Read Ebook: Lays from the West by Nicholl M A

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Ebook has 648 lines and 38543 words, and 13 pages

And as evening shadows, creeping, Gather round Dim eyes, worn so weak with weeping, Learn to smile as peace is found.

In the hope so full of cheering And delight-- Home, sweet home! our rest we're nearing! Evening time shall bring us light.

Light of heaven! Earth's gloom adorning With thy smile, Earnest of the eternal morning After this brief "little while."

CHRISTMAS EVE.

Ruddy bright the dying embers In the glooming, glow and burn, Scenes of olden-time Decembers, Ashes now in Times' great urn, That the heart so well remembers At this haunted hour reborn:-- All the fairy scenes Elysian Born again in recollection, Seen with mirror-like reflection, Throng upon the wondering vision. Once again I hear the river In the darkness rush and roar, See the pine-boughs wave and quiver, Hear the oak trees, blasted, hoar, Muttering, as their gaunt arms shiver, "Come again, oh! days of yore!" Come, oh times of hope and longing, When the beauteous, pure ideal, Seemed tangible and real-- "Love the light of Truth's belonging."

See their magic, nameless graces, Through the shadows flit and gleam, See again beloved faces Shine around as in a dream, And the well-remembered places Of the bygone, nearer seem, Till all present melancholy, Fades away, and sweet and tender, Visions of life's spring-time splendour, Gleam among the bay and holly.

Hark! the Christmas bells are ringing From the grey church-steeple near, And the choir are sweetly singing, "Nowel! Hail Messiah here! Nowel! for He cometh, bringing Unto all mankind good cheer." Through the night the music stealing Bringeth soothing sweet and pleasant, Sheds a peace upon the present, Future days in light revealing.

AT ANCHOR.

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever" HEBREWS xiii. 8.

In life's young morning blue-eyed promise smiled O'er a fair future of enchanting grace, And sweet toned love the golden hours beguiled, And Fortune's radiant smile illumed the place.

But change, dread vulture, swooped upon her prey. And seized my treasures as Time's car sped on, Then traitor love took wings, and fled away. And long ere noon I wept a setting sun.

Then Phoenix-like, beside the smoldering pile, Kind friendship rose with open, outstretched hands, But, ere I grasped them, death with icy smile Had rudely snapp'd in twain the three-fold bands.

E'en while I mourned, I heard a thrilling voice That said in stirring accents, "Up! arise! Work, that in harvest time thou mayest rejoice!" And Fame stood pointing to the brightening skies.

Then dreams, false phantoms, filled the gloaming air And lured me, spell-bound, by a labyrinth maze, But morning beams awakened new despair-- The meteor glories passed in mist and haze.

Through shady groves I strayed, and on before Walked high-browed Knowledge, calm-eyed and severe Unwearied still, I trod his footprints o'er, But fainting fell, the longed-for prize anear.

Hard-smitten then, I wept; all woe-all gloom! The heart-void still unfilled, ached keen and sore, When through the inky darkness shot a gleam Of new-born glory, unrevealed before.

Dear Lord! How frail these bauble-toys of Time When Thy "forever" dawns upon the heart; Thy perfect fullness, Saviour, how divine, E'en while we taste its blessedness in part! Still yesterday, to-day, while ages roll In grand, eternal vastness, still the same, Oh! potent Healer! every whit made whole, I sing glad Hallelujah to Thy name!

THE OLD TRYSTING PLACE.

"Die erste Liebe ist die beste."

Through the green boughs the golden sunshine falling Glints on the glades and lonely woodland bowers; Bird answers bird, through the wide woodlands calling, In the deep hush of the calm summer hours.

The limpid river winding through the meadows, Laughing and sparkling in the sunny noon, Takes peaceful tones here, 'neath the beeches' shadows, And sings sweet idylls in low, fitful tune.

Songs of the olden days, of hopes and pleasures, Songs of the love of youth's glad morning times, That sigh around our path like dream-world treasures, Soothing as music of the vesper chimes.

The rustic bridge, the leaves' soft shadows playing Down in the water-depths, and from away 'Mong the blue hills, come mingled echoes straying, The pleasant sounds that fill the summer day.

Aburnum's gold, and quivering beech-leaves blending, Sway, dancing in the breezes, to and fro; Wild hyacinths, their blue heads lowly bending, Listen the secrets of the winds to know.

Oh! quaint old trysting-place! oh! lights and shadows, And sounds that haunt the dreams of Life's glad May! Dreams withered like the May-flowers in the meadows Or roses of the Junes long passed away.

Here, oft in dreams, I see my own true maiden, The pure flower-face, the rippling golden hair; Ah! many years have roll'd past, sorrow-laden, Since blue-eyed Edmee waited for me there!

Ah! murmuring brook, with waving willow fringes, Ah! woodland picture, all your charmed glow Is touched and changed by Truth's own sober tinges, Tints that youth's eager eyes see not, nor know.

Fraught with these gleams of old-time faith and feeling, Fraught with the memory of "what might have been," A still, small voice says all is God's wise dealing, Behind the clouds is brightness yet unseen.

Young love and hope in all their matchless glory, Smile on our morning-time, then fade away; Teaching unwilling hearts the sad, true story, No lasting joy is here, all knows decay.

"Die erste Liebe ist die beste," leaving A holy radiance round the scenes we knew; A potent power to point lone spirits, grieving, To deathless Love whose charms are ever new.

It ever shows, "in part," in sweet tuition, What we shall know when we have gained the light, When all our highest hopes fade in fruition, Where the Eternal Summer beameth bright.

THY WORD IS A LIGHT UNTO MY FEET.

Oh! Light of Lights! dark, dark is earth's long way, Cloud upon cloud looms o'er the path I stray; Far-off and dim the heavenly Land appears, Through the thick mist of weak distrust--and fears. Helpless, I seek Thy Word, and hear Thy voice, That bids me always in the Lord rejoice; Pointing from doubts within, and this world's wile To peace and victory, in "a little while."

Oh! Saviour, Friend, how dark is life's rough path. What gloom and sorrow haunts this Vale of Death; Subtle the way, beset with many a snare And hidden evils lurking everywhere. But in this Light that shows my love, I see, This path Thou'st trod, and borne these griefs, for me, "Fear not!" I hear in tones of tenderest love "'Tis in thy weakness that my strength I prove."

The world's temptations rage on life's wild sea, Drifting the fragile bark I steer to Thee, But safe I pass the rocks and angry waves, Helped by Thy mighty arm that shields and saves. And still above the wind's and water's roar A calm voice hails me from the distant shore, "Cast all your care undoubtingly on Me, Fully and freely, for I care for thee."

When twilight shades fall round me, dim and grey, All those I love the most are far away, I look to Thee, and dry my willful tears-- With love like Thine, I dread no lonely years. If 'tis Thy will, let bitter partings come, Sweet shall the meetings be in yonder Home; While here I have Thy love that cannot die, And could I feel alone when Thou art nigh?

Weary with waiting for Thy promised rest, Dismayed with doubts, with sinfulness distressed; "Oh! let Thy kingdom come!" I pray "that I May join the glad new song they sing on high;" Then thy sweet words bring patience, "I prepare For thee an heavenly mansion, bright and fair, That where I am Thou mayest with Me abide, And taste full joy for ever by My side."

I bless thee, Saviour, for this word of life, This light to guide me safe through every strife, This lantern o'er my pathway shining clear To show the dangers, and the Helper near. I love to see it beaming, day by day, Thine own bright smile, that lights the darksome way; "Led by Thy counsel," oh! what joy to be "Received in glory," Lord, at last by Thee.

MEMORIES.

"In der Weit, weit, Aus der Einsamkeit, Wollen sie Dich locken."--FAUST.

When the glad, bright days of our youth's fresh prime, Shall have pass'd, as a dream that at morning dies; When the long blank stretch of the coming time Like a desolate desert before us lies, Dreary and cheerless, 'neath sunless skies.

When young, sweet love, with her luring smile, The mystic charm-light of halcyon hours, Shall no more with her witch'ry our souls beguile, As the leaves grow seer on Life's fading bowers, And the blushes are pale on its withering flowers.

When the strains we loved in the days of yore No more with their sweetness our heart's-chords thrill, When Hope's roseate meteors glow no more, Like the summer sunrise o'er vale and hill, That our dreamings with radiance were wont to fill.

Ah, no! Though Time is a thief, I ween, Stealing youth's best wealth as the swift years go, Still the memories of pleasures which once have been-- The dreams of the beautiful "Long ago," Are our own to keep, and shall aye be so!

"THE KING IS DEAD."

Hush! There's a solemn pause, And looks of fear! You ask--Whence comes the cause? Grim Death is here!

Oh! well thou answerest, well-- 'Tis fairly said; Our hearts thrill to the knell, "The King is dead!"

Dead! And the bell swings, swings On in its deep, sad tone; We own the King of Kings Is King alone!

The body lay in state, All fair to mortal eye; The soul's eternal fate-- Oh! Death, thy mystery!

"Old places have a charm for me The new can ne'er attain; Old faces--how I long to see Their kindly looks again!"--Anon.

It spake about familiar nooks, The dear old paths I know so well; I almost thought I heard the brooks, Or roamed again my favourite dell.

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