Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/157

 Prospect.

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��All the legends loved in childhood, Tales of giants, fairies, kings,

Tales of palaces or wildwood. Lonely caves or magic springs,

Found for me arena wide

On that mountain's farther side.

When the maid, who rocked me nightly By the firelight on her knee.

Sang the ballads, swaying lightly, Of a land beyond the sea, —

Lover's tryst and robber's way

Ail beyond the mountain lay.

Many a day as I grew older, Weary ^vith my lonely play.

From my seat (a side-cleft boulder). Wistful-eyed, I looked away

Toward the mount with yearnings fond

For that wonderland beyond.

And at night, when softly lying

In my little bed asleep, Oft in dreams my feet were trying

To ascend that summit steep ; Waking from undue delight With the goal but just in sight.

All the birds in springtime singing Seem to call me by their song.

And the leafy branches swinging Beckoned me the summer long,

And the Autumn's golden hue

Still invited me anew.

One bright day, some vagrant turning Brought me near its base to stroll ;

Quickly grew that eager yearning To an impulse past control :

Swiftly onward, without plan.

Upward toward the steep I ran ;

Slipping, stumbling, sometimes falling, Still undaunted, climbing fast,

Heedless of the voices calling, Caught, and taken back at last.

Sorrowing for reproval less

Than for unat gained success.

��Childhood, gathering up her treasures.

Fancies wild and fable lore. Guileless faith and careless pleasures,

Left me to return no more. And mature in womanhood On the mount at length I stood.

Not the royal castles olden,

Which my childish fancy drew ;

Fairy courts and turrets golden. But a wider, fairer view ;

Summer bright before me lay.

Reaching far, oh, far away.

Fields of grain and leafy hedges. Forests broad and deeply green,

Cragg}' hills and hoary ledges. Gem-like glints of watery sheen.

Smoke wreaths rising, thin and slow.

From half-hidden homes below ;

Hamlets ivrapped in shadowy greenness, Glimpses of a winding way,

Farther on, in calm sereneness, Silver bright the great lake lay.

And a steamboat crossed the lake

With a white line in its wake.

Islands, on the water sprinkled. Seemed to float with buoyant ease,

And the golden church-spires twinkled O 'er the village 'mid the trees.

And a peaceful thought of rest

All tlie smiling landscape blessed.

And the vision in completeness,

' Neath the summer's golden beams,

Far excelled the mystic sweetness Of ray romance-haunted dreams.

For I found a wider view

Than my child-horizon knew

So, perhaps, my fancied Heaven, Like my wonder-land, may be

Earth-distorted views self-given ; But if I the blest land see,

Though my earth-wish be denied,

I shall then be satisfied.

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