Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-06-14

u stood alone amidst the bursting Of young caves
and the dccsy 81 the old once. I sat down beside
II. little brook gafglcd at my f',t-a low faint
melody, iosi sudible-noi the glad singing Of The
hili brock, bu; a monrnful murmur-a sound tha,
well accorded with my solitary violet. Had there
been bed of ihose lovely flowers. should hsye
wished for the singing voice Of liver. all silver
aud sunshine bat the brook had Low sound. and
there vas bot violet ! 80, IN silence. aud ga
ned upon II; wondered if the deep alleys in som
erbywood yet contained these sweet flowers.
solitary flower. sweet violet, how small
Key. opens the door Of memory how the veil roll
cd from the face OF time. the gray, the forgotten
years moved before me became a youth;-Psfk
--hoose--helds-tose upon my sight; a lovely gid
hnng upon nv srm--shc bore basket now her
lace vas hidden BY the stem uf a mighty tree a.
gam Ter WINE Elrtie iaintly glanced between the
thick underwood, as she few from my sight 10
search Of viocis anon she emerged from behind
the broom covered bank. then stood ike an angel
~ light between me and the sky. Aud theD clio.
sed The leaves on Comus, aud VIC listened IN the
old wood for another voice,
ro,mo5th tn, ravea down of i.rknes. tn 1t smiled
And trees started into enchanters and spirits sung
IN the brook. We saw their long hair wave in tie
vsier-isgs. Then We grew bold, and threaded
far, just far to see her lovely figure hurrving
TO and fro, aud calling upon my uame then she sa,
down in despair on the green moss, her white dra-
perry
Made sunshine in a shady place
and thought Of Una. knot of wild lilies of the
valley shot up beside her, ike milk white lamb
Then stole gently up TO her-"How could you
leave met" looked on her sweet face on her
usu tlp D.,J in, acb
just reaching the margin of tears and my heart e.
preached me, and wondered how could leave
her for moment; then bound our volets IL little
bundles and she soon forgave me: Oh | could have
hidden myself behind the trees again, TO be so
sweetly forgiven But she left me--Death stole
her-how ] have hated him ever since, And the
dead leaves that were strewn around my lonely Vi
olet, seem neat emblems for thing so y for
then ] thought of her. No, those bright leaves
that e,ered round the stalk ~ my little flower,
were not so sunny as her sken locks nay, the
blue Of her eve would shame the flowers radiance
and her lips--so exquisite and TO die SO young
and with her heart filled with love! Oh would
sooner that spring had withheld its flowers for evet
The sweetest violet that ever blowed withered
when she died-the woods will never bear such
enntbsr
A little flower had assumed the reins Of my
thoughts how feeble u charioteer can drive the
fancy, Within one short hour had visited the old
fores, of Sherwood. Robin Hood in bis garb of
Lincoln green, followed by his many outlaws, had
swept before me. The bugle had sounded through
the glimmering gades, aud rude dr.nkng-ho!ns
were seen waved to and fro by powerful arms. keep
ing chorus to the loud Derry Down that rang be-
meath the greenwood tree.
The dark groves Of Newsead had again risen
before the Already Of England, where the the nigh.
" minded Byron had so often trod. Again trav-
ersed those violet scattered soltudes, again paced
the long oaken galleries Of that ancient abbey, lift
ed his skul-cap to my lips. rugged with ;be dregs
of the blood red wine seeing the smooth lakes on
whose surface he loved to ride, or within their sui
len depths TO plunge. The ruined window with
it's eternal ivy; the old fountain with its quaint im
ogery the solemn clois,ers, the rusted armour, the
satyrs partly covered with the green 'noss-bis
impressive portrait above the vide fire pacc-had
ell risen before me as distinctly as when first saw
them.
Tha, simple violet brought the velvet valley OF
Sneinton before my minds eye-,he rocky hermit
age the fowery banks, which loved to sit and
angle IN the sunrise Of morning, or the gray tw.
light Of eve. The inny-trbe had but few charms
for me, unless II To them leap up and seat.
ter the looseucd SILVER spray of the river, like fairy
stars in the sunshine, then glide way beneath the
clear water. The dreaming trees, the distant bills
basking in their variegaed beauty, the ruslihg Of
slender flags, the rising and falling of tie wafer
lines, the breeze sweeping across the long grass
the tall willows bending To their own shadows IN
the rver the slow clouds mfrored below-all these
were sights and sounds that accorded well with my
varying mcods. Then those dead leaves close
/ ly surrounding an object Of beauty On, how like
past pleasures they seemed-the dark night closing
upon a sunny day, the grave surmouning flower
bed the bier placed IN ballroom the funeral bell
knell,ng bomeward the wedding party, the slow
muiiied footsteps Of death stealing noiselessy be-
hind ne
What changes had taken place since last saw
a violet. Could forget tive dark room The narrow
window on which the sunbeams beat not, lest they
should become prisoners. Hope bad whispered
me swas from my green bdls; Ambition had aor-
: Cd ne from ny quiet woods and They had oil for
sAken tne--eyen Patience grew weored with long
watching, and bent over the pale psTor her paler
cheek. Bul memory went not away: she sttii rec
oguized the blue sky and the bright sunshine and
/ sighed whcr she thought on such mornings. How
+ fair The prmroses gtew m Clifton Grove what a
F pugi No soug there was then Ia he green woods .