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296 MARGARET MILLER DAVIDSON.

Years, ages, to oblivion roll,
Their memory forms the deathless soul;
They leave their impress as they go,
And shape the mind for joy or woe!
Yes, mother, fifty years have past,
And brought thee to their close at last
Oh that we all could gaze, like thee,
Back on that dark and tideless sea,
And 'mid its varied records find
A heart at ease with all mankind,
A firm and self-approving mind!
Grief, that had broken hearts less fine,
Hath only served to strengthen thine;
Time, that doth chill the fancy's play, 
Hath kindled thine with purer ray;
And stern disease, whose icy dart
Hath power to chill the shrinking heart,
Has left thine warm with love and truth,
As in the halcyon days of youth. 
Oh! turn not from the meed of praise
A daughter's willing justice pays;
But greet with smiles of love again
This tribute of a daughter's pen.

TWILIGHT.

TWILIGHT! sweet hour of peace,
Now art thou stealing on; 
Cease from thy tumult, thought! and fancy, cease!
Day and its cares have gone!
Mysterious hour,
Thy magic power
Steals o'er my heart like music's softest tone.


SARAH LOUISA P. SMITH.   297

The golden sunset hues
Are fading in the west;
The gorgeous clouds their brighter radiance lose, 
Folded on evening's breast.
So doth each wayward thought,
From fancy's altar caught,
Fade like thy tints, and muse itself to rest.

Cold must that bosom be
Which never felt thy power,
Which never thrill'd with tender melody
At this bewitching hour;
When nature's gentle art
Enchains the pensive heart;
When the breeze sinks to rest, and shuts the fragrant flower.

Wearied with care, how sweet to hail
Thy shadowy, calm repose,
When all is silent but the whispering gale
Which greets the sleeping rose;
When, as thy shadows blend, 
The trembling thoughts ascend,
And borne aloft, the gates of heaven unclose.

SARAH LOUISA P. SMITH.

THIS lovely and amiable lady, whose life was of such short duration, calls forth as much tenderness and admiration as those bright children of genius we have just been contemplating. She was born at Detriot in June, 1811, and died before she had attained her twenty-first year, in February, 1832. Her family name was Hickman. She was educated by her mother with great care and devotion, in the little town

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-29 11:02:22