Half a year-of cloud and flowers, Half a year of dust and sky.

After the Storm.

(Penciled in the bay-window above the Golden Gate, North Beach, San
Francisco, February 20, 1873.)

All day the winds the sea had lashed, The fretted waves in anger dashed Against the rocks in tumult wild Above the surges roughly piled—­No blue above, no peace below, The waves still rage, the winds still blow.

Dull and muffled the sunset gun Tells that the dreary day is done; The sea-birds fly with drooping wing—­Chill and shadow on every thing—­No blue above, no peace below, The waves still rage, the winds still blow.

The clouds dispart; the sapphire dye In beauty spreads o’er the western sky, Cloud-fires blaze o’er the Gate of Gold, Gleaming and glowing, fold on fold—­All blue above, all peace below, Nor waves now rage, nor winds now blow.

Souls that are lashed by storms of pain, Eyes that drip with sorrow’s rain; Hearts that burn with passion strong, Bruised and torn, and weary of wrong—­No light above, no peace within, Battling with self, and torn by sin—­

Hope on, hold on, the clouds will lift; God’s peace will come as his own sweet gift, The light will shine at evening-time, The reflected beams of the sunlit clime, The blessed goal of the soul’s long quest, Where storms ne’er beat, and all are blest.

Bishop Kavanaugh in California.

He came first in 1856.  The Californians “took to” him at once.  It was almost as good as a visit to the old home to see and hear this rosy-faced, benignant, and solid Kentuckian.  His power and pathos in the pulpit were equaled by his humor and magnetic charm in the social circle.  Many consciences were stirred.  All hearts were won by him, and he holds them unto this day.  We may hope too that many souls were won that will be stars in his crown of rejoicing in the day of Jesus Christ.

At San Jose, his quality as a preacher was developed by an incident that excited no little popular interest.  The (Northern) Methodist Conference was in session at that place, the venerable and saintly Bishop Scott presiding.  Bishop Kavanaugh was invited to preach, and it so happened that he was to do so on the night following an appointment for Bishop Scott.  The matter was talked of in the town, and not unnaturally a spirit of friendly rivalry was excited with regard to the approaching pulpit performances by the Northern and Southern Bishops respectively.  One enthusiastic but not pious Kentuckian offered to bet a hundred dollars that Kavanaugh would preach the better sermon.  Of course the two venerable men were unconscious of all this, and nothing of the kind was in their hearts.  The church was thronged to hear Bishop Scott, and his humility, strong sense, deep earnestness, and holy emotion, made a profound and happy impression on all present.  The church was again crowded the next night.  Among the audience was a considerable number