Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-10-13
HAPPY AS A KING.

delightful subject In its subject and exc
cution, with this tito has been ,aepared ftgsi
tse Ladys Dock, tah will appear as a frorS
tcepiece IN the October number. II repre-
scnts three children swinging on an old gate,
boy aiding the enterprise, smaller child
upset In its JOY, and setter dog in full cry at
the fun On the upper bar poised aloft, with
hands uPsiretched in unmitigaied JOY is the
king Of the sport
20 that were king" said the urchin.--
"And what would you do" IDOL why,
swing all day on the gate and eat candy
Well. here is king. only more harmless than
most OF them. Would to heaven that the
Cgssrs and Alexanders and Napoleons, and
such like, had spent life in some such way,
swinging on a gate aud eating candy" in
stead OF deserving to swing on the gallows
Happy as king;-happIer: swing on, child
while thou mayest, and God bless thee =
Phiiadefphia Sentinel.
Aye, swing on child, and be happy while
thou mayest. The time is short "Where
| ignorance is bliss, It's folly to be WISE" but
nevertheless, we cent help it, and every step
we take in life helps dispel the illusions Of
| childhood: every day takes from US some hap
Py error never to return. The fugitive en-
chantments of our swaddling clothes are SUI
| persceded by by the frail wonders Of short
| coats or -bouts--these again, we soon
learn to despise; and so we live; we are rea-
soned and ridiculed out of all our jocund mis-
| takes, till the full grown man sees things as
they are and is just wise enough to he misera-
BILE.
| How beautiful is that law of play fulness
which governs the youth of all created ami
mails! How glorious that short-ived era Of
the blood, when school-boys and kittens aud
puppies capcr and dance and swing on the
hx ,T s.t L.. Iat,. xl.sC,
the irresistible gaiety OF young liie--,he OK
ulting spirit Of the newly born-the elemental
ry joyousness which derives no aid from with
out and requires no stimulus-the triumphant
sense OF life bursting out into brief transports.
Bnt If we regret the havoc of our young fan
cies, how much more may we grieve for the
changes which time and knowledge establish
in our moral attribute, our passions, affections,
loves and aversons. Learn, learn, is the cry,
TIL we give up all we love and bear all we
hate While yet in the green spring of life,
untaught and unpracticed, how eager are we
TO trust all that smile upon us to give all we
can to all that want; to love and TO hate as
the heart directs; TO speak what we think, and
all we think; 10 despise all that is despica-
bic to cherish our friends to love our coun-
try for its own sake, and to love religion for
Gods sake. But alas what sad havoc do
instruction, and fashion, and the world, make
with these native impulses and fresh desires
Confidence must learn TO look about her char
ity, TO listen to reason and 10 self; love, how
to keep house over its head hate, not to
make faces; sincerity. to hold its tongue
scorn, TO be polite; gratitude, to forget; pat.
riotlsm, TO get an office; and religion, TO seek
a reward.
"Men are but children Of larger growth
its a great fib. ltwould be a compliment
! ( ia fald MI, ~
infancy, il would be full of attraction and en-
dearmen,' but, stamped with the impress o
the world, with all its tricks, its shufiling wis
dom and political chicane, j; no more resem
bles the open soul OF childhood than sallow
wiZened winter apple skin resembles thu
smoothness, and sottness, and bloom Of il
smiling face. Once in an age indeed, on'
meets man Syho may seem to embody thi
vision OF the Poet, and who is therefore a
happy as a king'-one who has borne the shocl
|, of conflicting interests and passions, untaught
or at least unchanged. who has pushed hi
way through the crowd of this yilinous world
and yet in every respect Of moral simplicity
still wears his bib and tucker, and eats with
spoon. Such person makes but bad fgur
on change and would be gu, OF all decent cos
tune al Court,
, We have known one such individual: Joy
!. Gus baby OF thrne-score, with whom we one
!. wen, bird nesting in company with his grand
e children. II was on spring morning early
A when the dew still sparkled on the grass, anC
e all nature was an image of youth aud fresh
e ness. The grey head might be considered
q liule out OF season, but his cheerful eve, hi
!. lively vani,ies, and ready laugh were in pei
2 feet keeping. Time had Sc, his mark upo
= him, but like an old chestnut, he blossomed I
n the last. Age had slffened his Joints, an
n hardened his sinews; but his affections wer
a full uf spirit and fletibiliiy lie could NJ
!. exactly play at hull-frog, but he could look O
!. with wonderful agility. The simpleinn, ahe
sixty winters, was warm-hearied and disinie
esied: still had faith ia human kindness; an
an immoyable conviction that 10 do good wa
N to be happy, and 10 he thus happy the end
N hts being. lie was not ignorant ofihe use
. power and money. but somehow II was sc
le dom connected IN his mind with more dignihe
N associations than marbles OF sugar plumb
"a an he could never be brought 10 admit,
D. any force Of calculation, that !, was a eompC
% neat pat o, love and friendship.
- In1nlging in ms own feelings, rather tina
y the opinion q lie world. he had shockin
hsb,, Of lsaghins n al sors- AZ gravity nc