Hark, how Creation's deep, musical chorus, Unintermitting, goes up into heaven! Labor is glory!-the flying cloud Only the waving wing changes and lightens; brightens; Idle hearts only the dark future frightens; Play the sweet keys, wouldst thou keep them in tune! Never the ocean wave falters in flow- Labor is rest,- from the sorrows that greet us; OSGOOD. Droop not, though shame, sin, and anguish are round thee! Bravely fling off the cold chain that hath bound thee! Look to yon pure heaven smiling beyond thee! Rest not content in thy darkness, -a clod! slowly; lowly: Labor!-all labor is noble and holy: Let thy great deeds be thy prayer KATE PUTNAM OSGOOD. BEFORE THE PRIME. You think you love me, Marguerite, Ah, were it so! But listen, dear! When April's violets, here and there, me some, To show, you said, that spring was come. But, sweetheart, when the lavish May your way, You had no thought her bloom to To prove the presence of the spring! Believe me, when Love's April-time DRIVING HOME THE COWS. OUT of the clover and blue-eyed grass Under the willows, and over the hill, Only a boy! and his father had said But after the evening work was done, meadow-swamp, Across the clover, and through the wheat, With resolute heart and purpose grim, [him. rying feet, Though cold was the dew on his hur And the blind bat's flitting startled Thrice since then had the lanes been white, And the orchards sweet with applebloom; And now, when the cows came back at night, The feeble father drove them home. farm For news had come to the lonely That three were lying where two had lain; And the old man's tremulous, pal- And worn and pale, from the crisp I FOUND a fellow-worker when I deemed I toiled alone: My toil was fashioning thought and sound, and his was hewing stone; I worked in the palace of my brain, he in the common street; And it seemed his toil was great and hard, while mine was great and sweet. I said, "O fellow-worker, yea, for I am a worker too, The heart nigh fails me many a day, but how is it with you? "I carve the marble of pure thought until the thought takes form, Then he replied: "Ere sunrise, when the pale lips of the day The thousand labors of the world had grown up once again. 66 The sun grew on the world, and on my soul the thought grew too, A great appalling sun, to light my soul the long day through. I felt the world's whole burden for a moment, then began PALFREY. "I went forth hastily, and lo! I met a hundred men, "Each passed me with a dauntless look, and my undaunted eyes "They passed me, having faith in me, and in our several ways, I felt their mighty hands at work, and, as the days wore through, "Perhaps they felt, as with those hands they lifted mightily "And so we toil together many a day from morn till night, For though the common stones are mine, and they have lofty cares, 66 "And 't is not wholly mine or theirs, I think of through the day, But the great, eternal thing we make together, I and they; Far in the sunset I behold a city that man owns, Made fair with all their nobler toil, built of my common stones. "Then noonward, as the task grows light with all the labor done, "But when the evening comes, indeed, the words have taken wing, REBECCA S. PALFREY. WHITE UNDERNEATH. INTO a city street, Poisonous to every sense; and the sun's rays It seemed that no pure thing low, God had sent down his snow. THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. O THOU, great Friend to all the sons of men, Who once appeared in humblest guise below, Sin to rebuke, to break the captive's chain, And call Thy brethren forth from want and woe, We look to thee! Thy truth is still the Light Which guides the nations, groping on their way, Stumbling and falling in disastrous night, Yet hoping ever for the perfect day. Yes; Thou art still the Life, Thou art THE HIGHER GOOD. FATHER, I will not ask for wealth or fame, Though once they would have joyed my carnal sense; I shudder not to bear a hated name, Wanting all wealth, myself my sole defence. But give me, Lord, eyes to behold the truth; A seeing sense that knows the eternal right; A heart with pity filled, and gentlest ruth; A manly faith that makes all darkness light. [kind; Give me the power to labor for manMake me the mouth of such as cannot speak: Eyes let me be to groping men, and blind; [weak A conscience to the base; and to the Let me be hands and feet; and to the foolish, mind: And lead still further on such as Thy kingdom seek. |