10
THE COURIER
ONLY A MAN.
THE DEBUTANTE'S DREAM.
The curtain falls and tbo play is ended;
Go home, good people, one and all;
Put out the lights and close the doorways,
And leave to ghosts the silent hall.
The curtain falls and the play is ended,
But yonder stand in dreamy mood,
Amid the canvas worlds, an actor
Upon whoso face the shadows brood.
Ho may have been, amid the gaslights,
A king, a slave, a sage, a clown,
With tattered rags or royal purple,
With clanking chains or golden clown.
But now when all the play is ended,
And all the varieties are done,
He lays aside the pomp and tinsel,
The night's strange, empty dreams are run."
Ho layB aside his royal purple.
Beside the green-room's half closed door,
And steps into the silent darkness
Only a man and nothing more.
Only a man whose heart-strings quiver
With the loves and hates of every day;
Only a man, upon whose heart-strings
The silent fates their life-chords play.
Only a man to do and suffer,
Only a man with heart of flesh;
Only a man who, in the struggle,
Will break down and start afresh.
Weak or strong, unclean or holy,
Under the blessing or under the ban;
Seeing the light, or fleeing the darkness;
Angel or satin get always a man.
May it not be, when life is ended,
And on its scenes the curtain falls.
And through the dawn of death's great silence.
Gently and softly the Master calls.
That we lay aside our garments;
Purple or rags, fetters or crown;
That masked life's stations, hope, ambitions,
King or slave, or sage or crown.
Yes, each will lay aside his vesture,
Beside the grave's half-opened door,
And step into the silent darkness
Only a man and nothing more.
With no stains of earth's gray shadows;
With no glory sent before;
Simply to stand before the master,
Only a man and nothing more.
Harvey Reese.
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Latest sheet music at Crancer's, 212 So. 11th.
The dance was over, with flagging feet
The debutante sank into slumber sweet,
Lulled by thoughts of a brilliant crowd -' . -
That tonight its welcome had smiled and bowed.? ?
The women so fair how the diamonds gleamed;;'
From their eyes what amiability beamed !
The men so noble sure, knights of old
Could never more glorious sentiments hold.
Oh, the world's a bright, benevolent place
For a dowered maid with a beautiful face,
Haloed round with rays of romance,
Fltished from Illusion's countenance.
And even its pages of daily prose
Are daintly tinted couleur do rose.
So she dreamt of a paradise (fool bo fair!)
Whose glories she now is allowed to share.
Where the boughB are heavy, her head above,
With the blossoms of pure unselflsh love.
Where the lawnB are laid with the sward of Truth,
And the fountains dance with eternal youth.
And all the virtues are flowering there,
Loading with perfume the summer air,
While, hand in hand, through this blest demesne
Stroll the smartest people she had ever seen.
Hero innocence whispers, "I love but you;"
There honors swears, "You may trust, me trust me true;''
And "Happy,' she cried, "am I now to be
Enrolled in such goodly company.
O wonderful world, with your fairy folk,
Be mine forever ! ' and so awoke.
Long years afterwards, grim and gray,
She walks alone on her wintry way,
And all that is left of her dream, to-day,
Are the eyes that weep and the lips that pray.
BE FIRM,
Be firm. One constant element in luck
Is genuine, solid, old Teutonic pluck.
See yon tall shaft? It felt the earthquake's thrill,
Clung to its base, and greets the sunrise still.
Stick to your aim; the mongrel's hold will slip,
But only crowbars loose the bulldog's grip
Small as he looks, the jaw that never j ields
Drags down the bellowing monarch of the fields.
Yet, in opinions look not always back
Your wake is nothing, mind the coming track;
Leave what you've done for what you have to do;
Don't be "consistent," but bo simply true.
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