RANDOM RHYMES

ROBERT L PEMBERTON

O RAC LE PRES S

$7 . MARYS . W ES T V lRG lNIA

1 904

PR E FA C E

HE ti tle of this book was suggested bythe heading,

! Random Remarks,” under

wh i ch I have contributed to The St . MarysOracle a column for several years , and in whichmany of the verses made their first appearance .The local n ature of several of the poems maybe attributed to the same source .

I have made no attempt to cl assi fy the work,

but rather I have taken the poems at haphaz ard, preferring that they should appear as

they were written,wi thout method and with

out other obj ect than to meet the occasion thatled to their composition .

ROBT. L . PEMBERTON .

St. Marys, W . V a.,

Sept . 25, 1 904.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I! esireW hen the Service Is in BloomA W inter ’s MorningThe AvowalOn the Death of John B . GoughThe Lute“ Montan i Semper LiberiTo a Bee in JanuaryIn the Swee t Smell ing HayThe Ohio ValleyThe TravelerThe CicadaBy Order of the Health BoardBill ’s FadRetrospectionA Sad , Sad SongJuneIn the SeasonThe Plum PuddingSong of the TrampSpringArtisti c JackTo GrifAlexanderW hat Age is This !A Happy New YearThe Hammock BoatFrom the HillBerry TimeEvelyn

TABLE OF CONTENTS—CONTINUED

AnticipationThe Old ManOn the OhioPeggy DetectedHot W eath erLove ’s DomainThe Art of LivingYet There Is GloryA Married Man ’s MusingsA W edding GiftCooper ’s HollowA December ViewDri v in ’ Down the PikeDown Long RunMy ComradesA Little RhymeThe CanoeA MemoryDoolinFall LimericksThe Long Run SchoolThe Veteran sThe Bridge of IceW hen the Heart Is in ItVanitas V an i tatis

W anitaSanta ClausA Knight of OldPictures in the FireAmbitious GardeningConfidence

DESIRE

F aught o f mineShould bring a thrill of pleasure to a soul ,

Stirring the blood l ike draught of sparkl ingwine ,

Then would I reach my goal .

I f aught I w riteShould banish sorrow from a stricken heart,Ev ’n for a moment

,i t were great delight

That I had done my part .

Could I but knowThat work of mine has helped some struggling

oneIn li fe ’s great battle , I could calmly go ,

Believing it wel l done .

Yet not content,But wishing that I might again reach forthTo give my Master

,for the gift he lent

,

Tenfold i ts simple worth .

RANDOM RHYMES

W HEN THE SERVICE IS IN BLOOM .

AZINESS, some people call it ;But they cannot understand

Energy cannot forestall it,And it v ields to no command ;But upon me comes the feel ing ,

Certain as the crack of doom ,

Every nerve l ike drunkard reel ing,W hen the service is in bloom .

Listless languor takes possession ;Labor is a thing abhorred ;I am plunged in deep depressionW hen I ’m asked to trim the sward ;

Office work is something dreadful ,Filling me with deepest gloom ,

For of longings I ’ve a head full ,W hen the service is in bloom .

W ant to answer Nature,call ing

To the woods and streams and hills ;W ant to hear the water fall ingO ’er the dam at Sylvan M i lls ;

WHEN THE SERVICE IS IN BLOOM 13

For I know the bass are waiting,Open-mouthed , below the flume ,

And they ’l l bite without debatingW hen the service is in bloom .

Don ’ t you feel i t coming o ’er you !Don ’ t you want to sit and laze

W i th a l iving stream before youW hirl ing in a frothy maz e ,

And to see the cork go bobbingThrough t h e snowy, sparkling spume !

Don ’ t you feel a feverish throbbingW hen the service i s in bloom !

1 4 RANDOM RHYMES

A W INTER’S MORNING

HEN all is drear and chill without,W hen cold the western breezes blow,

And skirr the clouds in ragged rout,And nature seems man ’s fiercest foe ,

W el l sheltered in our little cot,W hat matter how the wild winds roar !

W ith love we laugh and bless our lot,All care is barred beyond the door .

Yet comes a thought that chills our joySomewhere thro ’ biting winds doth roam

,

Some wife ’s true love, some mother’s boy

,

Ill-clad, unsheltered , far from home .God help the luckless wand ’rer through

,

And guide him to a home of rest !And God help him who never knewThe pangs of pity in his breast !

THE AVOW AL 15.

THE AVOW AL

KNOW not if you love meYour l ips have never spoken ;

The cloud of doubt above meAs yet remain s unbroken .

But , in the tender glancesNow from your dark eyes straying,

I think that Cupid dancesHis secret thus betrav ing .

And in the rosy blushesYour snowy forehead dyeing,

I feel the love-god rushes,

All cold restraint defying.

Oh , fly me not , fair maiden !W hat is i t you are fearing !

W ith love your l ips are ladenAnd no one is in hearing .

Ah ! now I know you love me !By every sacred token !

The sky is clear above meSince your red lips have spoken !

1 6 RANDOM RHYMES

ON THE DEATH OF JOHN B . GOUGH

BER! He is dead , who long had rungThe peal ing changes of our cause ;

He,gifted with the god- l ike tongue ,

On whose rich accents thousands hungAnd thundered loud applause .

Ay, he is dead—but such a deathAs seldom hero gains

Still teaching wi th his latest breath,

As did that One of Nazareth ,Immortal truths divine ;

A nd striving stil l to break the chainsThat hold men slaves to wine .

All honor to the dead ! who fellW hile striving yet for menHonor the dead ! and softly toll theAnd let the deep tones tel lHis praise again !

He called the weakBack to the strength of youth ;

B rought color to the wasted cheekW ith hope and truth .

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1 8 RANDOM RHYMES

All honor to the dead ! and be his nameOur watchword for the right ;

For as the phoenix from the dying flame,

SO shall he u se and fightTill glorious day o

’ercome the fated night !

All hOnor to the dead ! who fellW hile striving yet for men !Honor the dead ! and softly tol l the bell

,

And let the deep tones tel lHis praise again !

THE LUTE 1 9

THE LUTE

HERE l ies a lute that sweetly toldOf tender love in days of old ;

But tarnished are its bands of gold ,And broken are its strings .

No more in Luna 's favoring beamIt thrills with al l-enticing theme,And wakes the lady from her dream,.

Blest with the j oy it brings .

NO more the vines are pushed apart ,To let the roses downward dart,Bearing the troth of trusting heartThe serenader ’s gains .

Happy the youth of proud Castile ,W ho thus could make his fond appeal !Sweet the reward for ardent z ealAnd the lute ’ s mellow strains .

But customs change : that time is gone ;Sightless the eyes that brightly shone ;W i thered the hand that woke the toneOf str i ngs that now are mute !

Yet l ives on earth the same fond love,

And fall s the gage from lips above,

W hile bree z es blow in neighb’ring grove,

Instead of silent lute !

20 RANDOM RHYMES

MONTANI SEMPER LIBERI .

HERE is perfect freedom found !Banished from Plataea ’s plain

Driven from the hallowed ground ,Far across th ’ Atlanti c main ;

Seek it : ye shall fi nd i t thrillsThrough the “fest Virginia h il ls !

W here is manhood ! W here is power !Not in kingdoms long decayed ;

Not where springs the noisome flowerIn some ancient ruin ’s shade :

Find them ’mid the rocks and rillsOf the W est Virginia hills !

Fair, though wild and rugged landForceful is thy mountain air ;

Honest heart and ready handFlourish in thy fostering care

M en of free,unconquered wills

Dwell on W est Virginia hills !

To A BEE IN JANUARY 2 1

TO A BEE IN JANUARY .

HAT tempted thee to venture forth ,Brown toiler Of the flower !

For thee there ’s l i ttle now of worth

W hile Winter holds his power.

W hat roguish calendar hast thouHung on thy waxen wall ,

To tel l thee that ’tis summer now ,

When thick the snow-flakes fall !

Perhaps the sun , that lately warmed ,As with relenting heart,

W’ oke thee from dreams of l i fe , and charmed.Thee with i ts golden dart .

And thou , all trembling with the j oyO f spring ’s congenial birth ,

Hast left thy hive to seek employUpon the forward earth .

But 10 ! scarce were thy wings outspread ,W hen northern winds arose ;

The fair but fickle sun had fled ,And fel l the cruel snows.

22 RANDOM RHYM 125

Now ,driven by the freez ing blast,

W hich thou wouldst vainly fly ,All chill and numb , thou

’

rt rough l v castUpon the ground to die !

Fast , fas t the fal ling snow -flakes screenThee frommy pitying sight

T hy l i fe was’mid broad fields Of green ,

Thy death ’mid fields ofwh ite !

!

So Fortune lures , with many a charm,

Man from his calm retreat :Then leaves h im s truggl ing i n the storm,

Till death i tsel f seem sw eet !

IN THE SWEET-SMELLING HAY 3

IN THE SW EET SMELLING HAY .

HEN the leaves softly fal l in the coolau tumn breeze ,

And the sun casts a shimmer of gold on thetrees .

And the blue of the sky h as descended to earth ,

And the knowl edge of p l en tv g ives al l theworld mirth ,

Then . wi th heart ful l of joy ,I remember the

That we spent in the barn , in the sweet-smelling h ay .

W i th the choices t of fru it from the orchardbelow ,

! I have oft wondered since if such apples yet

Through th e great doubl e door we ran merrily in ,

And arousing the clucking old hens wi th ourd in ,

Up the ladder we mounted , though gloomythe way,

Till we n estled l ike birds in the sweet-smell ingh ay .

24 RANDOM RHYMES

W hile without there was chill of the fall inthe air,

In the loft of the barn , warmth of summer wasthere ;

And the flavor of rambos was rich to th e taste ,As the riddles went round in a feverish haste ;And true happiness beamed from each face as

we lay,W ith the wealth of our childhood , in sweet

smelling hay .

I have read of rare banquets at richest ofboards,

W here the v iands were best that the wholeearth affords ;

W here the wit was the keenest, and epigramsflew

Round the board like the firefl ies in midsummer dew ;

But no feast is so rare , and no wit is so gay,As the feast and the wit in the sweet-smelling

hay .

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26 RANDOM RHYMES

THE TRAVELER .

RONZED wanderer o er the varied earth ,

Return unto thy home of youth !Re take thy place before the hearth ;Thy parents ’ c losing moments soothe !

W hite as the snow that crowns the mountThy father ’s scattered hairs have grown ;Thy mother ’s tears burst from the fount

,

And oft is heard her weary moan .

Oh,speed thee

,Traveler

,o ’er the land !

Oh , haste thee o’er the ocean ’s foam !

Leap lightly on t hy native s trand ,And turn thine eager steps towards home !

W oe, woe the day ! TOO late , too late !Beneath those mounds thy parents h ide ;The fire hath died within th e grateW ith those who perished at i ts s ide !

A voiceless house , a cheerless home !Alas , such is no home for thee :

Forth , Traveler , and aimless roamO ’er foreign land and distan t sea .

Go ; search the world for unknown rest ;Pursuing peace , to battle fly ;But never shal t thou end thy questUntil thou liest down to die .

THE C ICADA 27

THE CICADA .

IDDEN in the apple tree ,Closely to the rough bark cl inging,

Colored l ike the bark is he ,Veil ing himsel f modestly ,Yet not modest in his singing.

Very simple is his tune ,And it has no v ariation ;

Starting low ,h e rises soon

T i ll he ’s higher than the moon ,Soaring over al l creation .

N ow he makes the welkin ring,Leader of the insect chorus

,

Overpow ering everything ;Beats the frogs Of early springTo the marrow does he bore us .

Ha ! at last he ’s reached his height !Thank the Lord , he has a l imit !

Now he fal ls in easy fl igh t,

Just as sleep comes in the night ,A nd he makes no haste to trim it .

So he sings from his retreathat the dog days are around us;

RANDOM RHYMES

Sings about the awful heat,Sings that summer is complete ,Does his utmost to confound us.

Crackling like X-ray machine ;W hirring l ike a voung horse-fiddl e ;

Shriller voiced than cricket keen ;Striving to be heard , not seenStops his song right in the middle !

Glory be ! The sand wasp hears ;To the apple tree she hurries

And the loud musician spears !Give the sand wasp rousing cheersShe has slain one of our worries !

Duly licensed poets may,0 Cicada ! sing your glory ;For mysel f

,I on ly say

I prefer you far awayFar from my nerves auditory .

BY ORDER OF HEALTH BOARD 29

BY ORDER OF HEALTH BOARD .

ET your rake and shovel , neighbor,On the fence -post hang your coat,

Earnestly betake to laborIn the pasture of the goat ;For the Heal th Board gives us warningThat we may not disregard ,

And in spit e of all our scorning

W e must clean up'

our backyard .

Death to microbes and bacci ll iThat ’s the cry this merry spring ;They must vanish

, W il ly-n i l ly,’Fore the W hite ! domestic ! W ing .

Here ’s a harvest of ol d rubbers,

Rusty t in and gl in ting shard,

For the Heal th Board—lazy lubbersMakes us clean up our backyard .

Heap the stuff up in the center ;Bui l d a high funereal pyre ;Gateway for microbes to enterPlace where there is hotter fire .

Dance the Death Dance as we feed itW ith a pleasure al l unmarred ,

For the Health Board has decreed itW e must clean up our backyard .

30 RANDOM RHYMES

the ruddy flames ascending,

Lighting up the evening sky !Hear the snapping microbes endingLife with a despairing cry !

Every spark that upward risesIs a microbe ’s soul , i ll-starred ,For the Heal th Board so advisesW e must clean up our backyard .

B ILL ’S FAD 31

BILL ’S FAD.

HERE ’S joy~for h imwho casts asideThe troubles of the shop,

W ho gaily hurries home to rideHis hobby to the drop ;

His mind is fresh , his hear t is l ight,His dreaming makes him glad ;

A vision comes before his sightA vision Of h is fad .

No matter how the work may goBill ’s face is alwavs br ight ;

The belts may sl ip , machine run slow ,

Nought in the shop go right ,And everyone may have. the b lues ,The boss be swearing mad ;

But Bill , in nearing distance , views ,The coming of his fad .

The goodw i fe laughs to hear him laughThe children dance in glee ;

He greets them all with merry chaff,

And all goes happily ;For he has left the shop behind

W ith al l the cares he had ,And turnswith free and cheer ing mindUnto his darl ing fad .

RANDOM RHYMES

His home to him is paradise ,W here he has treasures rare ;

His children cherubs in disguise ,His wife an angel fair ;

Bill ’s happiest when to their j oysOne pleasure he can add ;

For home , and wife , and girl s andMake up Bill ’s only fad .

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34 RANDOM RHYMES

The monument common , where many a nameHas been chiseled with tenpenny nails into

fameThose wonderful rocks have so dwindled in

sizeThat really it ’s hard to bel ievegmy own eyes .

Not only these places, but also some people ,W ho used to loom up as immense as a steeple ;The teacher, the preacher, the lawyer, physi

eian ,W ere great, awful beings , of mighty position ;But now

,wh en I look at them close , I can see

They ’re j ust human creatures like you andl ike me .

Another affair that I hardly see through,

Although i t may be very easy for youIt ’s common enough , ne

’erth e less i t is queer

W hen I was a lad , i n my tenth or twelfthyear,

I knew several girls of the same age precisely ;Together we played and we got along nicely ;But in a few years they had grown so much

fasterThan I , that I suffered a mental disaster ;They played no more games ; they talked only

Of“ mashes”,

Forsaking smooth lips for those graced withmustaches .

RETROSPECTION 35

A bothersome puzzle—It near drove me madTo think they had grown twice as fast as I

had !For, two sets of years could there possibly be ,The short ones for them , and the long ones

for me

But stranger than that : as the years saunter~

ed on ,I h aving arrived at mature twenty-one ,By some necromantical , mystical means,Th ose very same ladies were stil l in their.

teens.

36 RANDOM RHYMES

A SAD SAD SONG .

HERE l ives a girl on W hiskey Run,Sing ho , she is a daisy !

Her eyes are green , her hair is dun ,Her nose is l ike a hot-cross bun ,The sight of her will cat tle stunAnd drive the chickens crazy.

‘Th ere is a man who loved this maid ,S ing ho, he is a looney !He courted her by night, i t

’s said,

'

TO look by day he was afraid ;Yet, kissing in th e deepest sh ad e ,

He grew a trifle spooney .

For she is rich in her own right,S ing ho , the power of money !

W ith wealth a man may have delight,

E’en though he can ’t endure the sight

rOf her who makes his prospects bright ;Say, doesn

’t that seem funny 7

Alas , he saw his girl one day,S ing ho , but that was awful

He cracked his fists and ran away,

Nor love nor money could him stay ;

A SAD , SAD SONG 37

He asked two men of law, and theySaid running off was lawful .

There is a place he ’ ll always shun,

S ing ho, his brain is hazy !He ’ll never go on W hiskey Run ,At least, when shines the blessed sun ;He ’d rather face a loaded gun ,Than meet that mountain daisy .

38 RANDOM RHYMES

JUNE .

0 this is June ,The month of roses !

The year ’ s forenoon ,W hen nature poses

In ri chest garb of rippl ing green ;Sure , June of all the months is ! ueen !

Her sister, May,

Is bright and cheery ,A nd drives awaySad thoughts and dreary,

Y et sometimes cold her breath becomesAnd then the yearning heart she numbs.

And April ’s coyShe weeps in laughter ;

She gives us joy,But grief comes after .

I like not these uncertain onesG ive me the fr iend who steady runs.

July ’s intenseShe has a fashion

Of violenceW ith ardent passion ;

I fear the calms of proud July,

For then I know a storm is nigh .

But June is true ,Pure-hearted , tender ,

From skies of blueHer radian t splendor

Is shed upon the answering ear thAll Nature testifies h er worth .

All have confessedHer breath the sweetest ;

In emerald dressedHer form completest ;

Let others choose what mon th they will ,The queenly June ’s my favorite still .

40 RANDOM RHYMES

IN THE SEASON .

0 the hills the sportsmen hurry

W i th intent to kill ;Squirrel s now have cause to worry,If the boys have skill .Hear the popping !Never stopping !Squirrels dropping !Game score nil .

I myself once went a huntingArmed with dog and gun ;

D id the tallest kind of stunting,Had a lot Of fun ;Rocky scrambles ,Scored by brambles ,In my rambles ;Squirrels ! None .

Strenuous the sportsman ’s call ing ;Much he must endure ;

Tramping, climb ing , creep ing ,

’

craw 1 ing ,

Following the spoor ;Puffing , wheez ing ;Heat unceasing ;Gun increasing ;Tough ! Be sure .

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‘42 RANDOM RHYMES

THE PLUM PUDDING .

SING of the Chri stmas Plum Pudding,To every Engl ishman dear :

Reminder of glories departed ,And earnest of those to appear .

The Frenchman may tickl e your palatesW ith ecstasies done up in j oy ;But still there ’s a place for the pudding ,In spite of the dainties that cloy .

Its origin ’s lost i n the ages ;

W e only can wonder how firstThat spherical marvel of ChristmasOn gladdened humanity burst .

Conceived in the brain of a poet ;Compounded by alchemist wise ;The King of the Cooks then prepared it ,And gave to the world a surprise !

Surrounded by memories sacred ,And hallowed through numberless years ;

‘

The crowning del ight of the tabl eAnd finest Of Christmas “ good cheers !”

THE PLUM PUDDING 43

Behold now the pudding approachingIn due and appropriate state ,

All steaming and blazing in glory,A wonderful wor l d new create !

See , under that thin epidermisAre gems of exceed ing great worth

R ich amethysts , topazes , rubiesYou ’ ll find not their l ike in the earth .

There ’ s j oy in the rare exhalationsThat rise from the r ichest of spheres ,And from it we breathe the sweet essenceO f Friendship enduring thro ’ years .

All hail to the Christmas PlumPudding !All hail to the symbol o f peace !

May cooks never fai l in i ts making,Mav time see its glories increase !

RANDOM RHYMES

SONG OF THE TRAMP .

I’M a gentleman of leisure ,I ’m a tourist, don

’t you know ,

Merely travel in ’ for pleasure,

Idly wand ’

rin’ to and fro '

Never grumbl in’ tho I ve got to

Get along wi thout an auto .

Life for me ’s one long vacation ,

And I makes the most of it ;Anywhere ’

s my destinationW hen I gets there then I fl it ;For I 3111 told by men j udicial

,

Change for me is beneficial .

Here,perchance

,a day I ’

l l l inger ;There , mayhap, I

’l l s top a week ;

Then I ’l l foller Fate ’s cold finger

,

Strike a town—and take a sneak ;For the Mayor may not be lenientAnd a stone—pi l e ’

s too convenient .

Like a king his tribute takin ’,

On I go , from spot to spot ;Levy here for share of bakin ’ ,There I gets my coffee hot ;Shady sward I use for table .

Bedroom ! In a barn or stable .

SONG OF THE TRAMP 45

Sometimes on the cars I travelSpecial train—no charge to pay ;

Till a brakeman starts to cavil ,Then I softly s l ide away ;Grates my ears to hear men cussin

’

And I hate this useless fussin ’

Yet I ’m happy in my roamrn’

,

Seldom b v a care oppressed :

I ’m no pigeon , quickly homrn’

Home is where I am a guest .

I ’ve no sentimen tal pinin ’ ,Like a cat for old home w h in in ’

I ’m a gentleman of le isure ;I ’m a tourist, don

’t you see !

O thers sweat and dig for treasureThen divide i t up with me ;

“

W all street never gives me worry ,

And I seldom have to hurry .

RANDOM RHYMES

SPRING .

PRING is l ike a maiden coy,

Peeping at an anxious boyTorturing and teasing him ,

Pitying and pleasing him .

Spring bestows a smile to cheer,

Making us bel ieve she ’s here,

Then contrives to d isappear ;So the hussy gladdens us,Then she frowns and saddens us .

Naughty tricks are these to play !W h en she comes she ought to stay

W ell-beh aved to charm us all ,And with love to warm us all .

But she fools the tender flowersW ith her smiles between the showers ;And the birds have wasted hours

Building houses bootlessly ,

W arming wee eggs fruitlessly .

Spring ’s a sinner , Spring

’s a saint ;

She is curious , odd and quaint :

Truly she is femininePut a littl e lemon in

Sugared water : that ’s her kindW e ’l l omit the bitter rind ;Yet we lo ve her : n ever mind

Her bewildering sill iness ,W avering warmth and chill iness.

ARTISTIC JACK 47

ARTISTIC JACK .

ING ho ! for merry Mister Frost,W ho paints our ch eeks and noses !

His crystals tossed , on panes embossed ,Take most artistic poses .

Our muddy streets he breathes upon ,And 10 ! as if bv magic ,

The mud is gone—turned into stone ,And Councilmen look tragic .

Lace curtains ! They ’re put in the shade

W hen Jack is operating ;No loom e ’er made , nor shop displayed

Such skil l in decorating .

Upon the Icy sidewalk treadAs l ightly as you can , sir ;

Or else , instead , upon your head ,You

’11 be a sportive dancer !

He ’s made good ice upon the creek ;It ’s strong and clear and glassy

And hard and sl ick , come , hurry quick,And bring along your lassie .

RANDOM RHYMES

S ing ho ! for Jack ’s delightful ice ,On which we ’ 11 try, while speeding,

Some new device—and in a triceW e have a nose that ’s bleeding !

Of artists Jack is surely kingHe has a natural talent,

He has a fl ing at everything ,

Nor misses maid nor gallant .

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RANDOM RHYMES

So, when GrifAlex . strikes the stringsAnd from the Smoky City singsOf ’taters, herbs, and other things ,

W e cease our nappingThe air is full of spirit-wings

,

And we hear rapping !

W e smell the smell of lamb a-roast,Nor care we for its Banquoed ghost,Green peas and spear-mint sauce almost

Go down one ’s throttleNor care if Barmecidal host

Pass not the bottle .

A “ poem that we need n ’t know ! ”

W hy,bless you , sing a score or so

That kind is rel ished here below ,

For we are human,

And love what ’s human , even thoughIt be a woman .

WHAT AGE IS THIS ! 51

W HAT AGE IS THIS !

ISTEN to our greatest sagesMan has passed through many ages

,

R is ing by successive stages ,Till he ’s reached h is present station ;Proud , too, of h is elevation .

First we find him using woodFor a weapon . Now , you shouldRead of Abel

,foully slain

By his wretched brother , Cain ;Also

,read of old Austral ia ,

How the Bushmen would assail ye ,Rushing out in howl ing gangs ,Flinging crooked boomerangs .

Then we find h im using bone,.Giving weapons sharper tone .

Just at presen t, even soDoes the greasy Eskimo .

Then , progressing up he picksHeavy stones to load his sticks ;Grooves them

,so they ’

11 b ind on tightSharpens them

,to make them b ite .

”

52 RANDOM RHYMES

'

Then he hits on something new ,

Adding bows and arrows toStock of weapons and this pageHistory knows as the “ Stone Age .

Next behold him working inM ines of copper and of tin ,Melting both th e metals downTill th ey ’

re done a dirty brown ,

Molding knife and ax and sword .

Now another page he ’s scored

,

And the very knowing onesC al l this time the “ Age of Bronze .

Look again : we see h im findIron

,and he leaves behind

Bri ttle bronze , and makes his arms“

Out of stuff that has more charmsStronger , sharper, tougher far,Proper thing for peace or war.W hen he ’

s in th is higher stageHe has reached the “ Iron Age.

”

Marching onward in his quest,Now we find him at his best,Using all the things h e ’

s knownIron and wood and bone and stone,And ten thousand other things

!

TO his many needs he brings.

WHAT AGE 1 5 THIS ! 53:

\Vhat’s the present age ! you ask :

Answer ’s not an easy task .

Some “ El ectr ic Age” do n ame it ;

Others just as stoutly claim itProperly is “ Age of Steel ;

”

Many in this section feel“ Age of O il” or “ Age of GasFor i ts ti tle ought to pass ;Some insist on “ Age of Vapor ;Others call it “ Age of Paper .”

In past ages men have foughtW ith the weapons that were wroughtGiving to each age its name“ Stone Age ,

” “ Bronze Age” and the sameRule holds good the present day,W hen the weapons most in playAre the papers . Don ’t you see !On th is point let us agree ,An d conclude the proper caperIs to call this “ Age of Paper .”

4 RANDOM RHYMES

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

URRAH for a Happy New Year !May trouble and care disappear !May j oy take their places,W ith smiles on all faces

Replacing the frown or the tear !

Here ’s luck to the driller Ior oil !

May grease be reward of his toil !His d r i l l never rus ty,His holes never dusty,

And never a kink in his coil !

Here ’s wishing the farmer the best !

May h e with abundance be blessed !His produce be doubled

,

His sleep be untroubled,

For he ’s the support of the rest.

And here ’s to kind woman , whose love,

Like manna come down from above,

Gives strength to th e j adedAnd l ife to the faded

May joy fit her heart l ike a glove !

A HAPPY NEW YEAR 55

And here ’s to the child ren ! May they

Enjoy themselves every day ;May duty be pleasure

,

And Time never measureThe moments they pass in their play !

And here ’s a good wil l to the rich !

Here ’

s hoping their palms will notBut find that i n givingIs richest of l iving,

For Fortune ’s a fickle old witch .

Here ’

s hope for t h e poor ! May they know

Adore comfor ts In l ife h ere below !May Fortun e surprise th em,

SO those who despise them

W i l l put them in ! ual ity Row !

Hurrah for a Happy New Year !

“ Ch ile spinn ing around on this sphere ,May kindliness flourish ,And everyone cher ish

The blessings we find wi th us here !

RANDOM RHYMES

THE HAMMOCK-BOAT

AR,far away I sail ,

Rocked gently to and fro !

The balmy summer galeMakes music soft and low,

And carries odors sweetFrom flowers as I float ;

Oh , better craft no breezes waftThan this , my hammock-boat !

To and fro,

Here I go ,In my hammock-boat ;Gently tossing ,

Oceans crossing,

On and on I float .

Your launch may softly glideOn an untroubled stream ;

Your yacht stem ocean ’s tideIn vain search of a dream

In hammock-boat I l ie ,Nor sail nor oar require

,

Yet will it bear me anywhere ,Unto my heart

’ s desire .

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58 RANDOM RHYMES

FROM THE HILL

HE breath of early morn is wondroussweet,

No matter where—i h garden or in field ,Or in the scarcely wakened city street ;But nowhere does i t sweeter fragrance yield

Than on the lofty summit of th is hill ,W here j oyfully my eager lungs I fill .

Upon the grassy crest I stand alone,

By snowy mist enclosed on , every side ;Like one upon a desert islet thrown ,

W hose wistful eyes see nought but ocean ’stide ,

W hil e every wave against his foothold hurledShows how has shrunk his once maj estic

world .

The sun h as burst the fetters of the night ;His level beams already have the force

TO move the h eavy mist , and vast and whiteThe phan tom b il lows roll

,in mazy course ,

B eat back by crag, and torn by sturdy tree ;Here rising h igh , there sinking hopelessly .

FROM THE HILL 59

Pierced by the burning arrows of their foe,

These airy monsters writhe in direst pain,

Now yielding glimpses of the earth below ,

Now rushing o ’er me , hiding all again ;Now l ike a faint, uncertain vision , fledAnd far around a noble scene is spread .

The Va l ley of Ohio ! Ever new ,

Like well- tried friendship ! It was my del ight

In boyhood ’s day to watch thy distant blueMel t sadly in the bl ackness of the night ,

Or see , as now , the glorious sun destroyThe mist of morn and g ive the world new joy .

By this September sun,I now behold

Another Eden , and these rugged heightsEncompass i t as Eden ’s walls of old ;Or here , enj oying thousands of delights ,

M ight Rasselas with N ekayah have dweltNor longing for another world have felt .

From hill to vale, and vale to h i l l , I gaze ,And ever at the placid stream that flows

W i th gen tle strength through fields Of ripening maize ,

D iv iding where green isles its force oppose ,Forever moving to the distant W est ,And bearing w ealth of empires on i ts breast .

60 RANDOM RHYMES

Since first I knew that stream long years haveflown ,

Years that have brought their changes, joyand pain ,

Yet to my heart the times are freshly knownW hen as a boy I coursed the icy plain ,

Or plunged exulting in the l impid tideOr fragile craft upon i ts bosom pl ied .

And were it given me to once againGO through this l ife , selecting where todwel l

Its various times,I ’d choose to live as then ,

In boyhood , by the stream I love so well ,W ith hills and hollows . plains and shingly

shore ,\Vh ere oft I loitered in the days of yore .

BERRY TIME 61

BERRY TIME

P to the hills, ere yet the sunHis dai ly labor has begun ,

The berry pickers rush ;W ith clanking, cl inking cups and pails,W i th frequent “ hurry-ups” and hails

,

They press into the brush .

The shining fruit hangs high and lowOh

,never was more tempting show

To lure an ardent crew !The fever ’

s on , and each one hurriesTO fil l his measure first with berries

,

And claim the honor due .

W ho gives a thought to piercing thorn !W ho cares for clothing wet and tornW hile rivalry runs high !

The deadly copperhead ’s forgot ,

The hissing viper gets no thought,

While absent from the eye .

The sun gets h igh—his ferv id beamConverts the dew to fleeting steam ;Few can endure the heat,

And leaving now the open glade,

Far deeper in the woody shade ,Sti l l picking, they retreat .

RANDOM RHYMES

Here i s the riches t, largest fruit,W ell worthy of a long pursuitThrough many a thorny trail ;

And oft the treacherous hand will sl ipThe choicest berry to the l ipInstead of to the pail .

The buckets filled , they homeward tramp ,

Bedraggled , dusty, stained and damp,

Yet proud of what they ’ve done ;W ho would not turn back thirty years

,

W hen cl ink of pai l and cup he hears,

To sh are the simple fun !

EVELYN 63

EVELYN

HUBBY l ittle EvelynCame last week to visit us ,

Lifting up her dimpled chin,

Giving everyone a buss ;Soon as she had entered in

,

House belonged to Evelyn .

As a visitor she cameAs a conqueror she stayed ;

On the household laid a claim,

And possession good she made .

Many a princess there has been ,

But not one l ike Evelyn .

Princess ! Nay, she is a queen ,W ith a scepter in her hand ;

Soon as sl ightest nod is seen ,See us rush at her commandAnxious is each one to winGracious smile from Evelyn .

RANDOM RHYMES

Loving subj ects are we al l ,

Though we must her favors shareW ith a certain darkey doll,Likewise one devoid of hair ;But all folks are ki th and kinIn the eyes of Evelyn .

Happy little queen is she ,Full of smiles the l ivelong day !

Happy should her subj ects be ,For she wants them all to play !Happy may the kind Fate spinThread of life for Evelyn !

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06 RANDOM RHYMES

THE OLD MAN .

LD man , whose locks are l ike the snow,

W hy mournest thou !W hy droops thy head in sorr ow low !Why do the dimming tear -drops flow !W hy rough and wrinkled is thy brow !

0 youth , when thou shalt see the primeOf manhood pass ;

W hen thou shalt lose the laughing rhyme ,And feel an unrelen t ing timeW rite in blank verse upon thy face ;

W hen love shal l l ag ,and fame shall

Then wilt thou knowDim sh apes will haunt thy memory,Regret will come

,and thou shalt be

Led by strange fancies to and fro .

Iweep because my world is old ,And soon will die ;Because the years that o ’ er me rolledHave left me thin

,and worn , and col d

And cheerless, starless, is my sky.

ON THE OHIO 67

ON THE OHIO

ERE sang my lady on a summer eve ,W hile from the resting oars fell slowly

The glistening drops, as loth they were to leaveThe air of song, so pure and holy .

The bird ’s rich matin no more rapture bringsTo one who wakes from peaceful slumber ,

Nor music of the coming angels’ wings

To him whose days have run their number .

Dreams , visions of the future and the past,W ere al l forgotten in that pleasure ;

I only felt—could this forever last,

My soul could wish no fuller measure.

68 RANDOM RHYMES

PEGGY DETECTED.

LIPPING gently down the stairs,I caught Peggy unawares,

Graceful curtseys making ;Not a soul but she was therePeggy, blue- eyed , rosy, fair,Smiling

,bowing to the air,

W hile my heart was aching.

A ching for a smile from her,For Iwas her worshiper,And would give all gladly

W ould she bow and smile to me ;Hard it was to stand and seeFavors wasted lavishly,W hich I longed for madly.

Cruel Peggy ! ” then I cried,W asting smiles to me denied !Blush in your detection !

Startled,Peggy turned quite red ;

I was practicing,” she said :

Then she smi led and bowed her headPractice brought perfection !

HOT W EATHER 69

HOT WEATHER .

HAT is told by everybody must be so ;That ’s an axiom I picked up long ago ;

So when people that I meetTell how dreadful is the heat

,

I’ m inclined to think the temperature aglow .

Ye t the constan t repetition makes me tired ;Many statements of the case are not required

!

To impress upon my mindThat the weather man ’s incl ined

To o’erdo the thing , and tha t he should be

fired .

W hile the perspiration ’s dripp i ng off my nose ,An acquaintance comes the secret to disclose

That the atmosphere is hot !But I rath er wish he ’d not ,

For it turns the warmest friends to coolestfoes .

Let the weather man enjoy his l ittle j estIn pred icting cooler weather from the west ;

Every day he gives me hopeSo I do not sadly mope ;

And I steam along and try to do my best .

A70 RANDOM RHYMES

I console myself with this immortal thoughtCooler weather h eretofore has followed hot ;

If it miss connection now

There will be a pretty row,

For the mercury ’s about the melting spot.

LOVE ’S DOMAIN 71

LOVE ’S DOMAIN .

OME where the green sward makesA stage for fairy folk ;

W here bud Of violet breaksBeyond its shel tering cloak .

Come where the free bird triesIts wild and happy note ;

W here radiant butterfl iesLike airy flowers float.

Come where the rose bush bends ;W here droops the columb ine ;

W here stalwart maple lendsIts strength to cl inging vine .

W here bright eyed squirrels rac e ,Secure in leafy covers ;

There is the hallowed placeThat nature made for lovers .

W i th butterfl ies and birds,W ith flowers blooming near,

There may we breathe the wordsThat none but us should hear .

72 RANDOM RHYMES

THE ART OF LIVING .

IVE as you ’ d live on foreverLive as tomorrow you ’ !Idie

This is the cream Of endeavor,Essence of how and of why .

Passing the years of the Psalmist,Yet l ittle weakened with age

,

Brain yet at clearest and calmest ,Stood by the fountain the sage .

Filled with intense admiration ,Sought I the cause of his might .Kindly he gave explanation ,Tell ing how Time failed to bl ight .

Yield to misanthropy never ,Thus th e Ol d man did reply,Live as you ’

d l ive on forever ,Live as tomorrow you ’

d die .

fan for the years i n the distance ,Build for the rest that you plan ;

P l an with a youthful insistence ,Build w ith the strength of a man .

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RANDOM RHYMES

YET THERE IS GLORY.

ACK through the pastYour eyes are cast ,

You sigh for times long gone ;W hen steel-clad knightRode forth to fight

W ith gilded gonfalon ;You long to hearThe clash of spear,

To see the war cloud dunYour heart’s desireIs knight and squire

A nd glory to be won .

But all is brightAs when the knight

Rode charger on the plain ;Ambition needsNo gory deeds,

Nor rises from the slain .

You need not ceaseIn times of peace

To give up search begun ;Just now, as then ,For earnest men ,

There ’s glory to be won .

YET THERE IS GLORY 75

Then , all men knewThe paths were two

That led to glory ’s heigh tIn war or churchThey made the search

As abbot or as knight ;But in these daysAre many ways

Ambition ’s course may runThe world is wide

W ith paths untriedW here glory ’

s to be won .

RANDOM RHYMES

A MARRIED MAN ’S MUSINGS .

P slowly to the ceilingThe lazy smoke ascends ;

From shelves , in vain appeal ing,Smi l e forth my ancien t friends .

A musing spirit has me ;I yield me to its power

Come forth,each grim phantasma

,

And ch ide me for an hour !

Here comes a hazy notion

Of promise I made once

!Perhaps in strong emotionMy tongue made weak response !

That I would cut my smokingTo certain pipes per day ;

A nd here I am revokingA sharper in the play !

Old Conscience stings me keenly,And tells me , o

’er and o’

er,That I have acted mean lyA score of times or more ,

A MARRIED MAN ’S MUSINGS 77

In quietly eludingSome things I should have done

,

Or never quite concludingSome jobs that were begun .

And many a phantom hoversAbove my easv chair

Rosebushes without coversExposed to frosty air ;

Again , when rainbirds carol ,My spirits flag and droop

,

Because that water barrelIs minus yet a hoop .

My memory ’s erratic ,

And leaps to other scenes ,Forgetful of the atticAnd certain window screens ;

And now upon my musingIntrudes a cry of woeThe saw that you were usingLies buried in the snow !”

The clothesl ine I was tryingTo stretch to yonder tree ,

Upon the ground i t ’s lyingForgotten utterly !

I dare not search my pocketFor fear of letters there ,For memory j umps the sprocketIn spite of al l my care .

RANDOM RHYMES

And there is one thing onlyI know I can ’t forget,

W ithout which I ’d be lonely,

And life a vain regret ;And that ’

s the strong affectionThat bears with my misdeeds ,

That saves me from dej ectionAnd helps my many needs .

A WEDDING GIFT 79

A W EDDING GIFT .

LUE i s the wave , the l sky is fairAnd blows the balmy breeze ;

The boat is ready now to bearYou far across the seas ,

And friends are nighTO wave goodby

And wish al l things th at please .

W ith Love for p ilot al l i s well ;He ’

11 guide your vessel through ;Nor rocks

,nor shoals nor surging swel l

You ’11 have,but waters blue .

And never fearBut skies are clear

W hen Love is pilot , too .

Up with th e an chor , spread the sail ;Amid bright isles away !

W here j oy replies to each glad hailAnd al l the world is gay !

’Ti s Love ’s domainW here you ’l l remain

Forever and a day .

RANDOM RHYIVE S

COOPER’S HOLLOW .

HAT home more fit for Naiades !W hat sweet seclusion more could please !

W hat rarer spot could pain ter ’ s ar tW i th skilful brush to cloth impart !

O’erhang ing crags on either side

Form grottoes, wherein migh t resideDark gobl in of an eastern story,Or ancient hermit , bent a n d hoar y,W ho from the world ’s wild sins h as fledTo borrow other sins instead .

It needs but l ittle fancy hereTo see above you falls appearA virgin of a mythic race ,All lissome leaning on her vase ,Above whose brim the water dashesAnd downward thro ’ the sun l igh t flash esAnd singing o ’er i ts stony bed ,

O r through a foamy eddy l ed ,From side to side

,as childhood sk i ns,

By fal len tree and rock it slips,Till , laughing loud , i t leaps below ,

To join the stately river’s tlow .

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82 RANDOM RHYMES

A DECEMBER VIEW

HO fears the coldShould stay in doors ;

None but the boldMay try the moorsOr cl imb the hil lW hen winter ’s chill

Comes moaning from the northern shores .

December ’s snowLay pure and white ;

W i thin , the glowOf gas fire bright ;

“ To go, or stay !W hich wins the day ! ”

We went, and clambered yonder height .

W e felt the prideOf conquest gained ;

Of cold defied ,Of point attained ;W ith potent floodOf surging blood ,

Like l ion leaping forth unchained .

A DECEMBER VIEW 83

There far belowSt . Marys lay,

Ensconced in snowThe w inter dayBut adding toThe glorious view

And giv ing fancy better

No clangor brokeIts still repose ;

No curl ing smokeFrom chimney rose ;Yet warmth and l i fe

,

IVe knew ,were rife ,

Beneath the cold and cl inging snows .

So hearts may glowW ith love most strong,

Yet n ever showTo passing throng ;And holding fastLove to the last,

May die without a sign or song .

Beyond there rolledIn graceful l ineA stream of goldA gift divine ;For never streamIn l ife or dream

Compares to thee , Ohio mine !

84 RANDOM RHYMES

And far away,Far as the sightCould catch a ray

,

Stood height on height !All clad in snow

,

Yet al l aglow,

For now the sun displ ayed his might.

’Twas l ike a sea ;Each lofty hillA wave, once free,Now standing stil l ;Caught by King FrostW hen tempest tossed ,

And bounden by his mighty w i ll.

Ye shivering onesS it by the fire ;

For summer sunsNurse your desire ;But yet will IThe cold defy

And to a further height aspire .

DRIV IN’ DOWN THE PIKE 85

DRIV IN ’ DOW N THE PIKE

UT the bosses in the wagon ;Let ’s all take a trip to town .

W hat ! You ’ve not a decent rag on !

Sho , now, that’s a han ’some gown ,

Good enough for Mrs . TeddyW hen she goes to market eggs .Come erlong ! The chariot

’s ready,

Git up, Barney ! stir your pegs !Nothin better that I l ikeThan ter drive erlong ther Pike ! ’

Hyer i t seems a leetle stickyOn ercount O

’ Sunday ’s flood .

Gee, thar, Barnev ! Don’t be tricky,

Scroug in’ Billy in ther mud !

Easy now ! This hi ll 0 ’ Roby ’sIs a mighty sl i ck

’ry bit .

Blame it ! I have smashed my tobies

Jol tin ’ in that orn ’ry pit .

Hello ! Howdy, Uncle Ike !

Rayth er rough erlong the Pike !

Hyer ther mud is somewhat yal l er ;Cotch in

’ of it on your dress !

Orn’ry stuff—l ike greasy tal ler

Soap ’11 bring it out I guess .

RANDOM RHYMES

Hyer i s Gibson . He llo, Charley !Plantin ’ taters rayther late !

Yes, i t frosted some right’ar1y ;

Fruit ’s all gone , as sure as fate !Well , good by ! W e

’ve got ter hike,Trav ’ l in ’ on this measly Pike.

Folks kin see a powerful distanceFrum ther top of th is hyer hill ;

K inder widens out existenceMakes the ’arth a bigger pill .

Thar ’s Mount Carmel—see it shinin’

!

Full six mile or more erway.

Yander ’sOwl ’ s Head , n ear combin in’

W ith ther sky its bluish gray.

Tell yer, when yer wanter strikeGrand ole scenery, take ther Pike.

Hyer’s the river hill—Now, careful !

Steady, Barney ! So, boy, so !Makes a feller kinder prayerful ,Fer yer don ’

t know whar you ’11 '

go.

Holy Moses ! W hat a cracker !W hoa , thar, whoa ! Pick up that kid!Blame it ! Swal lered my terbackerThing I never yit have d id !Feel as sick as pukin

’ t ike,Driv in ’ on this orn ’

ry Pike !

DOWN LONG RUN 87

DOW N LONG RUN

OWN Long Run fair flowers growLily, ir is, quaker lady ,

Trill ium, too , as pure as snow,

Hunting nook retired and shady ;Bluebell, nodding graciously,Laurel , dark-leaved, thick and glossy ;

Del icate anemone ,Peeping from a covert mossy .

Down Long Run the water flowsGl iding, dancing , leaping madly ;Jeweled, in the sun i t glows,Smiling here , there laughing gladly ;

Tinkl ing over rapids here ,There it rushes deep and narrow ;

Famous for wee boats to steerShooting rapids swift as arrow .

Down Long Run the red birds sing

Songs of springtime, true and tender ;Ced ar birds del ight to swing

From the tips of branches slender ;You may hear the merry thrushCheer his kind with new ambitions,

Tree and shrub and tangled brushAre al ive with gray musicians.

88 RANDOM RHYMES

Down Long Run is many a thoughtTo be gathered for the seeking ;

Vagrant fancies to be caughtW hile Dame Nature does the speaking ;Fancies that in after l ifeCome to bring their meed of pleasure ,

W hen the heart is sick of strifeAnd the soul digs up its treasure .

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90‘

RANDOM RHYMES

Perchance I ’ ll choose to spend an hourW ith mighty Johnson at his tea ;

Or sit with Pope in fragrant bower,Or with bold Captain Cook to scourThe vastness of the Southern Sea .

There ’s Coleridge longing for a talkMacaulay , brimming o

’er with screeds ;And D ickens, ready for a walk ;And Du Chai l lu, who loves to stalkThe wildest game that Afric breeds .

Good fel lows al l , of nature kind ,Entirely free from jealous bile ;

I leave them when I am incl ined ,And they, rare comrades , do not mind ,But wear an everlasting smi l e .

80 may I laugh at wintry blastW hile I

“ have friends l ike these to use,A nd power to let my lot be castNear or afar, time now or past,Just as my vagrant fancy choose .

A LITTLE RHYME 91

A LITTLE RHYME

AN wants but l ittle here below ,

But wan ts that little often ;He ’ l l have it so, in weal or woe ,From cradle to the coffin .

A l ittle plot of roll ing groundAmid the hil ls of Pleasants,

W here hares abound and quail are found ,And also drumming pheasants .

A little spot on which to raiseThe things we need while l iving,

Some wheat and mai z e , with fields to graz e,And fruits of Nature ’s giving .

A l ittle creek not far away,W ith bass and j ack in plenty,

Where you may stay for many a dayIn ! lo/w far m

’

en te.

A little cabin built of logs,W ell sheltered from the weather ;

W ith chickens, dogs , and, maybe , hogs,At l iberty together.

92 RANDOM RHYMES

A little woman ’s smiling faceTo give you welcome greeting ;

A fond embrace with artless graceW hat j oy can match such meeting !

A little path on which to strol lAnd watch the crops a-growing ;

A little hole on yonder knollFrom which much oi l is flowing .

THE CANOE 93

THE CANOE

EHOLD ! The sun , arrayed in mighty

8 10 1 7,

Behind the western summits takes h is flight,And comes sweet Luna , coy and amatory,To grace the richness of a summer night .

Now shal l I turn to thee , my lon loved river,

Serenely winding through the pleasant vale ;W hile yet the south wind makes thy surface

quiverAnd fil ls , with gentle starts , my tiny sail .

So,onward speeds my light canoe , well heed

ingThe sl ightest bending of the willow blade ;

By graveled beach and dripping branchesspeeding,

Pursuing yonder star through l ight andshade .

Away ! Away ! From human hab itation !Ev ’n thus some Indian brave , in former

years ,M ight have wi thdrawn for quiet meditation ,To read h is future in the silent spheres .

W'

hat mine may be to me now matters l ittle ;Th e present i s the larger p art of l ife ;

94 RANDOM RHYMES

TOO Often have fine promises proved brittle ,And friends grown lukewarm in the dai ly

strife .

Away ! Away ! These moments are too preciousTo waste upon the errors of the past .

Speed on , my boat , and fly those myst i cimeshesW hich would enwrap and b ind one hard

and fast .

Yet there is pleasure in this idle dreamingOn what has been , or rather , should have

been ;W hat warp and woof for l ife ’ s mysterious

weaving !W hat floating ends may Fancy gather in !

The south wind falters - weaker grows andweaker ;

My sail is useless and the star uncaught ;So fail s the l ife of many a foolish seekerEre he can grasp the treasure he has sought !

Unstep the mast,and let the boat go dri fting

Upon the silen t current , soft and slow ,

An even course—no falling, no upli fting !Oh

,that my life as easi ly could flow !

Behold ! The star , that late I was pursuing,Now fol lows me , defiant of my art,Like some proud beauty, scorning ardent

wooing,Yet loth to see her lover soon depart .

THE CANOE 95

My star th ou art , for good or evi l shining ;Yet not my star—beyond me and above ;

O f what avail my d esol ate repin ingThat I may not approach the one I love !

Oh bird , that singest in the gloomy forest,Hast thou a soul l ike mine , that ’s given

grief !And can it be the wondrous song thou pourestUpon the midnight air gives thee rel ief !

Ev ’n so would I, when sick at heart and

weary,Unto my Lord in Heaven my bosom bare ;

That so His love would banish wh at is dreary,

And change the shadows into shapes mostfair .

Still on I float , the gen tle stream descending,And stil l the star and mellow song pursue ;

Ev ’en thus , perh aps , when l ife shal l near i tsending,

Both voice and l ight , unreached , may bidad ieu .

And so unto my haven now returning .

Farewel l , sweet river ! S inking moon , farewell !

My heart hath had enough ofuseless yearning,Enough of pensive thought and mystic spell .

‘

96 RANDOM RHYMES

A MEMORY.

HE evening shadows reach from hil l to hill,

And darker dye the stream that rolls between ;

Low murmurs now the deepening hollows fill,

And elfin l anterns glance with fi tful sheen ;Yet need my eyes no lamp , for I have seen

This spot so oft I know each rise and fallEach turn and eddy, and no night can

screen ,Nor distance dim , a part, however small .The l ight of love illumines every nook,The smile of love adorns each field and glen ;

It is as when one l ifts a well-read bookAnd every passage flashes forth again ;For she has hallowed all wi th one sweet look ,And always will i t be as it was then .

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RANDOM RHYMES

Here there is a grassy cove ,W here the bluets peep ;

W ater seems too tired to roveW an ts to go to sleep .

And upon that shady shore ,’Neath a white- l imbed sycamore

,

M innows,sunfish , chubs galore ,

Gasped farewell to Doolin .

At the bridge i t ’s deep and wide ,Covered o ’er with foam ;

Here the water snakes reside ,In a favored home .

Swimming there was perfect j oy ;Dread Of snakes could not alloyPleasure of a healthy boy

Splashing in old Dool in .

Dool in was a famous streamMany years ago ;

Even now I catch a gleamOf its silvery flow .

W onder if the fish still bite !

If the foam is j ust as white ,If the ri pples gleam as bright,

As Of ol d i n Doolin !

FALL LIMERICKS

OW gone is the warm summer sun,

And Artist Jack Frost has begunHis fall d ecoration ;And each new “ creation

Is lauded by every one .

The maples are crimson and gold ;But oaks , ever sturdy and bold ,

Keep green banners flying,

The artist defying,

Maintaining the weather ’s not cold .

Far up on the hill is a blaze ,Yet one that a smoke ne ’er betrays

The sumach is burning ,

Its velvet leaves turningTo glories of sun ’s evening rays .

The chestnut burr bursts in its prideOf nuts brown and glossy inside ;

The north wind has caught ’emAnd to the ground brought

’em ,

W here vainly in leaves would they hide .

Lot 0.

1 00 RANDOM RHYMES

But chipmunks in plenty are there,In search of the delicate fare

,

And through the leaves rustl e,And scramble and tussle ,

Each anxious to gather his sh are.

And children are after them, tooA merry and clamorous crew ;

And terror ized squirrels,

Avoiding new perils,Make haste in withdrawing from v i ew .

Now tremble in agony, Tree !Assaulted most furiously

By saucy curmudgeonsW ith rocks and with bludgeons,

I ’ faith , but I’m sorry for thee !

Hark ! Hark to the fall of the fruit !The brownest and glossiest loot !

At every showerThere ’

s gain in lung power,And yells that would shame a Pah Ute !

The Autumn is rich in del ightFair landscapes to gladden the sigh t ;

And then there are chestnutsDecidedly best nuts ,

The sweetest and easiest to b i te.

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1 02 RANDOM RHYMES

Loud laughter resounds from the oppositeslopes

I catch a faint gl impse through the treesOf school children leaping like young ante

lopes,Sure-footed , and free as the bree z e .

And such is the yel ling, prolonging and swelling ,

In fancy the Indians againPalefaces are seeking, their tomahawks reek

ingW ith blood of the victims they ’

ve slain.

From every direction they break on the scene,W ith answering whoop and halloa !

Over W ind-wasted points, deeply hidden ravi ne,And forest pa ths none but them know.

Th e door of the schoolhouse is open full wide,The cheery stove crackles within ,The gathering host is soon marshaled inside

,

And hushed is the soul-s tirring d in .

W ith spel lers and slates now the busy youngpates

Are following Learning’s hard path ;N or fearful are they that their sly,

furtiveplay

W i ll bring down the teacher ’s dread wrath.

THE LONG RUN SCHOOL 1 03

They ’ve learned well the rule that i t is notthe fool

Becomes a good man or good woman ;That children are not merely brute s sent to

school ,But something quite different and human .

But now has old Time rolled his dial aroundTil l marking that happiest hourAttention !” They ardently welcome the

sound ,And hasten their lunch to devour .

The pails are soon emp ty—then out with arush

To breathe in the crisp forest air ;Just note on their cheeks what a heal th-given

flush !

NO sign of a worry or care !

See Goldie and Loy, fairly wild in their joy,And N ish ia i s dancing with pleasure ;

And Myrtle and Hattie and India and Els ieJoin hands in th e spirited measure .

There ’s Ada run riot with Alice so quiet ;

Leota her tongue h as j ust foundNow build ing a bridge and now swaying a

tee terNow running the circle around ;

1 04 RANDOM RHYMES

W hile Georgia and Edith are playing athouse ,

Their children are Martha and Lizz ie ;On the hil lside are they, deep engaged in their

playI never beheld them so busy .

But Daisy still l ingers , the chalk in h er

fingers ,W ith pictures adorning the wall ;And Sallie and Lottie and Annie are helpingThe boys and the teacher play bal l .

There ’s Charley and Frank , also Robert andW arren ,

And Brady and Arthur and W alter ,And Gotlobb and Karl , too , whose names are

so foreign ,They make my weak Pegasus falter .

I see Cliff and Clem,but to say which of them

Is which , is a hard one to tell :If Cliff is the tall one , then Clem is the small

one ,That much is as clear as a bell .

The rest of the boys , with a great deal ofnoise ,

Are chasing a cunning ground squirrel ;To judge from the way they leap after thei r

Prey,The hunters are in the most peril .

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1 06 RANDOM RHYMES

THE VETERANS

W AS more than forty years agoW hen first they heard the sound

Of fife and drum, bidding them comeTo seek the battle ground .

Their h earts were stout, their hopes were high ,Their feet kept perfect time

W ith “ Hep !” and “ Hep !” each measured stepMarked Off a roll ing rhyme .

Their hearts were stout -what though they leftHome , friend , and love behind !

Before them lay brigh t Honor ’s way,By patriots defined .

So to the sound of fife and drumThey marched

,where fate decreed ;

For home and friend and love to spendTheir l ives , i f there were need .

The heavy musket lost its weight

W hen charging on the foe '

W ith ringing yell they fought or fell ,Their very souls aglow ;

They knew not l i fe,they knew not death

Knew nothing, save th at there

W ere foes to fight and wrongs to rightAnd glorious flags to bear .

THE VETERANS 1 07

And when the fife and drum came backFrom victory well earned ,

But few of those who sought their foes ,In rhythmic step returned '

W ounds and disease had sapped the strengthFrom many stalwart forms ,

And many lay 1 n southern clay,

Secure from further storms .

The blue-cl ad heroes now are oldAnd ben t with weight of years ;

Their thoughts are flown to friends long gone ,Their eyes are filled with tears ;

They wait the time when they will j oinThe host that ’s gone before ;

W ith faltering feet they tread the streetAnd dream of days of yore .

But sound once more the fife and drumBehold ! Erect and tall ,

Their eyes ablaze w i th fighting crazeThe veterans h ear the cal l !

Again they feel the surging bloodRush tingling as of old ;

VJi th “ Hep !” and “ Hep !” each measured stepR ings true as purest gold .

1 08 RANDOM RHYMES

THE BRIDGE OF ICE

IMIGHT go into rhapsodies about the bridg e

of iceJack Frost h as kindly thrown across the

river ;But what ’s the use Of saying more than that

it ’s very nice ,O r that a cozy cover now would be a good

deviceTo keep away the pesky litt le shiver !

The boys and girls who l ike to skate may laudi t all they please

Perhaps it strikes them in a spot that’stender ;

But as for me,I ’m growing old , and l ike to

take mine ease ;Besides

,a corn is troubling, and my bronch ial shave a wheeze ,

And in these days one ’s hold on l ife is slender .

Yet, spite of all th e grumbling and the growlling that I do ,

I l ike to know the youngsters are in clover ;

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1 1 0 RANDOM RHYMES

W HEN THE HEART IS IN IT

ASY task i t is to preachThat we always should be cheerful ,

That with smiles we often reachFolks who dodge us when we ’

re tearful ;But who can expect a songBright as that Of l ittle l innet,

When the work is going wrong,And the singer ’s heart ’

s not in it !

Half of l ife is spent to keepSoul and body bound together ;

Purest rest is when we sleep ;Then we n ever bother whether

W ork is hard or work is light ;Sad that sleep lasts but a minute ,

But i t wings such rapid fl ightJust because the heart is in it .

Sp ortsman , eager after game ,M ile on mile tramps on , unheedingThat his ankle ’

s getting lameOr how fast the time is speeding ;

Mind upon one thing in tent,Tracks his game and hopes to win

All too soon his day is spent,Just because his heart is in it .

WHEN THE HEART IS IN IT 1 1 1

Old Bil l Prosy yesterdayCaugh t me for a moment idle ,

Held me up, and bl azed away,From his tongue unloosed the bridle ;

Yarn he had , and noisy th ief,Stole my time so he could spin it ;

Long to me—to him ’twas brief,

For the rascal ’s heart was in it !

Youth and maid on Sunday nightThinking only of the present,

Give no heed to Time ’s quick fl ight,Feeling simply l i fe is pleasantHard to find the evening endsEre they scarcely can begin it,Cupid sure should make amends ,For the hearts of both are in it .

1 1 2 RANDOM RHYMES

VANITAS VANITATIS

OW lightly lies the l i fe of man !How little checks its force !

He who but now led Glory ’s van ,W hile others at his beckoning ran ,

Today lies here —a corse !

W e breathe , we feel , we see, we know ;O ’er all the world we tower ;

Our vessels sail , our harvests grow,

From air above and sea belowW e draw a wondrous power .

Yet while we boast, we cease to be ;One tremor , and all

’s done !

Of all our vaunted emperyO

’er li fe and land and air and sea ,W hat have we truly won !

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1 1 4 RANDOM RHYMES

But Eagle Eye strode through the welcomingcrowd

And led a pale captive—a girl—by the

hand ;She staggered on feebly—h er aching head

bowed ,All l is tless , unheeding the taunts of the

band .

The Lily h e called her —l ike l ily she droopedAnd pined for a home w ith her own distantrace ;

But Eagle Ey heart by each ringlet waslooped

Himself w as a captive to beau ty and grace .

VVan i ta, O ch ild of the forest ! Forgot !No more in the heart of thy chieftain todwel l !

Forgotten ! Forsaken ! How dreary thy lot !Oh

,darker cloud never on loving heart fell !

Alone , in the depth of the forest, she wept,Nor strove to forget what gave anguish and

pain ; .

Until a wild hope through her misery crep tA hone that she might win her lover again .

The pride of her race filled her bosom withhate ;

The fierce fire of jealousy burned in her eye ;

WAN ITA 1 15

No longer.

sh e murmured at pi tiless fateShe vowed in her hear t that the Li ly should

die !

As softlyas panther she sought for her prey ;She found the fair maiden— she found her

alone ;She l ifted the hatchet , all ready to slayThen silently dropped i t—all hatred had

flown .

For there knel t the captive , h er hands claspedin prayer ,

Her face , washed with tears, l i fted up tothe sky ;

The Indian maid knew not her words of despair,

But fel t the deep pleading of tear and Of

sigh .

A flood of compassion came down from above ;She clasped the wh i te maiden unto her dark

breast ,And heart beat to heart in the fulness of love ,And soul spoke to soul thoughts by wordsunconfessed .

Away from the village ! Through forests

away !Far

,far did they traverse the deso l ate wild ;

21 1 6 RANDOM RHvMES

Nor rested W anita by night nor by day,Till safe with her people she left the fairchild .

Then back to the forest the Ind i an maidturned ,

But n ever again to her tribe was she known ;F ar better were death than a lovmg heart

spurnedSo , kithless and kinless, she suffered alone .

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“

1 1 8 RANDOM RHYMES

This j olly old chap and his wifeAre opposed to all troubl e and stri fe,

And believe that all shouldTo each other be good ,

And all lead a lovable life .

And up in that country of snowThey work till they ’

re all in a glow,

Manufacturing toysFor the good girls and boys,

Till they have several b illions or so .

And the queer little Brownies, I hear,By hundreds and thousands appear ,

To help in the work,For Brownies ne ’

sr sh irk,W hen there ’

s good to be done, far or near.

And they help Santa Claus and his dameEh ! Hadn ’

t I mentioned his name !

W ell , I say they assistThem in making a list

Of the children who ’re not much to blame.

No ; they don’t ask perfection ; that

’s true

But they think that each youngster shouldJust the best that he can

,

SO they ’ve made up a plan

To insure that each gets his j ust due .

W hen the toys are all ready at last,In a sleigh every one is made fast ;

SANTA CLAUs 1 1 9

And with eye on his l istSo that no child i s missed ,

S anta bl ows on his bug l e a blast .

T hen away o ’er the snow and the ice !Here and there , everywhere , in a trice !

For only one nightTo finish his fl ight

Over all of the world must suffice .

And this i s the n ight h e ’l l appear,

In a Sleigh drawn by six nimble deer ,W

’ i th his sack full of toysFor the good girls and boys

Let us hope that he ’l l miss no one here .

RANDOM RHYMES

A KNIGHT OF OLD

HILE Grif the Pirate takes a tripUpon the Spanish Main

,

And scuttles many a gallant ship,And revels O ’

er the slain ,Back through the centuries I ’11 skip

TO Chivalry ’s domain .

I leap upon my champing steed,

Dig rowels in his side ,And over mount and vale and mead

In earnest quest I ride,

Nor care I whither Fate may leadOr what event betide .

In furious fray I stoutly dareThe lances of the foe ;

I ’m here , I’m there , I

’m everywhere ,A-laying proud knights low .

Dex aie !” I shout, and also swear“ By ’r Lady !” with each blow .

The victor of a stubborn fight ,I pause at set of sun ;

Around me many a haughty knightHis course of life hath run

,

And henchmen hover with delightAbove the fallen one .

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1 22 RANDOM RHYMES

PICTURES IN THE FIRE

OME and watch the fire so bright ,Ruddy fire , with genial heat,

Crackling, roaring W i th delight,Driving w inter to the street .

Lay aside your stilted bookThere are novels in the fire ;

Or, would you at pictures look !

Here are some that never tire .

See that long nosed son of ShemFacing yonder pretty maid ,

Haggling o’er a sparkl ing gem

She has brought to him in trade .

B eauty brought to dire distress !Never painting was more true ;Light and life and lovel inessAt the mercy of the Jew !

Then behind a mountain , s tandsRobber chieftain

,b ig and strong

Grasping with his murderous handsHeavy bl udgeon

,wondrous long .

W oe betide you ancien t dameShould sh e chance the pass to try ;

But, hurrah ! a guardian flame .

Has deprived h im of an eye !

PICTURES IN THE FIRE 1 23

W arriors fierce with pointed beard,

Roman nose and bushy brow ;Revelers wi th eyes y-blearedBreaking many an ancient vow

Maiden s fair to contemplate ;Matrous smi l ing on the scene ;

And , in al l the pomp of state ,Sits the King beside the ! ueen !

Bending ’neath his hundred years,

eaning on an oaken staff,

Stands the prototype of seers ,Venting oft h is quavering laugh .

Knights in fiery armor clad ;Priests in garments flowing free !

Clowns that dance as surely madAll that one may wish to see .

Has a painting e ’er portrayedVaried scenes of l i fe so well !

Has a book oeen ever madeThat can better s tories tell !

1 24 RANDOM RHYMES

AMBITIOUS GARDENING

HEN Spring roused my sleeping ambi tion ,I strode to my garden and laid

Iy plans for its rapid transitionFrom waste with the hel p of a sp ade .

So much was marked out for potatoesSo much for the onions and peas ;

This rich ground shall serve for tomatoes,

And there shall the corn greet the breeze .

But when to each plant was allottedIts due and proportionate share ,

How small seemed the place I had plotted !W hy, only a kid would dig there !

Oh , tush !” was my cry on surveying

That pitiful b it of backyard ;Such gardening simply i s playing !I want something w or th my regard .

I ’ l l hire me a neighboring acreAnd have something fit for my care ;

My skill as a spader and rakerW ill show what an acre can bear .

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1 26 RANDOM RHYMES

CONFIDENCE

E lovers that mournfully sigh,

Ye maidens that prettily pout,Dream not that the dark hour is nighW hen the l ight of your love will go out.

Live ever w ith hope in the breast ;Hence banish the imp of despair ;

Let the spirit be never oppressed ,

And never be ruffled with care .

Think not that your l i fe is so brief,But rather eternal , and ye

Shall find , in that May-day bel ief,

That joy will your gonfalon be .

Love , as in loving you giveYour soul for another as dear ;Live as a lover shoul d liveUndoubting and free from all fear .