Viewing page 281 of 309

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

508 ALICE B. NEAL.

The wily statesman bends his knee
Before fame's glittering shrine,
And would an humble suppliant be
To Genius so divine.
Yet though his progress is full slow,
And enemies may rail,
He thinks at last the world to show
"There's no such word as fail."

The soldier on the battle-plain,
When thirsting to be free,
And throw aside a tyrant's chain,
Says "on for liberty!"
Our households, and our native land!
We must, we will, prevail !
Then foot to foot and hand to hand,
"There's no such word as fail!"

The child of God, though oft beset
By foes without——within,
These precious words will ne'er forget
Amid their dreadful din;
But upward looks with eye of faith,
Arm'd with the Christian mail;
And in the hottest conflict saith
"There's no such word as fail."

DO NOT BLAME ME.

I'VE been thinking of my faults, till my heart is like to break
How very many are the foes, how few the friends I make,
And still within my hidden heart sincere affection lies,
The priceless gift of human love, I well know how to prize

Yet often those I love the most, have not one thought for me,
When looking up for kindly smiles, indifference I see;

ALICE B. NEAL. 509

And then the pleasant words that rose upon my lips have died,
Leaving me mournfully to crush, my sorrow and my pride.

I strive that I may not offend, I check each careless word,
I seek to hide from other ears dark tales my own have heard,
I would not, even by a thought, add to another's grief,
Yet often I have given pain, where I would bring relief.

And sometimes, when my changeful mood brings feelings wild and gay,
When in my eagerness I cease to guard whate'er I say, 
A word which in itself was naught, is made to seem unkind,
Bright thoughts for evil ones are changed, and tears for smiles I find.

I am lonely, very lonely, my heart is throbbing fast,
And tears are gathering in my eyes for follies that are past;
Yet know I that by suffering the spirit is made pure,
So I would calmly bear the pain God wills I should endure.

MIDNIGHT, AND DAYBREAK.

I.—MIDNIGHT.

I HAD been tossing through the restless night——
Sleep banish'd from my pillow——and my brain
Weary with sense of dull and stifling pain——
Yearning, and praying for the blessed light.
My lips moan'd thy dear name, beloved one;
Yet I had seen thee lying still and cold,
Thy form bound only by the shroud's pure fold,
For life with all its suffering was done.
Then agony of loneliness o'ercame
My widow'd heart——night would fit emblem seem
For the evanishing of that bright dream:
The heavens were dark——my life henceforth the same.
No hope——its pulse within my breast was dead.
No light——the clouds hung heavily o'erhead.
43*

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-30 11:41:23 Many spelling errors ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-30 11:57:32 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-06-30 10:27:02 pain. s/b pain, Corrected that, the rest looks fine.