FLOWERS FROM ARCADIA A Series of Kondeanx and Verses showing the various Flowers of Affection Wayside of Life that Blossom by the ILLUSTRATED WITH STEEL ENGRAVINGS AND EMBELLISHED WITH CALIFORNIA WILD FLOWERS Gbristmas Greeting JAMES T WHITE Copyright, 1884 JAMES T WHITE 23 Dupont St., &> CO., Publishers San Francisco /i Ms DEDICATION J~\EAR friend, though seen by other eyes, "^^^ Your heart must read through What tender meaning underlies all disguise, This Christmas Greeting: for you these humble flowers grow; To you their sweet-breathed greetings go, The message you already know Once more repeating 611115 PRELUDE /I BOOK of songs, A loaf, Beside Oh ! me a jar of wine, and Thou, dear friend of then the Wilderness Arcadia indeed would be to me, So great would be my happiness Paraphrased from the Persian of 'T~* O A ready Then mine, in the Wilderness; let Omar Khayyam hast thou ne'er been? me %ive the mystic key, The password that shall take To Arcady thee in LOVE Love that worketh charity; That holdeth all mankind as kin; That beareth human sympathy Love the only door therein; " " Love, the open sesame Whereby thou may'st an entrance is And To Arcadv win CONTENTS Dedication Prelude Admiration I Nemophila, II Columbine, Entanglement Brodiaea, Devotion III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII Platystemon, Chlorogalum, Entreaty Scarlet Larkspur, Betrothal Manzanita, Marriage Fritillaria, Paternity Geyser Lily, Mariposa Lily, Thurberia, XIV California Azalea, XV Longing Tricostema, XIII XVI Confession Absence Ceanothus, Anniversary Solicitude Com memoratio Retrospection Eschscholtzia, Twilight Clematis, Trust L'Envoi FLOWERS FROM ARCADIA CALIFORNIA AZALEA RETROSPECTION 'T'HE A Christmas Bells from hill and tower To-night their benedictions shower; on the waves of their sweet chimes, And Fond thoughts of home and olden times through memory's Golden Gate Deep laden with love's precious freight, They speed their homeward course to-night Set sail : Across the sea with Ariel O who you, flight wait returning sails, Whose eyes hope long-deferred o'erveils With lowering clouds, take heart again! For Of lo unseen through mist and rain thousand white-winged keels, ! tears, a on billowy Christmas Afloat Seek haven Home Dear peals, your hearts to-night, guided by love's beacon light in friends, though sundered far and wide; varied quests our thoughts divide, these rich argosies of love Though May My tender, faithful May And Your they to-night in this festive memory prove; new love awake, season make hearts forget the old farewells, In greetings brought by Christmas Bells ESCHSCHOLTZIA TWILIGHT A S ** children, And Around when the day twilight deepens, the evening fireside is done one by one come With happy faces; home with quiet cheer, And drawing every heart more near In perfected affection's dear Brightening the And fond embraces : So may sweet memories come to you; And whisp'ring the old love anew May thoughts of those long lost to view May their Around you cluster : fond greetings so delight That you forget the gathering night, While earth's horizon grows more bright With heavenly Without a thought of vain Then may luster regret, these latter days be set In Joy's completed coronet, Heaven's richest dower: May And A they with blessings be replete; be, in Love's reunion sweet, season when loved memories meet, Life's twilight hour CLEMATIS TRUST RONDEAU hearts are dust, hearts' loves remain, IF And somewhere, Of That bounds And far above the plane earthly thought, beyond the sea meet thee this life, they will hold thee face to face again And when is done Life's restless reign, If I hereafter but regain Heart's love, why should I troubled be, If hearts are dust? By Love's indissoluble chain, I know the grave does not detain The very faith Heart's love Is Where pledge of an eternity, I shall find heart's love again, If hearts are dust in me TRICOSTEMA (BLUC CURLS.) SCARLET LARKSPUR L'ENVOI r l ^HA T I might share with Enjoyment Memory On these fair pages little bits And color here Sometimes in thee, brings, and there a dear friend, the sweet Tve sought to lay of tint study, worked, smiles, sometimes in tears, if they Perchance might hold thy wandering thoughts awhile, And lead thee back to Arcady and me ... Anniversary Solicitude Com memoratio Retrospection Eschscholtzia, Twilight Clematis, Trust L'Envoi FLOWERS FROM ARCADIA NEMOPHILA ADMIRATION Camoens wrote a sonnet to his sweetheart, Catrina, the refrain... And My lily smiles, head but ties heart with subtle thread Drawn from her eyes She prisons me, But then, ah me! Her dungeon takes from All wish for liberty me : Her sweet bond blesses me, Her smile... Me On from all ignoble things: Imagination's wings Taught me how and to soar, find Rarest pleasure in the mind Taught me Life's dull incompleteness Without Love's renewing sweetness: : From the