MRS. ANNE MONTGOMERY PEYTON.
of "montgomery hall," augusta county, va.
True daughter of Virginia's soil,
Scion of a noble race,
Thy virtues, tho' by bards unsung,
Hold in fond heart's a place,
Which time with its dark sullen tide
Can ne'er dim or efface.
Reared in a "sweet sequestered vale,"
Where flowers the fairest grew,
And blossoms on their native hills,
In beauty's varying hue;
Mere crystal streams down Mountain's side
Bright sprays of silver threw.
And thou, so like those blushing flowers,
Whose buds the Sun's soft ray
Had kissed, until new beauties burst
With every dawning day,
And thy young heart free as those streams
Whose waters idly play.
Endowed with learning's richest gift,
A bright peculiar star,
Thou mov'dst in social widening range,
With not a shade to mar
Or dim the lustre soft and bright
That blazed and shone afar.
The mystic spell of nature's charms
Thy being closely bound,
And in each changing, passing scene,
Thou some new pleasure found,
And youthful hopes, and youthful dreams,
By fortune's smile was crowned.
And when removed to other spheres,
The love that warmed thy breast
Shed 'round its rays with power that soothed
Sad, aching hearts to rest,
For of all gifts to fellow-man
Sweet sympathy's the best.
Then children gamboled 'round thy knee,
In childhood's glad delight,
Thy watching eye marked well the road
Which led them to the right;
The straight and narrow way which leads
Up to the heavenly height.
True daughter of Virginia's soil,
Mother of an honored race,
Thy memory in thy children's hearts,
Still holds its loyal place,
And years in their mad sweep and rush,
Will ne'er dim or efface.
Wren's "Echoes from the heart," p. 214.