The treadmill round of duties that Makes any life inane and flat, Without diversion sandwiched in, The drudgery, the overplus Of toil and trouble arduous, Were rugged discipline.
What time for books and music, when The lambs were bleating in their pen, The chickens peeping at the door; The rodent gnawing at the churn, The buckwheat wafers crisped to burn, The kettle boiling o'er?
To _hers_, so far between and few, What resting-spells the farmer knew! What intervals for culture! and When intellect assumed the race, He peerless held the foremost place-- No nobler in the land.
By virtue of exalted rank "The brilliant senator from----" Adorns society's expanse; While by his side with folded hands, Her beauty gone, the woman stands Who "never had a chance."
In sad procession borne away To sound of funeral knell, Affection's tribute thus we pay, And in earth's shelt'ring bosom lay The friend to whom but yesterday We gave the sad farewell.
But scarce the melancholy sound Has died upon the ear, Before the mournful dirge is drowned By wedding-anthems' glad rebound, That stir the solemn air around With merry peals and clear.
Within our home doth gladness tread So closely upon grief That, in the tears of sorrow shed O'er our beloved, lamented dead, We see reflected joy instead That gives a blest relief.
A father and a daughter gone Beyond our fireside-- For one we loved and leaned upon The skillful archer Death had drawn His bow; and one in life's sweet dawn Went out a happy bride.
We gave to Heaven, in manhood's prime, Him whose brave strength and worth Life's rugged steeps had taught to climb; And her, for whom a tuneful rhyme The bells of promise sweetly chime, We consecrate to earth.
Thus each a mystic path, untried, Has entered--God is just! We leave with him our friend who died, With him we leave our fair young bride Who shall no more with us abide, And in His goodness trust.
Oh, life and death, uncertainty, Bright hopes and anxious fears, Commingle so bewilderingly, That perfect joy we may not see Till all shall reunited be Beyond this vale of tears!
Fair summer home peninsula, Enriched by every breeze From fragrant islands, wafted far Across the sunny seas!
A profile rare! a height of land Outlined 'gainst heaven's blue With bolder touch than skillful hand Of artist ever drew.