xt734t6f232t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt734t6f232t/data/mets.xml Dickey, Fannie Porter. 1892 books b92-29-26569044 English John P. Morton, : Louisville, Ky. : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. American poetry Kentucky. American poetry. Kentucky Biography. Blades o' Bluegrass : choice selections of Kentucky poetry, biographical sketches and portraits of authors / compiled by Mrs. Fannie Porter Dickey. text Blades o' Bluegrass : choice selections of Kentucky poetry, biographical sketches and portraits of authors / compiled by Mrs. Fannie Porter Dickey. 1892 2002 true xt734t6f232t section xt734t6f232t L7,f2.'d4 I, - ,e.1Scl, / K BLADES 2 BLUEGRASS ChOICE SELECTIONS or KENTUCKY POETRY. BIOGRAPhICAL SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS or AUThORS. - ,COMPiL-F) BY MRS. FANNIE PORTER DICKEY LOUISVILLE cOlIN P. MORTON COMPANY 1892 O1"RIGEHT BY MRS. FANNIE PORTER DICKEY. 1892 TO Colonel R. C. Durrett, For his love of Literature, his pride in the preservation of Kentucky History, and the service he has rendered the State in these things, this Volume is dedi- cated with the highest respect and esteem of the Compiler. This page in the original text is blank. PREF ACE. THIS volume is offered as a miniature representation of Kentucky verse for the one hundred years that it has been a State. The whole field of poetry has been traversed from the pioneer days to the present time, and an effort made to have every known poet of merit represented. Besides selections made from published books, there are also many fugitive verses that never went beyond the " Poet's Corner " in a newspaper, while some are here in print for the first time. That such a book has been made is due to the courtesy and promptness with which the living writers have responded, and to the friends of literature throughout the State who have assisted and encouraged the work, and it is hoped that the collection mirrors a variety of sentiment that will touch a heart in every household and leave a pleasing influence. Thanks are due The Century Company, Belford's Maga- zine, The Round-Table, and Detroit Free Press for privilege of poems. F. P. D. This page in the original text is blank. CONTENTS. PAGE AINSLIE, HEw. . . .. . . . .. . . .. .................... 299 The Ingleside. . ....... .. . 2S1 ALLEN, JAMES LANE, Lexington,. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. 299 Beneath the Veil, . . ..... . ... 254 In Looking on the Happy Autumn Fields .. . .. . . .. 276 ALLMOND, MARCUS B., Louisville ....... ......... 299 A Consolation,. ................. 77 A Sabbath in Autumn . . .... . . . 83 ALLGOOD, JOSEPH, Louisville... . . . .. . . . .. . . .. 300 Uncle Pete's Plea. . . ..... . . 69 ASHTON, EUGENE .............. . ..... The Dead Past ........... . . ............... 54 Duty.. . ........... 35 BANGS, S. K., Louisville ...................... The Old Church Bell,. ............. 74 BARRICK, J. R. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . . 300 The Beautiful. . ......... ......... . . . 268 BETTS, MARY E.. . ..... .. ... .. . . . . 301 A Kentuckian Kneels to None but God..... . .. . . . 94 BOLTON, SARAH T., Indianapolis, Indiana. ... ..... . . 300 Left on the Battle-field . . .... . . . 241 BROTHER, ALLINE, Fort Spring,. ...... ... 300 Castles in the Air. . .. ......... ..I BROWN, MATTIE N . .......... 301 Crysanthemums, . . ...... . . . 273 God's Poem, . . ... . . . . . . 225 BROWN, NELLIE LA RUE, Louisville ............... Japanese Wall Paper .. . .2 BRYAN, STANTON P., Brownsboro.. . .301 The Wedge ... . 71 Aspiration . . .93 BUTLER, WILLIAM 0.. .. ..... ... . . .. 301 The Boatman's Horn, .. .. ..... . . 290 BUTLER, NOBLE... . .301 The Bluebird.. .... ...... . . 293 CARR, ALICE H., Louisville . . ......... . ... .. .. "Sweet Girl Graduate,". . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . 36 -Deceased. viii CONTENTS. CASSEDAY, MISS JENNIE, Louisville....... . . . . .. . .. or A Night-time Song,................ ... 58 CAWEIN, MADISON, Louisville,....... . . ,02 Noera. .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . .... .. . . i 67 Andalia,......... . . .'... ............. 59 Chords, . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 51 CHILDRESS, RuFus J., Louisville . . ;02 The Moods of You ....... ..3......... .. .. ;29 Ode to A Robin .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. '3 In the Air ... . . . . . . . . . . . .. 102 CLARK, FLORENCE A., Austin, Texas,. . .. . . . .. . . . . .03 A Christmas Pansy ........ .. 274 COLLINS, MRS. W. LESLIE, Frankfort. .. .. . . . .. . . ..03 A Thought ......... . ............. . . [92 The Leaf, ............... . 233 COSBY, FORTUNATUS ..3................... . 303 A Song,.......... . ............... . 292 COSBY, J. V.,.. .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . 304 Song, . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . 289 CROCKETT, INGRAM, Henderson ....... . . . . . .. 304 At Yuletide .. . ....... 52 Late Afternoon in November. ... . . .. . . . .. . .. 75 We Fade as a Leaf .... ...... . [.. 172 CUNNINGHAM, MRS. J. J., Louisville. .. .. . . . .. . . . . 303 Cupid's Arrow ......... '74 Yon Tiny Stream ......... 157 CUTTER, GEORGE W ........ . ... . 304 The Song of Steam, . .284 DAVIE, GEORGE M., Louisville . .304 A Yearn for the Romantic. .84 Night in Venice . .78 DAVIS, WILLIAM J., Louisville, . .. 304 Gentleness: ASonnet. .. . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 296 DOWNES, MAY SMITH, Somerset. .. 305 April. .. .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . [ 26 The Bird'sSong, . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . II4 DUKE, BASIL W., Louisville ..305 Song of the Raid. .243 David and Goliath . . . 248 DURRETT, R. T., Louisville, .305 The Old Year and the New in the Coliseum at Rome, . . . 98 To My Sweetheart. .. 112 DYER, SYDNER, Indianapolis, Indiana . .307 Song of The Sunbeam ....... . . . . . 68 -Deceased. CONTENTS. ix EVANS, ALEXANDER, Louisville, ... . ..... ... . . . .. 307 My Lute So Loved is Now Unstrung . .19 Where the Beautiful River. . 183 FIELDS, W. H., Louisville ..................... Yesterday. .x9 FITZHUGH, NANNIE MAYO, Lexington . . 307 Meeting Rivers, . .256 Answered . .257 FLIPPIN, M. T., Tompkinsville . ...... ..........307 Rome, . .43 The Days of Other Years, . .51 FORD, THOMAS B., Frankfort . . 307 My Violin, ...................... ... 67 The Siren ....... . ................. . 75 Dusk ....... ............ ..... ... 6i FORD, LAURA C., Owenton. ...... ..... . . . .. . . 308 The Household Minstrel..... . . . .. . . .. . . . . 8i FOSDICK, W. W.. ...................... . 308 Light and Night,...... . . . ...... . . .. . . . . 62 FOSTER, S. C......... . . ....... . .. . .. . . . 308 My Old Kentucky Home ..... .. ...... . . . . . . 64 ,'GALLAGHER, W. D., Pewee Valley,.... .. . . .. . . .. . 308 The Mothers of The West................. . 76 May ....................... 65 Woman-Extract .. . ................ . .. 58 Four Score and One........ ........... . 82 GERALDINE," .................... . . .... W hatIsIt . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. 39 HAGNER, LAURA S., Buckner ....... The Butterfly...... . . .............. IS HAMILTON, ANNA J., Louisville . ......... . 309 Death-A Living King....... . .... . . . .... 275 At Set of Sun ........ . ... 215 HARNEY, JOHN M.. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . 309 Echo and The Lover ................. 129 HARNEY, WILL WALLACE, Pine Castle, Florida .. ... . . . . 309 The Stab ..... . . ................... 95 In Exile.......... . . .............. 107 The Buried Hope,. ..... ........ 138 The Bergamot Blossom. ... . .. . . .. ... . . . . IIO SouthFlorida Night, . . .. . . .. . .. . . ... 121 The Twilight of the Heart-Extract ......... . . . 115 HARRIS, ALFRED W., Louisville...... ...... . . .. . 309 Building Castles ............. . 277 :Deceased . CONTENTS. CHART, JOEL T., Invocation to the Coliseum at Rome, HAYS, WILL S., Louisville ......... The Last Hail. l............ The Faithful Engineer. ........ HOPKINS, EDWIN S., Jacksonville. Convolvuli . After Frost, .............. The Old Violin, ............ HOSKINS, JOHN, Louisville . A Lullabyl.. ............. When Loving Heart's the Goal, .... Good Morning, ............ JEFFREY, ROSA V., Lexington .. . .. . . A Summer Idyl ............ Owl in Church, ............ Grecian Poetry Versus Modern Science, . . . JESSEL, KATIE ..... ............. " Earth Has no Sorrow that Heaven Can Not H JOHNSTON, J. STODDARD, Louisville. A Dream, .................. Parting. To a Marguerite.............. KELLEV, A. W. (Parmenas Mix) ......... The Old Scissors' Soliloquy ......... The Bore, .................. KETCHUM, ANNIE CHAMBERS .......... A Sea Shell, . ............... Amabere Me ........... ...... KINKEAD, NELLIE TALBOT, Lexington, ..... Coquette. Last Night, ................. " KNELM,". Solitude. LITTELL, WILLIAM, .. .. . .. . . . .. Raptures. LUCAS, OLIVER (Poet of the Asfaltus), Louisville, The Immortal Three, ............ Tobogganing Down the Hill, ........ McABOY, MARY T .............. ... A Sonnet..... . . ... .......... MCAFEE, NELLY MARSHALL, Louisville ..... To-morrow. Hills Look Blue When Far Away ...... Antithesis . Deceased. ...... . . 310 ....... .. .. 23 ......... ...... 3I0 ......... ...... 113 ...... .. .. - 165 ...... . . 310 ....-. .. .63 ...... .. .. 70 -... .. . 57 ......... ...... 3II ..... .. . .- 97 ......... ...... 92 ......... ... 80 ...... . . 311 ,... .--. 7.2 97 .. . . .. . . . eal,.3 10 6 , . . .. ...... 31I ......... ...... ii6 ....... ....... I22 ....... ....... 108 ,...,. .. . 3I ,.... . . 227 ....... 224 ...,... 314 ...... . . 223 ...... . . 229 .. . . .. . .31 . .. . .. 27 ....--- 27 .. . . .. . 287 ..3.4.... 3og ..... . . 209 ...... . . 22I .....-- 314 ..3...1.... . 131 .....-- 314 .....- . 155 ......- I45 ...... . 176 x .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . CONTENTS. MCBEATH, TOM F., Daleville, Mississippi... . .. . .. . . Biopsis-Extract . McDowELL, KrATE GOLDSBOROUGH, Louisville ......... To Whittier....................... MCHENRY, JENNIE T.... . . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . Evening Thoughts...... . . ............ MCILVAIN, CLARA L ....................... Love. Wedding Bells .................... MCKINNEY, MRS. J. J. (Katydid), Montgomery, Alabama, Twilight in Kentuckyu.c y.............. Two Songs ...................... A Bunch of Magnolias ................ Spring and Summer,. . .............. MERCER, S. C., Hopkinsville.... .. . . .. . .. . .. . The Strawberry Bowl ................. The New South .................... Blonde and Brunette ................. MILLER, HOWARD ..................... True Greatness .................... To Poesy ........................ MILLER, ELVIRA SYDNOR, Louisville ............ Edgar Allan Poe . A Dash Through the Lines s.............. A Ballad of Poets .................... MORRIS, ROBERT ...................... The Level and the Square, . .. ......... Memories of Galilee ................... MORRIS, IDA GOLDSMITH, Glasgow ............. My Lady Sleepsp. s................... MORTON, JENNIE C., Frankfort. Frankfort. The Sweetest Day ................... MUDD, ALICE HAWTHORNE, Louisville ........... Marble Heart ...................... MURPHEY, ELIZABETH LEE, Dallas, Texas .......... A Letter of To-day, ................... Dixie Land ....................... MURRAY, HENRY C., Frankfort ............... In Days to Come .................... MURRAY, STUART, Danville ................. George Mooreo.re................... NOBLE, VIRGINIA F., Paducah ................ A May-time Memory ................... At Dawn of Day ..................... -Deceased. xi 315 '34 315 294 315 288 315 2i8 206 3i6 291 295 286 239 316 261 53 50 . 147 ..204 . 2I9 ..279 212 317 ..203 ..255 -3I7 .I49 . 141 .i58 316 .205 .317 .123 .132 34 .I98 .317 139 .I54 :. CONTENTS. O'HARA, THEODORE. The Bivouac of the Dead, ........ O'MALLEY, CHARLES J., Hitesville ...... Worthiness. His Birds, ................ A Kentucky Twilight .......... Enceladus . OUMALLRY, SALLIE M., Hitesville. The Child Singer ............ O'SULLIVAN, DANIEL E., Louisville,. To Adelina Patti. ............ Margery . Death. To a Pin, ................ A Song, ................. PARHAM, EUGENIA, Paducah. ........ Vanished. A Happy Woman, ............ PARKER, Jo. A., Lagrange . As in the Long Ago, .......... The Kiss I Stole ........... . .. PATTERSON, J. L., Frankfort . To Silence, ............... PIATT, JOHN J., Queenstown, Ireland,. Night Thoughts ............. The Sight of Angels, .......... The Buried Organ. ........... PIATT, SARAH M. B., Queenstown, Ireland, . . A Doubt, ................ Stop the Clock ............. The Sermon of a Statue ......... POTTS, EUGENIA DUNLAP, Lexington,. A Reverie ................ POOL, ARCH., Paducah .... . ..... .... Across the Way ............. PRENTICE, GEORGE D.. ........... Mammoth Cave, ............. To the River in Mammoth Cave-Extract, The Closing Year ............ The Dream of Life, ........... A Name in the Sand, '.......... On Revisiting Brown University-Extract, REYNOLDS, T. T., Glasgow, ......... To L. B.'s Eyes, ............. Deceased. .318 40 .319 . .............. I188 ............. 193 . ............... 177 ..................320 . .............. I62 ....... ..........320 .211 . .....I179 .i86 . ............. 194 ....... ..........320 ........ ...........192 .182 ........ ..........320 ..... ........208 .1 ............. I87 .. . . .. . . .. . 30 ........ .........320 ........ .........260 .. ....245 ........ .........259 . .......321 '3 6 24 .321 .238 .. . . .. . . .. . . ............. 176 . ............. 321 9 ....... ..........II 21 26 35 39 .. . . .. . . .. . . ...........128 xii CONTENTS. RHEA, FRANK H., Waverly. ........ The Rock ............... Love's Trinityn.. ........... November, . ROBERTSON, HARRISON, Louisville,. Aprille. Perspectives. An Idle Poet, ............. The Story of The Gate, ........ Two Triolets. ............. Coquette. ROLLSTON, ADELAIDE D., Paducah, In June ................ If I Had Known, ........... October. RUBY, CLINT, Madisonville. ........ The Violet, ............. November. SEMPLE, PATTY B., Louisville . . . . . . . A Madonna, .............. SEMPLE, HENRY C., Louisville, ...... Argumentum. Maid of Nazareth-Extract, ...... Faultless. SHREVEK, THOMAS H. . Midnight Musings. .......... SMITH, MATTIE l., Le Sueur, Minnesota, The Prince is Coming,. SMITH, J. SOULE (Falcon), Lexington, The Modern Tithonus.......... SPEED, THOMAS, Louisville .... . . . .. Topping the Locusts, ......... SPEED, MAJ. THOMAS ........... Autumn Leaves ............ SPOTSWOOD, F. M., Lexington ....... I Love You .............. Dear Old Southern Home ....... STANTON, HENRY T., Frankfort ...... The Moneyless Man. ......... Drawing It Fine, ........... The Devil's Hollow ..... . . ... Means to An End ........... Sweetheart. Double Life .............. Self Sacrifice-Extract, . ........ Deceased. ...... . .. . . 322 ........ . . . ...120 ..1.... . .. . 148 .. . . .. .1. .. 133 ...... . .. . . 322 ......... . .. . . i6i ..8.... . .. . ri8 ..... . . .. . 150 ....1.... .. . . I30 .. . . .. .1. .. 173 .. . . .. . . .. 140 ...... . ... . 322 ....... . .. . . i64 ..9.... . .. . I1g .1..... . .. . . 127 .. . . .. . . .. 323 ....1.... ... . 125 .......... . . .. . 2T7 .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. 1-97 .. . ... . . . . 324 ....... .... 47 ....... . . . . 44 ........ . . . ... 52 ......... . 323 ...... . ... . 230 ......... . 323 ............. . . . .. -45 .. . . .. . . .. . . ........ ..........196 .. . . .. . . .. 323 .216..... . .. . . 2I6 .. . . .. . . .. 324 ...... .. . . . 222 ....... .... 324 ....... .. . . ... 96 ...... . ... . IIn .......... . 324 33 ......... .. . . .. I1 ......... .. . . .. I8 ....... . . . ... 6o .. . . .. .. . . 49 ........ . . . ... 25 .. . .. . . . . .. - -54 Xiii CONTENTS. STAPP, BELLE WILSON, Buckeye ...... Dreamy September, ........... SWING, JEANNETTE, Dayton . The Death of a Soul, ........... TEAGER, M. M., Flemingsburg. ......... A Valedictory, ................ The Golden Wedding..... . . . . . .. THORNTON, SARAH C............... Time. WALKER, LIZZIE, Hartford, ........... How. The Old Year ................ November. WALSH, THOMAS, Louisville ........... The Night Displays the Stars,. WARVIELD, CATHERINE A.. ........... Spring Thunder......... .... . . . WASHINGTON, WILLIAM A ......... . . . . The Works of Nature ............ WATTERSON, HENRY, Louisville ......... The Cricket ................. 'WELBY, AMELIA,. The Rainbow, ................ Musings-Extract. WILsOO, LIZZIE... ZIE........... Leoline-Extract. WILSON, ROBERT BURNS, Frankfort ....... A Wild Violet in November . How Spring Comes in the Bluegrass,. I Shall Find Rest .... . . ........ The Passing of March. .......... WILSON, FORCEYTHE. .............. To Hersa. .................. WOOD, HENRY CLEVELAND, Harrodsburg,. Completeness. The Weaver.. . .. . ..... ..... .. Beautiful Hair ........... . Gwendolyne. Reproduction. WRIGHT, JEAN, Louisville ............ Ich Liebe Dich. ............... La Glu. ................... 5:30 A. M.... .. ............ Deceased. .... 124 ...... ......278 .... 125 38 ..... .25 .... ...70 82 ..... ..25 ..... ..... -174 .......,25 47 ......1....... ]63 . -. :69 ....... ... ;;26 ....... ......... !26 ...... ....... ;125 '132 ...... .1 26 .......... 46 .....327 ..... ... 200 .... . . . 127 14 37 ...... .......326 I2 327 ...... ......234 ......1....... 84 195 ...... ....... 231 ...... ......327 16 ...... .....328 46 55 36 48 12 ...... .....328 ...... .....237 ...... ......240 ...... ......242 xiv ILLUSTRATIONS. WILLIAM D. GALLAGHER. ROSA VERTNER JEFFREY. REUBEN T. DURRETT. HENRY T. STANTON. GEORGE D. PRENTICE. SARAH T. BOLTON. JOHN JAMES PIATT. SARAH M. B. PIATT. ROBERT BURNS WILSON. MADISON CAWEIN. LIZZIE WALKER. HENRY CLEVELAND WOOD. MATTIE P. SMITH. HENRY COOLIDGE SEMPLE. JENNIE JONES CUNNINGHAM. KATYDID." INGRAM CROCKETT. OLIVER LUCAS. MARCUS B. ALLMOND. STANTON P. BRYAN. M. M. TEAGER. CLINT RUBY. EUGENIA DUNLAP POTTS. MRS. FANNIE PORTER DICKEY. (FRONTISPIECE.) This page in the original text is blank. BLADES 2' BLUrxRASS. DRAWING IT-VINt. IN a shining cloud of meshes, Where a marge of Summer rushes To a noisy water dipt, Dwelt a prim, maternal spider, With her grim, brown spouse beside her, Like two mummies in a crypt. And except, perhaps, the shimmer Of a sunset's silver tremor, There was not the slightest breath- Not the faintest undulation, In the pendant, hooded station, Where they simulated death. Every tentacle enfolded, Much as if the parts were molded Or were carven so from stone; There they sat, without emotion, Staring from a woven ocean, From the funnel of their cone. When the dry, drawn spider's forces Put its legion pulsate courses Thus successfully to rout, Well, indeed, may silence marvel How it is this crimson travel Of the venous tide goes out. I BLADES O' BLUEGRASS. We have no such tragic actors As the adept tissue-factors- Since they never rant or rave- And there's not a thing in nature Wearing such a perfect feature Of the unrelenting grave. True they art this tableau merely, But they mimic death so nearly, Being rigid the-re and still, That the blinded Insect rushes DowSu the silence of their meshes To escape some lesser ill. So, these consorts sat in quiet, Watching ever for the diet To their finished talent due, Waiting patiently and stilly For the winged things and silly That were intermitting through. By-and-by, upon her vision Came a light of clear decision, And the sober matron spoke (She had something like that human, Active impulse of a woman In her tongue-the common joke): Having trained our girl and taught her, As a spider should her daughter, All the proper things in life, It is time she had our blessing- Though the thought is sore distressing- As some decent person's wife. I am sure the maid is able Now to run her line of cable, Unassisted, from the spool; And as weaver and as spinner, That there's more than common in her, I believe, upon my soul! 2 DRAWING IT FINE. "Only yesterday I saw her, For our neighbor, Mistress Drawer, Darning places in her net; Busy there in giving issue To the finest solar tissue I have ever noticed yet. "She is skilled in all the graces Of the most exquisite laces- Quite invisible to me- And I think such work would kill me, With my eyes so very filmy I could never, never see. "There 's a wanton mass of bushes Just above our line of rushes, Where to spread the maiden's net; So, good man, though sad to miss her, Let us bless the child and kiss her, Whilst our lives are steady yet." And the grim old spider listened, Till upon his optics glistened Something not unlike a tear, And with quite a man's agreeing To a woman's way of seeing Answered: "As you think, my dear." Then the mother called her daughter From a-sporting on the water In a little bay below, And the lady-like young spider Came and settled down beside her, To the sorrow of her beau; For she ceased at once her skating, Left the gallant there awaiting, Made a courtesy and flew- Just as every little woman, When she hears her mother summon, Ought undoubtedly to do. 3 BLADES O' BLUEGRASS. It was charming in the tunnel Of their silver-sided funnel Thus the family to see; Sitting close to one another Were the father and the mother And the daughter-happy three! There their plans were all unfolded, And the maiden's future molded In the fancy of the dame; In the matted brier trellis She should have her silver palace And be given up to Fame. But alas! like every other Living thing-that has a mother- How these fancies went astray! All the goodly things we nurture For the overburdened future Pass too fleetingly away. So it was, this callow weaver, When her mamma let her leave her, Went a little bit too fast; Though she made a fair beginning With her cunning kind o' spinning, It was not a kind to last. She was full of life, and agile, But her shining threads were fragile And defective in their length; For she made her woofing wider Than her warping justified her, And her fabric wanted strength. We have seen a thousand ladies On a rapid way to Hades By this Xvery common force, And, exactly like the spinner, They persist in drawing finer, When they ought to draw it coarse.. 4 DRA WING IT FfNE. 'T is peculiar to the human- Where the debutant's a woman- To exceed the parent marge; She rejects the frugal spirit She should properly inherit, And essays to "go it large." And the rule is just as certain, When it's time to lift the curtain On the drama of her days, She has found her light ambition At the margin of perdition Through the saddest sort o' ways. Now, the highest aim that filled her- And the very thing that killed her- Was her foolish love for show; For our pulsing spider lady Couldn't keep her palace shady In the brier-patch below. But she made her nicest hitches On some pendulating switches, That her glory might be seen; And she loitered with her lover All its silver terrace over With the leisure of a queen. And, as might have been expected, She was readily detected By a bandit living near, For the wily robber sparrow, Coming downward like an arrow, Made a quiet meal of her. And the prim, maternal spider, With the grim, brown spouse beside her, Sits a silent mummy yet, And the breaking of each morrow Brings her such a meed of sorrow As she never can forget. 5 BLADES O' BLUEGRASS. She is full of sad upheavals, From the crater of her evils, For the wrong she did her child, When she taught her only graces In the art of making laces, By a vanity beguiled. So the two unhappy tenants Of the cone are doing penance, And their bosoms both are wrung; He has chronic gout to bother, And this wicked, wicked mother Has paralysis of tongue. HENRY T. STANTON. STOP THE CLOCK. LET this red flower here on the cliffs stay red; Let that glad bird sing always in the tree; Let baby keep this pretty yellow head And these two dimples,-do you say to me Let these same clouds make this same sky all gold Let these same strawberries last (You '11 tell me how) Let's take the world up in our arms and hold It where it is, and make forever now Let's sit here always in this wind and sun, And hear the water dripping from the rock Come, then, and tell me how it can be done. What, ho, within there! some one stop the clock! SARAH M. B. PIATT. 6 OWL IN CHURCH. OWL IN CHURCH. In the autumn of i874 a small gray owl was observed sitting in -a niche above the organ of the Episcopal Church, greatly to the amuse- nment of the congregation. FRONTING us all, In a niche of the wall, As if proud of his lofty station, Like a monk in a cowl Sat a little gray owl Looking down on the congregation. Hymns and chants as they rose Failed to stir his repose, A grave mien to the holy place suiting. Merely looking surprise With his solemn, round eyes, He heard them all through without hooting. His feathers he shook, And a questioning look On this wise he cast at the people, "You are high-church, 't is true, But I 'm higher than you, For my screeching I do in the steeple. "If by dropping in here Once a week ye appear Thus cleansed from all outward pollution, How clean I must be, Living always, ye see, In the top of this pure institution!" He glanced through the pews, As if trying to choose A few from the many, anointed, With charity-freed From ritual creed () I thought that he looked disappointed. 7 BLADES O' BLUEGRASS. Quoth the wise little owl In his modest gray cowl, "What grand dressing! " and then, slyly winking, "It would be orthodox To put more in the box And less in the pews, I am thinking." Judging men from aloft, As the righteous do oft, And women-Oh, owl, have compassion! For the sees of our church Would be left in the lurch If its aisles were forsaken by fashion. Of our creed justly proud, We respond very loud, By holy zeal greatly excited, And yet look innocent, As if " us sinners " meant Not ourselves, but some race more benighted. Let paid choirs screech, Let the dear clergy preach, Do n't hoot at them up in the steeple; It 's too high a perch "To tell tales out of church," And might frighten away outside people. Beware how you chat To the hawk and the bat; Church gossip, returned with due culture, Brings so much to boot You won't know your own hoot, And may find yourself changed to a vulture. It is not orthodox To peep into our box And take notes underneath your gray cowl Of who gives and who don't, And we hope that you won't, Or we'll call you a meddlesome owl. ROSA VURTNER JEFE REV. 8 MAMMOTH CA VE. MAMMOTH CAVE. ALL day, as day is reckoned on the earth, I 've wandered in these dim and awful aisles, Shut from the blue and breezy dome of heaven, While thoughts, wild, drear, and shadowy, have swept Across my awe-struck soul, like specters o'er The wizard's magic glass, or thunder-clouds O'er the blue waters deep. And now I'll sit me down upon that broken rock To muse upon the strange and solemn things Of this mysterious realm. All day my steps Have been amid the beautiful, the wild, The gloomy, the terrific. Crystal founts, Almost invisible in their serene And pure transparency; high pillared domes, With stars and flowers all fretted like the halls Of Oriental monarchs; of rivers dark And drear and voiceless as Oblivion's stream, That flows through Death's dim vale of silence; gulfs All fathomless, down which the loosened rock Plunges until its far-off echoes come Fainter and fainter like the dying roll Of thunders in the distance; Stygian pools Whose agitated waves give back a sound Hollow and dismal, like the sullen roar In the volcano's depths;-these, these have left Their spell upon me, and their memories Have passed into my spirit, and are now Blent with my being till they seem a part Of my own immortality. God's hand, At the creation, hollowed out this vast Domain of darkness, where no herb or flower E'er sprang amid the sands, nor dews, nor rains, Nor blessed sunbeams fell with refreshing power, Nor gentle breeze its Eden message told 9 BLADES O' BLUEGRASS. Amid the awful gloom. Six thousand years Swept o'er the earth ere human footprints marked This subterranean desert. Centuries Like shadows came and passed, and not a sound Was in this realm, save when at intervals, In the long lapse of ages, some huge mass Of overhanging rock came thundering down, Its echoes sounding through these corridors A moment, and then dying in a hush Of silence, such as brooded o'er the earth When