Hugh Rose, a Sketch of His Life by One of His Daughters

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. EVENING OF LIFE. One of the saddest things, in advancing years, is the passing away of one after another of those with whom one has been more or less connected in business or social life. Grandfather felt this very much; latterly he hardly opened a newspaper, that he did not see in the obituary some familiar name. He loved to talk of those friends, especially the ones with whom he had been associated in Christian work. The following beautiful lines were written by him in middle life, but revised not very long ago; the last stanza is considerably altered, so as more correctly to express his feelings in later life. The occasion on which they were composed was a visit to Innerleithen. The last time he had been there, it was in the company of some dear friends, several of whom had since died. LINES WRITTEN ON TWEEDSIDE. I Love to stray, sweet Leithen, on thy banks, Where wild flowers, dressed in lovely colours, shade Thy crystal waters, hurrying from their source Among the mountain wilds, to throw their strength Into the bosom of the silver Tweed; In fondest union with thy sister stream To prosecute thy journey oceanward; Thence, in obedience to the call of Him Who reft thy rocky bed and sent thee forth, To rise to higher spheres and form bright clouds, Which, in their flight, will beautify the skies And bless the verdant fields of distant lands. Sweet emblem thou, of kindred souls entwined In bonds of dear and common sympathy; Their joys, their hopes, their journey's end the same. Roll on thy course, thou bright united stream, Nor grudge the arid heat or scorching wind, Which oft draws from thy surface to the skies Part of thyself, leaving thy channel parched And naked. Thy waters are not lost; But, by a shorter course, have reached the goal Whe...