USA > Indiana > Wayne County > Poems and sketches: consisting of poems and local history; biography; notes of travel; a long list of Wayne County's pioneer dead, also many names of those who lost their lives in defense of their country during the late rebellion > Part 5
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For thou hast bid adieu to earth, And will return no more.
On California's distant plains - Washed by Pacific's wave -
A gentle mound marks the sad spot Where thou hast found a grave.
Alas ! dear Nelson - many a sigh Is heaved for thee, I ween ; And many a tear, in silence, steals Down beauty's cheeks unseen.
Full many a heart that beat for thee, Still notes its happier hours As those which passed when thou wert near, And counts them memory's flowers.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
E'en now, methinks I hear thy voice - Its tones distinct and clear - Now rich and deep, in song outpoured ; Now sprightly, yet sincere.
Alas ! that thou didst die so soon - So soon from us depart ; For all who knew thee loved thee well - Thee and thy noble heart.
But thou hadst numbered all thy years, And couldst no longer stay ; For He who rules in wisdom, sent And beckoned thee away.
MARCH 13, 1853.
TO RACHEL M. A-
[ This is the writer's earliest poetical venture extant.]
I've loved thee, dearest, to distraction : Loved thy every word and action ; Loved thy form and features, fair, And loved thy very auburn hair.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
I've often fancied thee divine ; As often fancied thou wert mine, And fancied - as I truly might - A life with thee were pure delight.
Then, dearest, may I hope return Of love, that constantly doth burn Within a heart that cannot rest Until, by thee, 'tis truly blest ?
TO MISS MARY R-,
On Receiving a Bouquet of Flowers.
Thank thee, kindly lady, fair, For thy gift, so choice and rare ; And believe it gave me pleasure To receive so fair a treasure.
Roses bright, of various hue, Clasping sparkling drops of dew ; Fresh, and blushing, from the stem, Vieing with the fairest gem - Fit for regal diadem.
JUNE, 1851.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
IMPROMPTU LINES
Sent, with a Gift Book. to a Little Nine-Year-Old Miss.
This book, my dear, has " natural gas" Pervading all its pages - Designed to cheer the heart of youth, Whate'er, by chance, the age is.
So read it o'er, and ponder well Its fancies, facts and follies, And you, perhaps, may wiser grow, While playing with your "dollies."
A happy New Year ! little *Nell ; May love and cheer surround you, And nothing worse than joyous mirth E'er trouble or confound you !
*Nellie Smurr, Brook Haven, Mississippi.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1888.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO ONE WHO LOVED NOT WISELY, BUT TOO WELL. .
Sad news, dear friend, of thee I hear, While I had fondly hoped that cheer, Such as once dawned and promised fair, Would reign, instead those clouds of care.
For once thy joyous hopes were young, And none but happy songs were sung ; And naught was seen of thee, or heard, But some familiar note was stirred :
The soul could lend a willing ear, The heart bestow a happy tear, And all was joy, delight and pleasure, Far beyond belief or measure.
But, O ! how darkling comes the night, When disappointment dooms to blight The hopes and loves of other years - Resolved, at last, to sighs and tears.
Alas ! alas ! may Heaven protect thee, Guide and guard thee, and direct thee, And, like an absentee from home, Return thee -- ne'er again to roam.
MARCH 23, 1852.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
LINES ON THE DEATH OF A FAVORITE CAT.
Alas ! for poor puss- how I grieve at her death ! She departed this life 'cause she got out o' breath ; I'm so sorry, yet cannot help thinking that she Is far happier now than when staying with me ;
For the joys that surround her in that feline sphere Surpass all her happiest moments while here ; And such a rare sport she'll have-think of it, cats ! What a blissful emotion that - chasing such rats !
For there, it is said, they are monsters in size, And the taking 's considered a capital prize ; May she revel in bliss, 'mid her fond occupation, And receive all the credit due, filling her station.
MARCH 25, 1852.
APOSTROPHE.
Eternal powers ! but grant this element of bliss : My soul be filled with love for all mankind ; That none may know to hate, nor see to fear, Thy humble instrument, who, seeing, yet is blind. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1854.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
SEEKING GOLD.
[ Suggested by the discovery of gold in California. One of the writer's earliest efforts.]
El Dorado sands that shine, Sparkling in the secret mine, Cheering heart of him who delves 'Neath the rocks' projecting shelves ;
Where no day-star, gleaming bright, Sheds on him its ample light, Giving forth refulgent rays, Adding to the golden blaze -
Say ! hast thou the power to will Wealth to him who labors still,
Toiling in the cheerless earth, Where vain treasures take their birth,
And the nights of ages roll Fancied visions o'er his soul, Starting dreamy phantoms forth, Seemingly of wondrous worth ;
Rearing airy castles high, Pendant 'twixt the earth and sky ; Richly decked with treasure o'er, Brightly sparkling, evermore?
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Such are dreams of him who delves 'Neath the rocks' projecting shelves. Hast thou, then, the power to will Wealth to him, or to fulfill
All the dreamy visions he Fancies are reality ? Or to give that soul content - On the search of treasure bent -
Who, expectant, hopes the "powers " Will strew o'er him golden showers? Foolish man, to question thus. If thou wouldst be of the just,
Seek for wealth in God, alone - At the altar and the throne - Not in metals, nor in stone.
Vain delusions ! Vile desires !
Cease existence ! Quench your fires ! Man, too oft, the dupe of dreams, Seeks the substance in its gleams.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
STANZAS
Written during the early " gold fever " in California.
Adieu ! to the scenes of my childhood ; Adieu ! to my kindred and all ; I haste to the land of the stranger, To rise amid fortune, or fall.
Hope, kindly beaming, shall guide me, On land or on turbulent main ; And, as a bright spirit, shall point me To fair California's plain.
When there, amid wealth, I will revel, As did Montezumas of old -
In halls richly furnished with silver, And sparkling with gems and with gold.
Yes, such were my visions at parting, But, alas ! disappointment was mine ! Then stay, honored stranger - believe me ; The same cruel fate may be thine.
DECEMBER 24, 1848.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO CHRISTIAN RATHFON,
Who died upon the plains, in an overland journey to California, in 1849; having started from East Germantown, Wayne county, Indiana.
Christian, thou no more art with us ; God receive thy spirit ; .
Mayest thou in Heaven rest thee - All its joys inherit.
Now thy toilsome journey 's ended, Thou wilt meet no more
Friends or kindred, who once loved thee, On this mundane shore.
Far amid the desert fastness, In a stranger's land, Death o'ertook thee and detained thee, At his fell command.
Golden dreams are vanished now, Earthly cares are ended, And thy spirit - we may trust - To its home ascended.
AUGUST, 1849.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO ISAAC KLINE,
On the Return of His Poem Entitled "Johnson's Vanity of Human Wishes."
Friend Isaac Kline, this book of thine Gave me profoundest pleasure ; I conned it o'er, admired its lore, And found a very treasure.
Accept my thanks : a kind act ranks Far higher than good wishes ; The mind needs mental pabulum, And this a first-class dish is.
SEPTEMBER 24, 1892.
IMPROMPTU NONSENSE,
On Seeing a Cat Upon the Floor.
The cat can lie upon the floor - And thus can lie at will - But I can lie upon my feet, Walking, or standing still.
FEBRUARY 28, 1890.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
A NEW YEAR'S GREETING
To my esteemed friend, William L. John, Esq., in his seventy-ninth year.
Good native sense, keen wit And genial ways Have won you friends, and doubtless Length of days.
May added years, with peace And plenty, crowned, Attend you still, through all Life's devious round.
And should ill-fortune 01 A foe assail, Retrieve the first, and o'er The last prevail. SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 1883.
AVOID EXTREMES.
Be neither very grave nor gay, But uniformly kind and cheerful ; And happiness will ever stay To dissipate the sad and tearful. SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 1891.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO WILLIAM L. JOHN, ESQ.,
On His Eighty-eighth Birthday.
A helpless, puling infant, In a mother's careful arms, Nursed to sturdy boyhood, By her love and winning charms ;
Then a self-reliant youth,
Soon developed to the man -
As the tree that was a sapling Hath fulfilled its Maker's plan -
A wealth of brawn and muscle, A brain of power and will, To conquer native forces, Or to wield a trenchant quill.
Of such endowments Nature, Unsparingly, bestowed,
And well hast thou maintained them, Along life's weary road ;
For thou hast been the victor When other men have failed, And, like the Roman Lictor, Hast often been assailed ;
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
But now art past the zenith Of manhood in its prime, And leavest shining records Upon the sands of time.
Thy sun is now declining, And evening shades appear, Yet may'st thou still be strengthened Through many a month of cheer ;
May vigor that has lengthened Thy years to eighty-eight, Accord thee full an hundred, And not a jot abate.
So prays a friend that loves thee, And long has known thee well, And wishes health and happiness, But would not say farewell !
SEPTEMBER 6, 1893.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
THESE ARE WEARY DAYS OF WAITING. -
These are weary days of waiting, For the coming of the Spring, When the chill shall be abating, And the happy birds shall sing ;
When the sunlight shall be stronger, And the grass begin to grow ; When the days at last are longer, And evanished all the snow ;
When the forest trees are decked In their robes of leafy green,
And the ground beneath is flecked With the shadows and the sheen ;
When the flowers begin to rise And expand each tiny cup, And, ablushing, ope their eyes To the sun that wakes them up ;
When the butterfly and bee, Like gay spirits, haunt the air, And the sunshine, like the sea, Shall be present everywhere -
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
O, then we shall be happy, And rejoice in life renewed ; For the earth will seem an Eden, And its Giver very good.
So, farewell to the Winter, With its chilling winds and snow ; For its frigid seasons freeze us, And we gladly see it go.
FEBRUARY 21, 1894.
WILLIAM PARRY.
[A man of most extraordinary will. energy and ability. He was mainly instrumental in the construction of the Fort Wayne railroad, and was its President for a number of years. None of his friends will ever forget his hearty greetings, nor the friendly grasp of his powerful right hand.]
Gone hence from the world and its devious ways - Alike unconcerned for its censure or praise ; Thy weary mortality under the sod, And thy spirit at rest in the mansions of God.
Thou wast manly and upright, a leader of men, And hast aided thy fellows, again and again ; Thy kindly demeanor, thy cheerful address, Will long be remembered, to praise and to bless.
-
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
The clasp of thy hand was the key to thy heart - The index of feeling, and absence of art ; Neither guile nor deception e'er entered thy soul, And were foreign to thee as the sun to the Pole.
Direct in thy speech, unassuming and true, Fidelity marked what thy hands had to do ; No man was more truthful, no friend more sincere - Thy presence was sunshine to all who were near.
A halo of goodness encircled thy brow, And thy hearty salute I can hear even now - A welcome not doubtful to all thou didst know - In return we can tender but tears, as they flow.
Farewell ! Nevermore shall we see thee again - Thy counterpart cannot be found among men : Thou wast simply thyself, to the utmost degree - God's symbol of manhood, pure, noble and free.
APRIL 14, 1894.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO WILLIAM L. JOHN.
Died October 17. 1896. Aged ninety-one years. one month and eleven days.
As fruit, at maturity, falls from the tree, Because it is mellowed by time, So thou hast gone out on eternity's sea, To abide through the ages sublime.
Kind Nature accorded thee many long years, With a form that was rugged and sound ; A mind, in its prime, that encountered few peers, And intelligence broad and profound.
A manly deportmient and frankness of speech, With a heart that was noble and true, Were characteristics of thine which should teach The worth of true manhood anew.
As friend and companion - adviser in need - Few men will be missed more, I trow ; A host in thyself, for a just cause to plead - No truckler to cringe or to bow.
As sturdy as would be a century's oak, Yet as tender at heart as a child ; As firm as a rock, should occasion evoke - Sympathetic and kindly and mild.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Thy simple demeanor, devoid of pretense, Endeared thee to young and to old ; For modest simplicity knows no offense, Nor is it intrusive or bold.
Thy early companions have all gone to rest, And thou, likewise, are with us no more,
But thy name shall be numbered with those who are blest -
On that dreamless and echoless shore:
Farewell, genial spirit, thy mem'ry we cherish, With all that is noble and just ;
Remembrance of thee shall still live, and not perish Till we, too, are laid in the dust.
TO DR. T. H. DAVIS,
On the Return of "Looking Backward," a Reform Novel, by Edward Bellamy.
I thank you for the book, dear sir ; Its words seem true and kindly ; And now the way is made so clear, We need not " go it " blindly.
JANUARY 29, 1890.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
THOUGHTS OF AUTUMN.
How somber and how sorrowful Are Autumn's dreamy days - When Nature's life, so beautiful, In all its forms, decays ;
When no more flowers may dare to bloom ; When leaves shall fade and fall ; When wailing winds proclaim their doom, And death o'ertakes them all ;
When birds, that charmed us with their strains, Have hied them far away ; When cheerless, chill November rains Distress us, day by day ;
When frost and snow have veiled the earth, And hid green fields from sight- There seems, indeed, of joy such dearth As when hope wings its flight.
So those who now are young, grow old - The years go swiftly by - And life's few days are soon unrolled, For all were born to die.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Alas ! that life should be so brief, Its joys so short and few ; That hope so often ends in grief, To pass like morning dew.
OCTOBER 7, 1895.
-
DECEMBER 8, 1894.
This morning Nature seemed in tears, And wept a misty rain ; Anon, great floods in torrents fell, In soft, melodious strain ;
For it had long withheld its stores - Till earth and air were dry ; The springs beneath had ceased to flow, And brazen seemed the sky.
The fountains and the streamns had failed : We neared the awful brink Of famine - which the drouth entailed - Of aqua pura drink ;
But Nature - ever kind and true - - Supplied our needs at last, For which sincerest thanks are due, Since danger now is past.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
THE CURFEW BELL WILL RING TO-NIGHT.
A word to the boys, and a hint to the "city fathers."
The curfew bell will ring to-night -
Boys, heed the call and seek your homes ; The streets are schools of shame and blight, So do not from your firesides roam.
Be prompt to heed, be kind and true, Appreciate a parent's care,
Whose love would yield up all for you, To shield you from the tempter's snare.
The shades of night breed wickedness ; Then vicious spirits stalk abroad, And with their kind, in wantonness, Indulge in revelry or fraud.
The youthful novice launches forth To have a " time " in vile resorts-
Apt learner he, in crime - though young - Fluent of slang and foul retorts.
TO THE CITY FATHERS.
To lessen orgies on the street, And purge them of the ruffian brood, Let light flood all the dark retreats - For light no prowler e'er withstood.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
It likewise aids the moral force, But danger ever haunts the dark ; All crime from light seeks sure divorce, To flourish far from Phœbus' spark.
TO THE BOYS.
Boys, that you may be doubly safe, Desert the city's streets at eve ;
And shun the doubtful play or cafe, For sins of youth cause age to grieve.
Be circumspect and inoral now, And keep aloof from evil ways, And you will make good mnen, I trow, Through lengthened years and happy days.
Farewell, remember what I say : Adopt the good and spurn the bad ; The virtues should be sought alway, The vices only make us sad ;
Avoid the dark and seek the light ; Be ever armed to do the right - For worthless boys make worthless men, Whom no one cares to meet again.
NOVEMBER 21, 1896.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
I HATE THAT DRUM'S DISCORDANT SOUND.
" I hate that drum's discordant sound, Parading round and round and round." To me it tells of war's alarms, And none but baser spirits charms.
Employed to lead the battle's fray, Inspire demoniac passions' play ; Arouse the evil men possess, Without one virtue to redress :
It is the symbol of revolt, The horrid tocsin of assault ; The bold and noisy thing displayed By politics, when on parade -
To prove a weaklings's cause is strong, Which must succumb to right ere long. It is the shameless trickster's way To bolster weakness, by display -
With deafening noise, parading round, To emphasize his cause by sound. The stilly depths of thought, below, Far better truths assist to know.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Speech, as silver, silence golden, Long was taught in days of olden ; Only empty vessels ring - Crashing sounds prove not a thing.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1896.
CHARLES H. BURCHENAL.
-
Died December 7, 1896. Aged sixty-six years.
The mild, the scholarly, the gentle, The genial, intellectual friend -
Peerless 'mid " brethren " occidental, Who did or still Wayne's legal bar attend.
He was so kind, considerate and loving - Aye more - so manly and so true to all : To home devoted, from the base removing - His gentleness made friends of great and small ;
Simplicity was wrought in all his being ; He knew no art save artlessness in art ; The good he ever sought, the evil fleeing- His was a soul sincere, and kindly heart.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
God created him a man, and man he was - An honest man - the noblest work of God : Upright and contrite, he plead in virtue's cause - His soul now fled, he rests beneath the sod.
Long live his memory, for his life was just ;
His friends were many, and they loved him well ; He was a man whom all could truly trust ;
Sweet be his slumbers -and a long farewell.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1896.
HENRY R. DOWNING.
For twenty years an undertaker. Died December 15, 1896. Aged sixty-five years.
One more of Nature's noblemen has passed To that long sleep, from which no soul returns. He wrought faithfully and long, and at the last Surrendered life and love, and their concerns.
His were truly arduous duties, for he led Thousands of his fellows to their narrow home ; And ofttimes have his sympathetic tears been shed, To witness sundered ties - foreboding sorrows yet to come.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Sad though his calling, he had cheer for many ;
His friends increased as years were multiplied ; Faithful and true, he had few foes, if any ; His goodness was a common theme until he died.
Along the even tenor of his way,
For many a year, stern duty kept him at his post ; But now, alas ! his friends will never more
Behold his well-known form amid the busy host.
Retired from duty and this life's endeavor,
He has gone hence to seek a dreamless rest,
Where troubles never conie, nor cares, forever - -
In peace supernal, to be always blest.
DECEMBER 21, 1896.
NEVER DO THOU STOOP TO CONQUER.
Never do thou stoop to conquer - Never cringe to mortal man : Stand erect, in each endeavor, As was God's intent and plan.
Ne'er abase thyself to any ; Fawn not on the proud or rich : Be a man, among earth's many, Though a delver in the ditch.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Men are men, however lowly, And the lordling is no more ; His great goodness made all holy, Only some have less in store.
Pride, inflated, oft is flaunted In a manner most unwise, As presuming men have vaunted Doubtful virtues to the skies.
Poverty is not a crime - Only evil-doing is ; Works alone can make sublime Every being known as His.
Pay no tribute - it is weakness - Thou canst do thy thinking, free ; Thou hast brains and heart and conscience, And hast, also, eyes to see.
Thou canst make of earth an Eden, For thou knowest well the right ; Sins are not by men forgiven - All are equal in His sight.
See that every act is noble, See that every thought is high ; Let no carnal deed cause trouble - Sooner yield thy breath, and die.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
Ne'er surrender aught of manhood To a servile act or deed : Such abasement bodes no good, Nor can there be any need.
Never do thou stoop to conquer -- Never bow the knee to man :
Stand erect in God's own image - Such was His intent and plan.
Only servile weaklings cringe In the presence of pretense,
Who might crawl to touch the fringe Swaying from their garments hence.
God forbid that we should fear Any form of mortal mold : Self-respect is far too dear, And our pride too great and bold.
DECEMBER 7, 1896.
POETICAL LETTERS.
TO CLAUDIUS BYLES.
ADDRESS.
To California haste thee hence, And speed to Claudius Byles - In Sacramento city, dense - And greet my friend with smiles.
Full oft I've longed to hear from thee - Thou dweller on that strand Where " old Pacific " rolls its waves, And laves its yellow sands.
Return to me an answer soon, And tell me how thou art - If all those golden dreams of yore Are realized, at heart.
Thou hast my kind regards, old friend - May others prove as true - May fortune's smiles bestow on thee Healthı, wealth, and beauty, too !
MARCH 14, 1855.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO S. F. SMURR.
ADDRESS.
I wish this sent to S. F. Smurr, Brook Haven, Mississippi ; And to that end let naught deter - Nor flood, nor fire, nor e'en " la grippe."
It is long since I wrote you, dear friend, and I trust To what I may say you will kindly give ear ; And, though we lack eloquence, feel that we must Convey you our thoughts, which, though crude, are sincere.
We have naught to complain of, and hope this may find Both you and your kindred, all, happy and well, With not a concern or care of the mind -
A boon that is greater than language can tell.
The season just past gave us bountiful store - Of grasses and grain and of fruitage, the best : Quite up to the measures of others of yore,
And thus the glad heart of the farmer was blest ;
And yet it supplied not all needs, I confess,
For niany were idle whose hands were most willing, And some of these bordered on want and distress,
And could not have raised e'en a dime or a shilling ;
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
But such were exceptional cases with us - Improvident people will always be found, Who are fluent of speech, and freely discuss Conditions and things, while themselves are unsound.
'Tis easy to criticise what others do,
And expatiate largely of cause and effect - The tariff that benefits only the few,
Or a measure that aids all the masses, direct ;
But never so readily find we a way
To right all the evils that wrong has produced, For party corruption so long held its sway That morals, by money, were often seduced :
Thus corporate bodies bribed makers of laws,
And used them as tools, to forward their schemes - To the hurt of the people and honesty's cause - And duplicate millions beyond their own dreams.
Extravagance, too, had a hand in the trouble -- The masses were reckless of living expense,
And did not foresee how soon the great bubble Must surely collapse, for the want of good sense.
To cap a fool's climax, leader Debs and his dupes Made a strike for their rights-as they held them to be -
Destroying some millions, till Government troops Compelled their dispersion and caused them to flee.
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
The hordes that were poverty-stricken before Are paupers, beyond peradventure, since then : Dependent on charity - wanted 110 more -
They now are both wretched and desperate men.
Experience so sad, and a lesson so dear,
Should teach such, in future, to think for themselves : Be led by no leader, but like men appear,
Instead of stray sheep, who are senseless as elves.
It is now to be hoped, with the change of affairs The recent elections have wrought in the States, That - doubly inspired by efforts and prayers- We may open to commerce prosperity's gates ;
But no more to foreigners, low-bred and vile, Who seek to find refuge upon our fair shores, Nor to anarchist hordes, who assail and defile - To these and their allies, we must shut our doors.
Thank God for the " beacon of hope " which afar Gleams out through the haze and the mist of the fray! The sun may yet shine, as did Bethlehem's star - To cheer and to gladden our hearts on the way. So now, fare you well ! May all blessings be yours : May health and prosperity go with you ever - The kindness of friends, and a love that endures - To last through a life-time of earthly endeavor !
NOVEMBER 22, 1894.
156
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POEMS AND SKETCHES.
TO MY SISTER.
ADDRESS.
Nebraska's fruitfnl plains in view, To Brownville next thy way pursue - Where fields are green. 'neath vernal sun - And kindly greet Sue Jameison.
Dear Sue : - I am sad and feel lonely to-day - Half sick and dispirited, I cannot be gay ; The weather 's so gloomy, so scowling and cold, 'Tis enough to cause grumbling, from young and from old.
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