Beautiful Snow.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 56, 18 June 1908, Page 6

Beautiful Snow.

During the American war, one dark winter's morning, there died at the Commercial Hospital, Cincinnati, a young woman of twenty-two, who had been possessed of an enviable share of beauty, " flattered and sought for the charms of her face f but, alas! she had fallen from virtue. Once the pride of her parents, highly educated and accomplished in her manpers, she might have shone in the best society. But the evil hour that proved her ruin came when she had gone but a few steps from the door of childhood, and, having spent a young life in disgrace and shame, the poor, friendless girl died the melancholy death of a brokenhearted outcast.

Among her personal effects was tound, in manuscript, a poem, entitled ''Beautiful Snow.'' This was sent to the editor of The National Union, in the columns of which it appeared next morning. It was as follows

Ob, tho snow, tho beautiful snow, Pilling the sky find earth below, Ovor tho housetops, over oho street, Ovor the heads of tho people you moet; Dancing—flirting—skimming along, Beautiful snow 1 it can do no wrong ; l 1 lying to kiss a fair lady's cheek, Clinging to lips in frolicsome freak, Beautiful snow, firom heaven above; Pure as an angol, gentlo as lovo. Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow, How tho flakes gather ajid laugh as they go; Chasing—laughing— hurrying by. Thoy light on the face and they sparkle the eye, And tho dogs with a bark and an oagcr bound, Snap at the crystals that eddy around; The town is alive, and its heart in aglow, To welcome tho comiug of beautiful snow I Still the crowd goes swaying along, Hailing each other with humour and song; Sleighs like bright meteors flashing by, Bright for the momant.then lost to the oye. Hinging—swinging—dashing they go Over the crust of the beautiful snow; Soon to be trampled by thousands of feet, Till it blends with the tilth in the horrible street,

Oaco I was pure as tho siimv—but I fell— Fell like the snowflakos from Heaven to

hell, Fell to bo trampled as filth in the street. Fell to be scoffed, to be spit on, and beat; Pleading— cursing—dreading to die, Selling my soul to whoever would buy; Dealing in shamo for a morsel of bread, Haling the living, and fearing the dead. Merciful God, haye I fallen so low ?

And yet I was onoe like the beautiful snow

Once I was fair as the beautiful snow, With an eye like a crystal, a heart like its glow; * Once I was loved for my innoconfc grace— Flattered and sought for the charms of my face I Father—mother—sisters and all, God and myself I have lost by my fall; The veriest wretch that goes shivering by Will, make a wide sweep lest I wander too nigh, For all that is on or above me I know There is nothijag so pure as the beautifu.' snow. 1

How strange it should be that this beautiful snow Should fall on a sinner with nowhere to gol How strange it should be when the night comes aguin, If the snow and the ice struck my des* perate brain. Fainting—freezing—dying alone, Too wicked for prayer, 100 weak for a ' moan To bo heard in tho streets of tho crazv town, Gone mad in the joy of snow coming down; To be and to die in my terrible woe, With a bed and a shroud of tho beautiful snow. » • • m

Helpless and foul as the trampled snow, Sinner, deapitir not 1 Christ stoopeth low To rcscuo tho soul that is lost in sin, And raise it to !ifo and enjoyment again. Groaning—bleeding—dying for thee, Tho Crucified hung on the cursed tree I His accents of mercy fall soft on thine ear. "Is there mercy for me ? Will He heed my weak prayer ?" 0 God 1 in mo stream that for sinners

did flow , Wash me, and I shall be/whiter than snow.

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