The Palmer's Vision

Noon o'er Judea ! All the air was beating With the hot pulses of the day s great heart ; The birds were süent ; and the rill, retrcating bhrank in its covert, and coinplained apart, When a lono pilgriru, with his scrip and burdon, Dropped by tbe way-side weary and distressed, His sinking heart grown faithless of its guerdon - The city of hi8 recompense and reet. No visión yet of Galilee and Tabor ! No glimpse of distant Zion thronged and crownedl Behind liiin stretched his long and uaeless labor, Beforo hun lay the parched and etony grouna. He leaned against a Bhrinc of Mary, casting Ita balm of shadow on bis aching head, And worn with toil, and faiut with cruel fasting, He sighed : " O God ! O God, that I were dead ! The f rieuds I leve are iost or lef t behind me ; In penury and lonelmess I roam ; These endlesa patha of penanco choke and blind me ; Oh come and take thy wasted pilgrim home I" Then with the form of Mary bonding o'er hiw, Her hands in changeless benediction stayed, The pahner elept, while a swift dream upbore him To the fair paradise for which he prayed. He stood alone, wrapped in divinest wonder ; He saw the poarly gates and jaeper walls Informed with üght, and heard the far-off thundei Of chariot wheelB andmighty waterfalls ! From far and near, in rhythmic palpitations, Ros-e on the air the noiee of shouts and psalms ; And through the gates he saw the ransoined nations, Marching and waving their triumphant palms. And white within the thronging Empyrean, A golden palm-branch in his kingly hand, He saw hitj Lord, the graeions Galiiean, Amid the worship of his myriuds stand I " O Jesua ! Lord of glory ! Bid me enter ! I worship thee ! I kiss thy holy rood !" Tlis pilgrirw criedt when from the burniug center A broad-winged angel songht him where he stood. " VTixy art thou here i" in accents deep and tender üutspoke the meesenger. " Dost thou not know That none may win the city's rest andsplendor, vnio io not cut their palrus in Jericho? 11 Go back to earth, thou palmer empty-handod ! Go back to hnnger and the toilsome way ! Complete the task that duty hath commanded, And win the pahn thou hast not brought to-day !" And then the slceper woke and gazed around him ; Then, springing to bis feet with life renewcd, He Bpurned the faithiess weakness that had bound him; And, f aring on, his pilgriniage pureued. The way was hard and he grew halt and weary. But one long day, among the evening hours, He saw beyond a landscape gray and dreary The BunBet flame on Salem'a sacred towers ! O, fainting soul that readest well this story, Longiui; through pain for dealh'sbenignanfbalm, iink not to win a heaven of rest and glory If thou shalt reach its gates without thy palm ! - Scribner for Februari.