Excerpt from Beyond the Shadow

Watched as 10! A trail of lingering light Showed where the moon her silvery form had hid den, Till this was too withdrawn - black grew the night, And dark the clouds rolled past, by storm-elves rid den. Then sudden, in a rift, her beams shone through More glorious bright by far than 'mid a starry blue.

A tree was planted on a lonely height By desolating storm oft devastated; The rudest winds the sapling needs must fight; To human judgment, certain death awaited. But nay! For in the storm which fiercest blew It sank its roots more deep, and stronger, hardier grew.

A barren stick - apparently a thorn, Which unmolested stood amidst the roses, Why leave it there? It never can adorn So fair a garden scene! Yet it discloses, As time goes on, a rare and fragrant flower, And now it stands admired, most beaut'eous bower.

A little seed which under foot was cast Had long within the cold, damp ground been lying; Perchance it thought, My usefulness is past Forgotten am I here, alone, and dying. But from it sprang a plant exceeding fair, With leafy, spreading boughs, and birds sought shel ter there.

A covered cage - a little bird within, Who chirped his protest 'gainst the dark seclusion, Remembering happy days which once had been, Of freedom, light, and blossoms in profusion. But in that waiting time, so dark, so long, With all the world shut out, he found his gift of song.

A maiden, seated at the ivory keys; Her discontent but illy she disguises; No value in repeated scales she sees, No beauty in the simple exercises.

Time wasted, think you? Look again, and see Musician who can wake divinest melody!

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.