ï~~ ï~~WS S ME pq 's. IMN -M-7 RON IIVMMIPM I\t MSM 7- WOR 19-IMMAINAMN-RE EEE QW; e!- Ak,\ ivS III - m7ammuMm ï~~IDYLS AND PASTORALS BY CELIA THAXTER A HOME GALLERY OF POETRY AND ART TWENTY-FOUR PHOTOGRAVURES FROM PICTURES BY AMERICAN ARTISTS BOSTON D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY FRANKLIN AND HAWLEY STREETS ï~~Copyrigfht, r386, by D. LOTHIROP & COMPANY. Or ï~~CONTENTS. PAGE. THE FAVORITE FLOWER....... 13 COMRADES......7. ON THE BEACH..... 21I THE TRAINING OF A PRINCE....... 25 LosT........ 29 THE MINUTE MEN. 3... WILD DUCKS...... 37 A SUNNY NOOK....... 41 ON QUIET WATERS... 45 FEEDING THE DOVES... 49 THE DREAM PEDLER... 53 UUDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHT. 57 g ï~~/ ï~~LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FRONTISPIECE. VIGNETTE.. 'HE PAVORITE FLOWER. COMRADES.. ON THE BEACH... THE TRAINING OF A PRINCE LOST.. THE MINUTE MAN.. WILD DUCKS.... A SUNNY NOOK. ON QUIET WATERS.. FEEDING THE DOVES. THE DREAM PEDLER.. UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGH1 VIGNETTE.. S F. I. Lungren. S Aliss L. B. Humphrey. William T. Smedley. Edmund H. Garrett. F Childe Hassam. George Foster Barnes. W. L. Thylor... Hy. Sandzam. Charles Volkmar.. Walter Shirlaw. E. Parker Hayden. H henry Bacon.. Edmund H. Garrett S F. HI. Lungren.. Miss. L. B. Humphrey z. 2 S 9 S 15 S 19 S 23 S 27 S 31 S 35 S 39 43 S 47 S 51 S 55 S 59 S 61 ï~~V ï~~....................................... gw-v............ 77. ï~~40 JL ï~~IDYLS AND PASTORALS ï~~ ï~~THE FAVORITE FLOWER. O THE warm, sweet, mellow summer noon, The golden calm and the perfumed air, *The chirp of birds and the locust's croon, The rich flowers blossoming still and fair. The old house lies 'mid the swarming leaves Steeped in sunshine from'porch to eaves, With doors and windows thrown open wide To welcome the beauty and bloom outside. Through the gateway and down the walk, Madge and grandmother, hand in hand Come with laughter and happy talk, And here by the marigolds stop and stand. ï~~14 THE FA VORIE IZ O WER. "What a dear old pleasant place it is!" Cries the little maid in a trance of bliss, " Never anywhere could be found So sweet a garden the whole world round! "Tell me, grandmother, which do you think, Is the dearest flower for you that grows! The phlox, or the marigold stars that wink, Or the larkspur quaint, or the red, red rose? Which do you love best, grandmother dear?" And the old dame smiles in the blue eyes clear - "Of all the flowers I ever possessed, I think, my precious, I love you best!" ï~~--- 7E gg jF" NOW. EliWlt Uim Fi, lvo I IN '0 I v 1 INA 116 '! 7u liyflml IM) MU lilOk 1TV............................................: - _* ------- ---------- --- - --- --------- -------- ---- til............. - -- --------- ----- - ------------.......... ------------ - ------- - -........... -----------------_ i;H1 --------------------- --- --------------- - - -------------- ---.......................... - ------ - - -------- --- ------ u j ---- - - ---------- - - -- ----------------- - ---------- ï~~ ï~~COMRADES. WHO that is merciful and wise Knows not how dumb companions fond Look up to man with loving eyes, Safe held in friendship's sacred bond! The hound salutes the kindly hand Thiat has taught him to love and not to fear, The falcon still on his perch will stand Listeningy for voices he loves to hear, And the spaniels watch the lovely boy Half pleased, half scared at the curious toy; Mute friends! They are grateful if they may share In human comfort or human care. ï~~COARADES. You have had many a beautiful hour, 0 comrades faithful and tried and true! 0 fair child, ripening to youth's rich flower, What pleasant fortune has fallen to you! And grandfather, holding your treasure fast, More blessed are you than all the rest. For he brings you afresh the joys of the past, As the after glow kindles the fading west. The happy circle gathers close In an atmosphere of sweet repose, Unvexed by word or look austere, For love is the only ruler here. ï~~191 H! AIAW-v 13.................. Q R111 OL r pr.......... ï~~ ï~~ON THE BEACH. THE slow, COOl, emerald breaker curving clear Along the sparkling edge of level sand, Shatters its crystal arch, and far and near In broken splendor spills upon the land. With rush and whisper siren-sweet and soft Gently salutes the children of the earth, And catching every sunbeam from aloft Flashes it back in summer mood of mirth; And with a flood of strong refreshment pours Health and delight along the sounding shores. Amid its frolic foam and scattered spray Tossed lightly, like some dreaming lion's mane, ï~~2 2 ON THE BEA CH The tired dwellers of the city play, Forgetful for awhile of care and pain, While peace broods over all, nor does it seem As if the sleeping lion could awake; And yet, when passed is this sweet summer dream, What roar of thunder on the coast will break When winter's tempests rage in sullen wrath - Death and disaster in their cruel pathAnd hurl against the sandy margin gray Devouring fury, tumult and dismay! ï~~!li M7-/7 I ~ if ï~~K. ï~~THE TRAINING OF A PRINCE. O STRONG young son of a king! What is it thou shalt not know? Not only to draw the twanging string From the perfect curve of the bow, And straigrht thine arrow send To the distant target's heart, But all good gifts their power would lend,Here, the musician's art, There, hound and horn and hunter bold The joys of the chase would teach; The courtier's graces manifold,The poet's golden speech, - ï~~26 THE TRAINING OF A PRINCE. All wisdom and knowledge and beauty wait To make thee noble and crown thy state. Wilt thou be first in the fight Among the warriors great? And will thy hand in the lute delight Wooing a lovely mate? Wilt thou rule wisely many a year With a firm grasp on the helm, And the ship of the nation safely steer Though storms would overwhelm? Be thou thy people's pride and joy, Wide may thy praises ring, And growing from the princely boy To the stature of a king, Thine arrows of lofty purpose send Ever straight to the mark, for foe or friend! ï~~N(:, --/ - J1 IZv' 44 ï~~ ï~~LOST. Low burns the sunset and the dark is n-ear: O where is home! 0 where my mother's face! The long night is before me, full of fear; Of -the familiar path there is no trace. The evening wind blows damp upon my cheek, The stars begin to twinkle high and clear, In vain for sign of hope or help I seek, For all is strange and lone and sad and drear. No human sound comes to my anxious ear, No cattle low, no dog barks far away, Only the ripple of the frogs I hear, And the thrush singing to the dying day. ï~~30 LOST. Under my feet the sweet fern sprays I crush With tangled vines and dead leaves brown and sere, Faint spicy odors rise - a dewy hush Steals o'er the dusky landscape far and near. Will never more the lights of home appear? The blessed lights of home! Where shall I turn, East, west, north, south, to find a ray of cheer? Where, in the darkness, do those tapers burn? Weary, despairing, sorrowful I stray. How must your heart be aching, mother dear! O friends who surely seek me, come this way! O that my cry might reach you! I am kere! ï~~pilll ï~~ ï~~THE MINUTE MEN. HEROES on History's height! Who leaped at the first alarm, To meet their death or to win the fight, From forge and workshop and farm; Seizing the ready gun, With hearts on fire, to stand For wife and child against the foe, For home and their own dear land, Resolute, every one, To strike the mighty blow! Firm as the solid rock On Concord's soft green sward ï~~34 7HE MIN UTE MEN. Their feet are planted to meet the shock, Love, honor and peace to guard, To strike for Liberty! For the signal shot they wait, Dauntless and stern and still, To wrench from the hand of fate With the strength of an iron will Freedom and Victory! ï~~-- - --------- ï~~ ï~~WILD DUCKS. I LIFT my voice to the breeze, A harsh and broken call, To mix with the roar of the seas And the rush of the waterfall; With noises stormy and rude I love to mingle my cry, In the heart of the solitude Where nothing human is nigh. When the tempest lashes the wood, And over the marshland sings, Then gathers my callow brood 'Neath my mate's protecting wings; ï~~38 WILD DUCKS. But I, from the edge of the crag, Launch out on the sweeping gale, With pinions that never flag, And a courage that does not quail I ride on the heaving brine That breaks into seething foam, For the earth and the air are mine, And the water my buoyant home. A joyful life I lead, And I envy no one's lot, But for one boon I plead - O mortal, molest me not! ï~~g --N' -M-M;;$ ï~~&too, ï~~A SUNNY NOOK. 'MID bayberry, fern, sweet brier, With many a nodding weed, And the golden-rod's plume of fire, I have made a nest indeed! Against the earth's warm breast, All fragrant with yielding moss And spicy twigs, I rest, While the leaves in the light airs toss, And I feel a part of the good, glad earth In her summer mood of joy and mirth. O who would covet a throne When a nook could be found like this ï~~42 A S UNNAY NOOK. Any peasant might call his own, With its boon of innocent bliss? With the bird and the bee to share Such largess of sunshine sweet, Afar from the loud world's care, And its turmoil of hurrying feet! I envy no king in the world, not I, As here on the earth's warm breast I lie! ï~~V 2 ~-4,1 44 ï~~ire ï~~ON QUIET WATERS. O LIGHTLY moored the lilies lie, And look up to the golden sky. Softly they breathe into the air Their holy fragrance everywhere: Delicate, dewy-fresh and sweet, It steals our charmed sense to greet. In each pure chalice, dazzling white, Sits throned a spirit of delight Our grateful souls with joy to fill, A pleasure sacred, deep and still, O lightly moored the lilies lie Afloat beneath the glowing sky! ï~~46 46 ON QUIET WATERS. From shadow cool to sunshine clear Safe past the changing shores we steer, And watch the swallow dip his wing, And hear the hidden thrushes sing Each to his mate within the wood, Safe in their happy solitude. o perfect morn! 0 peaceful time! O life that blossoms at its prime! We dream in Eden, thou and 1, Afloat beneath the golden sky. ï~~ ï~~I ï~~FEEDING THE DOVES. Coo, coo, my pretty doves, fly lightly here! See, snowy rice and golden grain I spill! Come wheeling through the wide air far and near, Come from the gray old tower and take your fill. Swell your soft breasts and curve each graceful neck With rainbows spanned, and ruffle all your plumes So dainty fine and clean, without a speck, Lustrous as changing silk from Lyons looms. Suzette is calling, ---there is naught to fear! Coo, coo, my pretty doves, fly lightly here! Sure as the constant morning comes Suzette To bring you food, you know she will not fail, ï~~50 FEED/VG HE DOVES. Crossing the tender grass all dewy-wet: Her welcome voice you hear, and down you sail, Her pets, her pleasures, planting rosy feet Upon the green and gazing brilliant-eyed, Askance up to her face with crooning sweet, Lifting your shining heads in love and pride For all obey her well-known summons dear, " Coo, coo, my pretty doves, fly lightly here! " ï~~.......................................................................................................................................................................................................... -------- -- i, 4. Li z4k lift z Rag 7_7 Rw _-O_ 743 14_b_ Y............ -MM aa MIN till lit, ZZ EMMIN WNR US Ulm ï~~ ï~~THE DREAM PEDLER. Lo, I come from dreamland dim, Down the drowsy air I swim, Ringing soft a pleasant tune, Through the sharp horns of the moon; All that fancy fine can paint Of fair or sweet or wild or quaint, Through your brain I'll set adrift, When my slender wand I lift. Hark, what fairy breezes blow! Tinkles ice and flutters snow, Mingled with the summer dreams Of lilies white on placid streams; ï~~54 THE DREAM PEDLER. You shall woo a mermaid fair, You shall fright the imp of care, 'Twixt a dove's wings you shall ride, Down a cloud-bank you shall slide! You shall fill a wind-rocked nest, In a witch's palace rest, You shall gather flowers afield, You shall wear a turtle's shield, By a butterfly be snared, By a tiny kobold scared; You shall soar in a balloon, You shall dance in magic shoon; Which will suit you? Pause and choose Ere my visions I unloose. ï~~(?i ~ 27/ ((f /1 /1< ) / / ï~~ ï~~UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHT. How cold and still! The keen, clear air Sparkles with snow-dust crystalline; To right, to left, and everywhere The great lamps of the city shine. Against the distant darkness dense The huge electric torches blaze, Colorless suns of light intense That send on every side their rays; White, blinding orbs that dazzling flare O'er the cold snow with colder glare. In years gone by, when lightning flashed Piercing the sky with zigzag fire, And at its heels the thunder crashed Pealing through heaven, an awful choir, ï~~UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHT. Men little thought this mighty king Among the elements could be Their friend! Nay, a more humble thing) Their slave, to serve them faithfully, Fetch news and carry, go and come, And meekly light their children home! I wonder, in this latter time, If any ponder on the man Whose mind, persistent and sublime, So far before his century ran. His genius high the sages mocked, They jeered at him who calmly cast His pearls before them and unlocked The treasures of a knowledge vast. But still he scaled heaven's dizzy height, To bring us the electric light! ï~~............................................... - - -.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Y.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. -............ 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