Marlboro County ScArchives History - Books .....Chapter XXXVIII    1886 1897
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 13, 2007, 11:03 pm

Book Title: A History Of Marlboro County

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
1886.

  The following poem was found among the papers of J. A. W. Thomas at his death.
He evidently wrote it for one of his grandchildren. It may very appropriately
appear as a chapter on the eventful year 1886:

Another mile-post in the march of time, soon we shall have passed,
  And deeply marked the footprints its rapid tread has made ; 
Its entrance icy cold, 'mid winter's storms and howling blast,
  The ground hard frozen oft, in sunshine and in shade. 
In vain we sought the hot-house in which to hide our rare and precious plants;
  Cold entered there, and hope and flowers both withered 'neath its frosted breath.

The growing grain was killed by arctic winter's blast,
  The anxious farmer hoped that summer's heat would atone for winter's death.
Spring came and summer, but alas; such mighty floods of rain,
  The earth was drenched, the lowland crops were drowned, 
O'errun with grass and weeds men toiled but toiled in vain; 
A scanty meager harvest was all the little gain. 
  And then as August numbered out its last long weary day, 
While sons and daughters, worn and weary sought their evening rest,
  A new and startling voice was heard which seemed to say : 
Stand still, O child of clay, till Mother Earth shall find her rest.
       Sleep fled from mortal eyes,
         Strong men grew faint from fear,
       Brave women sent up piteous cries,
        And all were filled with awe. 
Strong buildings rocked, as solid earth upon her stable pillars shook;
  Fair city by the sea! almost destroyed, sent up her wail of woe, 
As scores of people only waked to meet death's cruel stroke.
  And full many a time since that dread night of anxious fear
The strange and solemn sound, unlike all else we ever heard or felt before,
  Has come at intervals to remind the myriads far and near 
Of Power that shakes the earth, uplifts the isles and makes the ocean roar.

And now as chill December comes. 
And makes a three days' march upon her rapid way, 
For three successive days the fleecy snow descends 
To clothe the ground, adorn the leafless forest trees, 
And cause the bells of cheer and joy to ring. 
One day or less of snow has often come before, 
But three successive days in this fair southern clime 
Is quite a new event to old and young.
    Therefore, my dear child, we say without fear 
    "1886, an eventful, earthquake year."


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

A HISTORY OF MARLBORO COUNTY,
WITH
TRADITIONS AND SKETCHES OF NUMEROUS FAMILIES.

REV. J. A. W. THOMAS, AUTHOR.

A wonderful stream is the river Time
  As it runs through the realms of tears 
With a faultless rhythm and a musical rhyme,
And a broader sweep and a surge sublime
  As it blends with the ocean of years.
                        —TENNYSON.

ATLANTA, GA.:
THE FOOTE & DAVIES COMPANY,
Printers and Binders.
1897.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sc/marlboro/history/1897/ahistory/chapterx41gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/scfiles/

File size: 3.5 Kb