Or, art thou from the star-gem’d vault of Heav’n, Perchance the music of some distant sphere, That faintly echoes on the gales of even, To claim from earth—grief’s solitary tear? Art thou the revelling of some fairy sprite, Tripping the dewy world fantastically, To keep its tryst beneath the clear moonlight, Awak’ning tones of deepest minstrelsy? Or, art thou, breathing from a holier clime, A voice, that calleth tremulously low; To lure the enraptured soul to things divine, Far from deluding joys it meets below? Thou com’st with inspiration ’mid thy sighing, A melody, unearthly and unknown; A mingled strain, that on the night-breeze dying, Wakens the heart-strings to thy thrilling tone. Recalling wanderings of the spirit-past, The wayward visions of our fleeting youth; The ling’ring day-dreams that in mem’ry last, Untouch’d by Time’s realities of truth. Again we roam where forest-shadows blending, Ring with the gladness of our playful hours, Along the murm’ring stream once more we’re wending, Lured by the sunny mead, soft winds, and flowers— Or, oft renew the link that death hath broken, The cherish’d dead—again recall to view; Hear ’mid thy varied tones, the fond words spoken, That erst from sorrow’s fount deep anguish drew. And fairest visions float through Fancy’s fane, Caught from the soul’s illuminated shrine; Elysian forms, that purer realms retain, Thoughts of the blest, ethereal, and divine. Earth too is mingling with her mortal hours, The touching softness of her gentle things; And Love—deep-gushing Love—with winged powers, Chimes with the ecstacy each wild note brings. Hast thou not sounds to rouse the soul to madness, To flattering joys—emotions long enshrined; Deep silent melodies of youthful gladness, That spring unbidden to the raptur’d mind? This, then thou art—the power of plaintive measure, To call forth passion by the wind-swept wire; To mingle Hope, with memory’s sad pleasure, This is thy power—Oh! sweet Æolian lyre. A. F. H. * * * * * THE REEFER OF ’76. BY THE AUTHOR OF “CRUISING IN THE LAST WAR.” THE MESS-ROOM.