Winters On The Farm.

    Glad winters on the olden farm!
        How raptures from those early times
        Commingle into fairy chimes
    Which gently banish cries of harm!
        My fainting soul finds rest the whiles
    Within the arms of memory,
    And tender scenes of boyish glee
        Transform my sorrows into smiles.

    How brightly beamed the pleasures then,
        When frigid fingers came to throw
        A wintry winding sheet of snow
    Around the silent homes of men!
    But happiness found no alarm,
        For safe with cheer, secure with love,
        She gladly grew and sweetly throve
    Through winters on the olden farm.

    With merry bells and busy sleighs,
        That sung and flew o'er icy vales
        And climbed the hills as fleet as gales,
    Like singing phantoms died the days;
    Or then with coat and muffler warm
        Sweet children glided on the lake,
        Or chased the rabbit through the brake,
    In winters on the olden farm.

    How glad the joys at eventide
        When 'round the hearth-stone's pleasant heat
        The simple song in music sweet
    From loving voices floated wide!
    The mellowed apples gave a charm,
        While pop-corn white and cider bright
        With worlds of laughter lent delight
    To winters on the olden farm.

    Thrice happy nights and happy days,
        Sweet isles of pleasure in the past,
        May long your hallowed moments cast
    A sacred sunshine o'er my ways!
    And where life leads me, gladly arm
        My soul with angel songs of bliss,
        With true embrace and holy kiss,
    O, winters on the olden farm!