formed from the dust;
And if a sore punishment fell on the bad
She prayed it should never descend on the just.
And when in due time her entreaties prevailed,
And wrath from its scourgings forever must cease,
How glad was the summons borne over the world
For all to unite in promotion of peace.
And wrath from its scourgings forever must cease,
How glad was the summons borne over the world
For all to unite in promotion of peace.
And then were rejoicings that came from the heart,
And surely their echoes re-sounded above,
For mercy had proved the best government known
Was ever the sacred commandment of love.
And surely their echoes re-sounded above,
For mercy had proved the best government known
Was ever the sacred commandment of love.
WANDERING.
Two lovely children wandered forth,
As rosy us the morn,
With beautiful and soul lit eyes,
And lips where smiles were born.
As rosy us the morn,
With beautiful and soul lit eyes,
And lips where smiles were born.
They laughed and prattled gaily on,
Sometimes a song would sing,
Then gathered pebbles out the sand,
And tossed them in the spring.
Sometimes a song would sing,
Then gathered pebbles out the sand,
And tossed them in the spring.
Plucked flowers and played in meadows green,
Then sought the forest shade,
In quest of cones beneath the pines,
Or mosses in the glade.
Then sought the forest shade,
In quest of cones beneath the pines,
Or mosses in the glade.
They listened to the thrushes' song,
The robins' simple lay,
And tilled their hands with drooping ferns,
That grew along the way.
The robins' simple lay,
And tilled their hands with drooping ferns,
That grew along the way.
Sometimes they trod on cruel thorns,
The bitter cause of tears,
Anon some harsh and weighty sound
Awakened all their fears.
The bitter cause of tears,
Anon some harsh and weighty sound
Awakened all their fears.
But when the sun bade earth adieu,
And vanished in the west,
The little ones together cried,
Let us go homo and rest.
And vanished in the west,
The little ones together cried,
Let us go homo and rest.
We laugh at childhood's simple joys,
And e'en its gravest care,
And yet our lives are much the same,
In trifles still we share.
And e'en its gravest care,
And yet our lives are much the same,
In trifles still we share.
If disappointed we are sad,
Successful we are blest,
And when our day is done, we sigh—
Let us go home and rest.
Successful we are blest,
And when our day is done, we sigh—
Let us go home and rest.
DOUBTING.
"I cannot pray in the dark, mamma,
I am afraid God will not hear,
Or if he does, can't see it is me,"
So said a little child sincere.
I am afraid God will not hear,
Or if he does, can't see it is me,"
So said a little child sincere.
Ah, we that are older sometimes feel
It is so dark we cannot pray,
Wo sometimes fear that God will not hear,
But has in anger turned away.
It is so dark we cannot pray,
Wo sometimes fear that God will not hear,
But has in anger turned away.
And yet wo know that His promises
And sure to those who pray aright.
No darkness ever beclouds His view,
His grace affords us needed light.
And sure to those who pray aright.
No darkness ever beclouds His view,
His grace affords us needed light.
EARTH'S TREASURES.
The dearest smile is that which greets
The wanderer from his native land,
Who, houseless, homeless, journeys on
Where few his speech can understand;
But if his call at plenty's door
Is answered with a kindly smile,
Though hungry, cold and lonely too,
It brightens life a little while.
The wanderer from his native land,
Who, houseless, homeless, journeys on
Where few his speech can understand;
But if his call at plenty's door
Is answered with a kindly smile,
Though hungry, cold and lonely too,
It brightens life a little while.
The sweetest lips are those that breathe
In mercy's soft but meaning tone,
Of peace and pardon, full and free,
Awaiting the repentant one;
That bring a message full of hope
Where health and wealth have been denied,
Or whisper tender sympathy
To those overwhelmed by sorrow's tide.
In mercy's soft but meaning tone,
Of peace and pardon, full and free,
Awaiting the repentant one;
That bring a message full of hope
Where health and wealth have been denied,
Or whisper tender sympathy
To those overwhelmed by sorrow's tide.
The fairest hands are those that soothe
The brow that's racked by feverish pain—
That bind up wounds as with a balm
Restoring them to health again;
That feed the poor of every kind,
In lowly hut or wildwood haunts,
That give to age a friendly aid,
And minister to childish wants.
The brow that's racked by feverish pain—
That bind up wounds as with a balm
Restoring them to health again;
That feed the poor of every kind,
In lowly hut or wildwood haunts,
That give to age a friendly aid,
And minister to childish wants.
The purest hearts may ne'er possess
What most delights the vain and gay;
They bow not to ambition's rule
Nor yield to pride's delusive sway,
But rich in justice, peace and truth
They live earth's sordid things above,
Contented well in duty's sphere,
And happy in unselfish love.
What most delights the vain and gay;
They bow not to ambition's rule
Nor yield to pride's delusive sway,
But rich in justice, peace and truth
They live earth's sordid things above,
Contented well in duty's sphere,
And happy in unselfish love.
THE OLD MAN'S MEDITATION
We're growing old, our eyes have not
The perfect sight of early years;
They're growing dim, we know it well,
Thank God they are not dimmed by tears.
The perfect sight of early years;
They're growing dim, we know it well,
Thank God they are not dimmed by tears.
Our ears no longer catch the sound
As once they did of lightest word,
And yet the gentle tones of love
Are even now distinctly heard.
As once they did of lightest word,
And yet the gentle tones of love
Are even now distinctly heard.
Our cheeks have not that healthful glow
Our hearts do not as wildly leap,
But oh, we have a sense of joy
As constant as 'tis calm and deep.
Our hearts do not as wildly leap,
But oh, we have a sense of joy
As constant as 'tis calm and deep.
We know our tread is not as firm
As when in youth of manhood's prime,
But wo are keeping step full well
With others in the march of time.
As when in youth of manhood's prime,
But wo are keeping step full well
With others in the march of time.
We're passing onward to a land
Where age will never dim the sight
And there, though lacking lustre now,
Our eyes will beam with heavenly light.
Where age will never dim the sight
And there, though lacking lustre now,
Our eyes will beam with heavenly light.
And softer, sweeter sounds by far
Will fall upon our quickened ear,
Than e'er in brightest moments we
Have heard or even fancied here.
Will fall upon our quickened ear,
Than e'er in brightest moments we
Have heard or even fancied here.
There blooming cheeks will never fade,
Our hearts will there beat light and free—
There gloomy sorrow never comes.
There sighs and tears will never be.
Our hearts will there beat light and free—
There gloomy sorrow never comes.
There sighs and tears will never be.
If trembling limbs and feeble steps
Will only bear us to that shore,
How joyfully we'll journey on
To dwell in bliss tor evermore.
Will only bear us to that shore,
How joyfully we'll journey on
To dwell in bliss tor evermore.
