From the st. Louis Eceming Gazette.
i TWENTY YEARS AGO. stts.
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I've wandered to the village, Tom; Pve sat be-


meath the tree,


Upon the school house play ground, which shell
lals4a tered you and me; H Hr ess38
But none were there to greet me, Tom, and few


were left to know,


That playedwith US upon the green, some twen-


ty years ago. st.4..s
The grassis jastas green, Tom; bare-footed boys
Were sporting Just as we did then, with spirits
| sf Just as gay; 4f#5s,ssss sFsf f E-ft9E .-.s.t
But the ssMastcr" sleeps upon the hill, which,
T. Is coated o'er with snow, 8a sa =
Afforded us sliding place, justtwenty years ago.
The old school-house is altered some; the bench.
| es are replaced,


BY new ones, very like the same, our pen-knivc:
| ,.i had defaced; Vai 8&i As 81sa8se8
But the same old bricks are in the wall, the bel
! swings to and fro .4t# ttaa
It's music's just the same, dear Tom, 'twas TWEEN
| ty years ago.


The boys were playing some old game, beneath
do forget the name just now--yoo've played the
same with me f.s.....s.
| On that same spot: twas played with knives BY
throwing so and so,
The loser had task to do--there, twenty year.
ago.


The rivers running just as still, the pillows on
5sft its side, at *'4 ~
Are larger than they were, Tom; the stream ap.
| pears less wide
But the grapevine swing is ruined now, where
T. once we played the beau, 7 8a.
And swung our weethearts-'spretty girls"-
just twenty years ago. a@@8 .7'.ess
The spring that bubbled meath the hill close BY
the spreading beech .ifsma a.@
Is very low-'twas once SO high, we could al
most reach,


And kneeling down to get drink, dear Tom,
To see how much that am changed, since twen-
ty years ago. s 3faasa
Near by the spring. upon an elm, you know !
| cut your name, a
did mine the same.
Some heartless wretch had pealed the bark, 'twas
dying sure but slow,


Just as that one, whose name you cut died twen-
~ years ago. st a.s
My lids have long been dry, Tom, but tears came
I thought Of her loved so well, those early bro
ken ties. HE.4 s
| visited the old church yard, and took some
a@' flowers to strew
Upon the graves Of those we loved, some twenty
years ago.


Some in the church-yard laid-soue sleep be
meath the sea,


Bat fsw are left of our old class, excepting you


and me. Us


And when our time is come, Tom, and we are


called to go,


hope they'll lay US where we played, just twen-


ty years ago.