Mayhap, those Flowers of Thought which for us bloom, Reach their deep roots to some forgotten tomb- Yet henceforth to our galleons evermore Wher'er they grow, in all our hearts they own A Memon's statue, giving forth its tone POESY. THE mind that journeys into realms ideal, Her wand above the soul, and from its graves MOTHER'S PORTRAIT. WITHIN my humble hall there hangs against the wall A fairer flower than summer garlands knowA beautiful old face, whose gentleness and grace Beam forth like winter flowers beside the snow. How calm the light which lies within those dear old eyes! How noble the sad patience of that brow! Those furrows which the years wore deep with many tears Ah! how serene beneath life's sunset now! As on that face I gaze my fancy seeks the days, Long vanished, which her laughing girlhood knew; I see the well-sweep move she oft has told me of, And forest paths her bare feet rambled through. And then my fancy strays to those romantic days Where dwelt no sorbid souls and all was fair. Ah, beautiful old face, that brow was once the place Where Cupid, the Olympian, had his throne; Those faded cheeks have known swift bridal blushes blown, Like fragrant flames across their fair domain. But, dear old face, thou art most sacred to my heart For those far years of verdant pain and joy, When life had not yet lost the bloom it once could boast, And when thou wert my friend, and I—a boy! Alas! all now remains of years of joys and pains Constant and faithful friend! within these words I send My greeting to thee, wheresoe'er thou art; For like a thornless rose thy lovely memory grows And blossoms at the gateway of my heart! YOUTH AND AGE. YOUTH quickly tires of calm retreats, PATIENCE. LET the storms beat of Fate and Circumstance- I rise above them all. In sufferance M MRS. CYNTHIA M. R. GORTON. RS. CYNTHIA M. R. GORTON was born on the summit of one of the loftiest hills of Berkshire, Mass., February 27, 1826. She is known under the pen-name of "Ida Glenwood," of Fenton, Mich. In Berkshire, in a humble home, of poor and religious parentage, her life began. As a bright, rosy-cheeked little girl with a "foolish habit of making rhymes," she often excited the frowns of the elders and the laughter of her playmates. Unappreciated, she dwelt even at that tender age in an atmosphere of unattainable hopes. She was always a deep thinker, wondering at the mysteries of life and death and adoring the sublimities of nature, being from childhood left mnch to her own ways and meditations. In after years, when thick darkness fell over her, shutting out external beauties, there were in the gallery of her soul, pictures of what had been. When she was a year old, her father died, leaving a family of five little ones to the care of a most devoted, Christian mother. When Cynthia was fourteen, that care was taken away and she found herself an orphan. At that time she was a pupil in the seminary of Madame Willard, Troy, N. Y., where for three years she had looked forward, with bright anticipations, to the acquirement of a liberal education. She took great delight in school compositions and she wrote in such a style as to attract the favorable notice of her instructors. About that time her eyes, always full of laughter, began to show the incipient signs of that dark shadow which, later, closed her physical vision. She was solicited, by the preceptress, after her mother's death to continue her studies as a "teacher scholar," but the state of her eyes would not permit. At the age of twenty-one she married Mr. F. Gorton, a paper manufacturer, and six years later, during a painful illness, the dense curtains were drawn over the windows of her soul and compelled her henceforth to walk in darkness in spite of the efforts of science and affection. When recovering from three long years of physical agony, there arose in her heart, from the mold and sadness of the grave, brighter hopes and purer expectations which removed all gloom and made of her a cheerful companion and friend ever after. Her imprisoned spirit seemed to bound forth to new exertions and the hidden talent of poesy and wreathing of prose beauties shone out as in childhood. During more than thirty years her night has never been broken. For several years after that sad event her work was exceedingly limited in its progress, being dependent on others to transcribe her thoughts to paper. But the am He bition newly awakened after so long a slumber Iwould not down. Her first prose work, "The Fatal Secret," was written wholly with a pencil, but so rapidly did she do this that her hand, all unconsciously to herself, formed an almost new alphabet,unreadable except by those who had followed the transformation. That was a serious impediment. Fortunately the typewriter appeared in that emergency and was hailed by her with joy, and for seventeen years, covering the greater part of her literary life, she has used it with nearly as much facility and precision as those with their full sight. Her first published poem appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the editor, Mr. Harding, having accidentally seen it in her husband's office. encouraged her to work and in a short time many journals both in city and country were pleased to give publicity to her contributions. Since then from the darkness have come many serials, short stories and poems, among which are "The Fatal Secret, or a Romance of Mackinac Island," "Kate Wynans and the Forger's Daughter," "Ma Belle Queen," "The Mistress of Rosedale," "Tangled Threads," 'Black France," and others. In the "Crusade " movement she became an earnest and efficient temperance worker, presiding at public meetings, lecturing and reciting original poems which were received by press and people with great enthusiasm. Her short career as a platform speaker began with the recitation of a poem entitled "Adolphus and Olivia, or a tale of Kansas." Such labor wore sadly upon her sensitive, shrinking nature, and after a few years her health demanded a cessation from so arduous a work. Her powers of thought have not abated. She is a prolific and most acceptable letter writer, and many a "shut-in," of which society she is a member, will testify to their comforting influences. Her days are full of good works, of a highly religious character, embodied in an untiring and beautiful ambition, ever active, "doing with all her might whatever hands, brain or heart finds to do," she will leave the record of a full, well rounded life, a memory to her loved ones that will ever glow with precious deeds worthy of being recorded in history for the abundance of undying examples to be imitated. G. H. W. HAVE I DONE WHAT I COULD? I WONDER, Sometimes, in the darkness, I wonder when the fingers grow weary O'er the tasks so imperfectly done, If he, who is watching the weaving, Marks the stitches made, one by one, Or, if when the darkness is ended, I shall see how the pattern is blended. I wonder so oft in my musings If I'm pleasing the Master to-day, By trying, yet perchance I am failing, For the fingers work on as they may: Or, if the pattern will show, in the ending, That some other dear hand did the blending! I wonder as the web keeps on moving, ALONE ALL NIGHT. HARK! what's that?-a sound I hear! This darkness wraps me like a pall! Is all the world asleep or dead? “Tick,—tick,—" the busy clock works on, A LULLABY. HUSH-my little baby sweet, Baby with the dimpled feet, Baby with the rose-bud toes. Pearly little ears and nose, Little chubby hands so pink: Ah-did ever baby think? Little baby sweet All so sweet and fair and pink, "HE LEADETH ME." WHEN life is darkest, then ofttimes I feel I clasp more tightly the dear hand That leads me onward, onward to my quiet rest. Thanks dear ones for every kindly word, SWISS SONG. I am thinking of thee to-night love The sweet little flowers are asleep love, -From Don Chariot, |