And pastures green where shines eternal day,
Not earth's faint transient gleams.

Where never-fading flowers

Lend honeyed fragrance to the balmy air,
And love-lit eyes through the unnumbered hours
Beam kindly everywhere.

I cannot show thee in;

I through the narrow gate but point the road; Those golden streets the feet of Night nor Sin Nor Death have ever trod !

There friends who passed before,
Welcome their loved ones to eternal joy-
(To part through endless ages nevermore),
Unmixed with earth's alloy.

Why wilt thou shrink away?
I lead thee where the weary shall find rest,
Calmly upon earth's lap thy head to lay'
To sleep, the waking blest.

THE DREAMS OF YOUTH.

The dreams of youth, with white sails set
They launched upon the future's sea,
Freighted with hopes; can we forget?
Now, even now, their forms we see.

Freighted with hopes, blue sky o'erhead;
Nor rock nor storm fresh courage knew ;
Eager and joyous on they sped,

And all seemed real and pure and true.

Earth was an Eden unexplored :-
And life an untold fairy dream :

In flowery bays those barks were moored,
'Mid breezes soft and sunshine's gleam.

Now through the years, how widely lie

Those foundered wrecks on shore and strand; Where withered wreaths are floating by, Thrown by fierce waves upon the land.

The dreams of youth how swiftly flown!
Earth still doth wear her Eden dress,
But other eyes the spell must own,

And other hearts her smile must bless.

But let the dreams of youth depart-
If Faith but shows a world beyond,

To which the weary, longing heart

Looks with youth's hopes, its yearnings fond!

THE CHILD AND TIME.

Merrily, merrily, sang the child,

Amid the roses playing;

He watched the butterflies and smiled,

The bees through the sweet flowers straying.

Slowly, oh! slowly, walked old Time,

He almost stopped to listen,

For the child's voice rang like a silver chime;
Like gold did his bright hair glisten.

"Run along, run along, Reaper old,
Your grass awaits the mowing!
The use of the wings you idly fold,
I fain would have you showing !"

Sadly, oh! sadly, Time said to the boy, "A day will soon be coming,

You will see me fly, but not with joy,

Amid flowers and bees soft humming."

Then sped along, sped along, months and years; The boy grown old, is bending

'Neath life's hard load, when a step he hears; He looks old Time is wending,

Quickly, oh ! quickly, his way beside,

66

Indeed he's almost flying:

Oh! stay but a moment," the old man cried;
But Time gave no replying.

For swiftly, how swiftly, he flew along,
His wings no more close folding:
Nature still warbled the child's gay song,

Her hand fresh flowers still holding.

NO TURNING BACK.

No turning back! though childhood's eyes
Look out with laughing, mirthful blue,

And joy's bright hopes, like butterflies,
Rush eager and as careless too;
No turning back.

Though day by day the summer sun
Pours out his showers of golden wine,
And life's short pleasures, scarce begun,
Do beckon us like things divine;
No turning back!

No turning back! though youth's brave heart
Doth meet us from the by-gone years,
With courage full to bear life's smart,

With smiles that laughed through sorrow's tears;
No turning back!

Though friends look from the buried past
Our wand'ring footsteps to recall

To happy days that might not last,—
To meet them, if we'd meet at all,—
No turning back!

No turning back, though Love be there—
And friends and buried hopes arise!

And many a yearning, longing prayer,

Like weary bird, would pierce those skies,-
No turning back!

Who would turn back, when life before
Looks brighter far than life gone by?
Brighter than flowers that gem earth's floor,
Or clouds that paint the evening sky;
Who would turn back?

For they are there, the loved and lost!
They wait us through the coming years;
They, calmly moored; we, tempest tossed,
Oppressed with cares and pains and fears,
Who would turn back?

Who would turn back? that happy shore
Looks forth like Island of the Blest,
Where earthly storms and woes are o'er,
And weary mortals shall find rest!
Who would turn back?

THE LIVING GOD.

Here in His works behold Him! see the trees! The swelling buds Spring's fingers will unroll, With scented blossoms freight the passing breeze, The wind, the unseen image of His soul.

Here in His works behold Him! how the grass, From winter's barrenness new clothes each field! To feed the millions, how sun, showers and earth, Work silently to bring the mighty yield.