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!