Life’s River: A Poem

734 IMPROVEMENT ERA. love hovered over you that night as you closed your eyes in tire d sleep. Again came weary days and nights of watching—another loved one was carried from the house—within a fortnight another little loved one was carried to the silent city. A phantom seemed to haunt your mind sleeping or awake. It whispered, your own words, "Those who are joined together on earth shall be joined in heaven, but you are not." A few month's later the sad watch was held once more in that home, but you, dear friend, were not watching this time, only waiting. The doctors said it was a slow fever; yet, as I stood and heard the dull sound of the cold sod strike the box that contained your mortal remains, I said to myself: "You died as others have died, as some still live, with a broken heart, but not a broken faith." Life's River. {For the Improvement Era.) Life's river rolls forever on— Life's river deep and wide— On it we glide, with laugh and song, Or tears when woes betide. It woos us softly, oft to rest Enwraps in slumbers deep; While overhead the stars attest Their watchcare while we sleep. 0 Father, guide each tiny bark, Lest billows o'er it roll; 0 may it never miss the mark, The ideal of the soul! Through calm, or over surging waves, May we reach port at last, Protected by the Power that saves From ev'ry stormy blast Lydia D. Alder.