THE
FUNERAL AT
(Augustine
Heard)
With
a faint voice,-who spoke of Augustine;
A
blind old man, -but in his tone was music,
Because
he told me what my friend had been.
He
said but truth; yet in that simple story
Of
a good life, brought roundly past fourscore,
It
seemed to me there was a certain glory
Which
I in goodness never saw before.
He
said: He was all honor, not a shadow
Of
meanness ever fell upon his fame."
He
said: " He was all kindness, -orphan, widow,
The
poor, the broken-hearted, blessed his name."
His
labor brought him riches; but that saying
About
"the camel and the needles eye,"
Came
not near him; his dollars were as mirrors
Whose
light he multiplied his goodness by.
When
late I saw those dark men out of
Rolled
through our street -the scholars of
Methought:
" Well, our ambassador before
them
Went
to their empire with less proud array."
Those
noble merchants, without steel or banners,
Carried
trade East,-and now the East is ours ;
Their
trade was not in talk, but their words planted
Faith
between the oldest and the youngest powers.
Well,
there be good men many among merchants
Enough
to temper down Life's bitter leaven;
Was
there not a scribe to whom the Master whispered,
"
Friend, thou art not far from the