--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Alder, Lydia D. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 4 published: 1904-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Lydia D. Alder, "A Missionary’s Farewell to Marguerite," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 4 (February 1904): 263.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera0704unse start_page: 263 end_page: 263 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse publication_year: 1904 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Missionary’s Farewell to Marguerite A MISSIONARY'S FAREWELL TO MARGUERITE. 26^ E'er faithful will I be, my own, my Marguerite — Through life be faithful, or in silent death — Though mem'ry only brings thy warm, sweet breath — 'Neath other, stranger skies I roam with weary feet. Oh, closely, still more closely, come thou to my heart! Ere far away I go, my love, from thee; And plighted ever, let our fond troth be — Thus loving ever and forever, let us part. So far away I'll wander, far away, my love — For duty calls, unchanging, stern decree; But miles and miles will stretch 'twixt thee and me; — But, Marguerite, be true, true as the fixed stars above. Weep not, my Marguerite; God knows what is the best. Our love will conquer time, and change, and place; Again I'll gaze upon thy lovely face — Here, on my heart, my love, my own love, thou shalt rest. At eve, when twilight shadows gently deep ning fall. And stars bespangle heaven's blue arch o'er, My heart will sigh, my love, e'en sigh the more — The evening breeze shall sing to thee my loving call. Gaze on the stars, my love, they ever shine. Though clouds of darkness hide them from our view; Yet to the law assigned they're always true — As in the vault above their radiance chines sublime. Yet not more true are they than we, my Marguerite; For hearts, like stars, must have their darkened hours; Tears ofttimes fall on snowy, waxen flowers — For love is true eternally, my Marguerite. Lydia D. Alder.