THE TELL TALE FACE. 31 Those shades that come unbidden From every passing cloud, These, these are voices given, As the needle to the pole. I bow to wit and beauty, I almost worship grace,But I owe especial duty To an honest tell-tale face. TO A SISTER ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE. BY B. B. THATCHER. O SISTER! sister! hath the memory Of our remotest childhood; when our lives Were linked in one, and our young hearts bloomed out Like violet bells upon the self-same stem, Pouring the dewy odors of life's spring то A SISTER. Budding and breathing sunnily about them, And where, O, where are the unnumbered vows We made, my sister, at the twilight fall, A thousand times, and the still starry hours Of the dew-glistening eve-in many a walk By the green borders of our native stream, And in the chequered shade of these old oaksThe moonlight silvering o'er each mossy trunk, And every bough, as an Eolian harp, Full of the solemn chant of the low breeze ? Thou hast forgotten this-and standest here, Thy hand in mine, and hearest, even now, The rustling wood, the stir of falling leaves, And-hark !—the far off murmur of the brook ! Nay, do not weep, my sister!-do not speakNow know I, by the tone, and by the eye Of tenderness, with many tears bedimmed, Thou hast remembered all. Thou measurest well The work that is before thee, and the joys That are behind. Now, be the past forgotThe youthful love, the hearth-light and the home, Song, dance, and story, and the vows--the vows That we change not, and part not unto death 33 Yea, all the spirits of departed bliss, That even now, like spirits of the dead, Seen dimly in the living mourner's dreams, Long loved of old-O, hear them, heed them not. With power alone o'er those who gave them ear, They would but turn thee from thy high resolve. Then look not back! O, triumph in the strength Of an exalted purpose! Eagle-like, Press sunward on. Thou shalt not be alone. Will have an eye on thee-press on! press on! THE SKATER'S SONG. BY EPHRAIM PEABODY. AWAY! away !-our fires stream bright Along the frozen river, And their arrowy sparkles of brilliant light Away, away, for the stars are forth, And on the pure snows of the valley, In a giddy trance the moonbeams danceCome let us our comrades rally. Away, away, o'er the sheeted ice, Away, away, we go ; On our steel bound feet we move as fleet As deer o'er the Lapland snow. What though the sharp north winds are out The skater heeds them not; Midst the laugh and the shout of the joyous rout Gray winter is forgot. |