Bear River, Petoskey.

I come from the depths of a crystal lake–

       Hid in a fernv shadowy brake .

Where nature reigns supreme;

       So far from the city's din and strife,

Where the farmer can make his happy life

       As fair as a summer dream.

Ah yes! we know aspiring wings

       Are reaching out for bigger things.

Heart-throbbings never cease;

       But they must count the boundless wealth

Of happy homes and ruddy health.

       And independence, peace.

Unlimited hopes are the farmer's own

       With a mighty power behind the throne;

Be it in palace or hut;

       The childrens play-things birds and flowers;

As fair as a life in Eden's bowers,

       Before the gates were shut.

Rjpple and sing as I go along-

       Give out to the world such a merry song.

As I from home depart.

       I ramble around the tree clad hills,

Hold out my hand to the baby rills

       With a welcome to my heart.

And who can tell the fun and joy

       I hold in store for the barefoot boy

Who comes here shouting down?

       With heart so big for a social chat–

A sparkling eye, and a rimless hat,

       With an airy hole in the crown.

A new-cut pole in the unwashed hands

       On a mossy log he teetering stands.

Balancing on one heel;

       He'll have his feet in the waters cool,

Dip and fish in the shady pool,

       With make believe line and reel.

What cares he if his hat is torn.

       He'll rise with the lark and a song each morn,

His trousers fringed and damp;

       He has no fears for a future dim–

To-day and the river are all to him,

       For he holds Aladdin's lamp.

O’ Come! ye tired of heart and brain.

       In these cooling shades repose attain–

Come where life's turmoils cease!

       Your days enshrined, in sunshine's gold.

Your nights in happy dream enfold

       A paradise of peace.

O come here with your fairy boat!

          On my bosom rock and float,

While resting on the tide;

          Swelling with the gentle breeze,

Mirrored  with the stately trees,

          Where swallows dip and glide.

The dragon-fly in azure gown,

          And butterflies in gold and brown,

With a song-birds happy tone;

          Wide -open eyes, and wings unfurled,

The busiest things in all the world–

          To-day is theirs alone.

Where the velvet fern-fronds grow,

          Where the waxen lillies blow,

So pure among the weeds;

          As ancient days when sylvan Pan,

Chased the wood-nymph as she ran,

          To music in the reeds.

So in tangled woods we hear,

     Enchanting strains come floating near

To greet our listening ears;

     When woodlands spirits soft and fleet,

The spirit of the waters meet,

     Then music of the spheres.

The happy campers in the woods,

     Enjoy their various tastes and moods–

No torn dress frets, nor stain;

     Lively men with matrons too;

Dainty girls in pink and blue

     At childrens play again

And now I take a headlong course-

     Rumble and roar with centered force,

The vale with echoes fill;

     To thrifty men reach out an arm,

With a secret whisper-dollar charm–

     And rush on the busy mill.

Now out I come out from the frothy  riot–

     You can scarcely hear I am so quiet,

In the sunshine fair and free;

     Saunter by the sandy ridge.

And softly flow ‘neath the great high bridge

     To my home in the Inland sea.

          My life shall glide

          With the mighty tide

O’er shores of the Inland sea.

Shall I say farewell ? no indeed not I!

     My life runs on to a clearer sky.

From the mystery of sun and rain–

     In cooling mists I ascend on high-

From clearer skies come bye and bye.

     And live over and over again.

                             Mary A. Stranger.

PETOSKEY RECORD