aimed, in agony and
dismay--WHITHERWARD! WHITHERWARD!

"The question is now solved. The revolution may not come in the year
allotted you, but so surely as St. Paul spoke inspiration, so surely as
science elicits truth, so surely as the past prognosticates the future,
the natural world must pass into the spiritual, and everything be
changed in the twinkling of an eye. Watch well! your own ears may hear
the clarion note, your own eyes witness the transfiguration."

Slowly the vision faded away, and left me straining my gaze into the
dark midnight which now shrouded the world, and endeavoring to calm my
heart, which throbbed as audibly as the hollow echoes of a drum. When
the morning sun peeped over the Contra Costa range, I still sat silent
and abstracted in my chair, revolving over the incidents of the night,
but thankful that, though the reason is powerless to brush away the
clouds which obscure the future, yet the imagination may spread its
wings, and, soaring into the heavens beyond them, answer the soul when
in terror she inquires--WHITHERWARD!

[Decoration]

XVI.

_OUR WEDDING-DAY._

I.

A dozen springs, and more, dear Sue,
Have bloomed, and passed away,
Since hand in hand, and heart to heart,
We spent our wedding-day.
Youth blossomed on our cheeks, dear Sue,
Joy chased each tear of woe,
When first we promised to be true,
That morning long ago.

II.

Though many cares have come, dear Sue,
To checker life's career,
As down its pathway we have trod,
In trembling and in fear.
Still in the darkest storm, dear Sue,
That lowered o'er the way,
We clung the closer, while it blew,
And laughed the clouds away.

III.

'Tis true, our home is humble, Sue,
And riches we have not,
But children gambol round our door,
And consecrate the spot.
Our sons are strong and brave, dear Sue,
Our daughters fair and gay,
But none so beautiful as you,
Upon our wedding-day.

IV.

No grief has crossed our threshold, Sue,
No crape festooned the door,
But health has waved its halcyon wings,
And plenty filled our store.
Then let's be joyful, darling Sue,
And chase dull cares away,
And kindle rosy hope anew,
As on our wedding-day.

[Decoration]

[Decoration]