Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1844-01-26
ELEGANT ExrRAor.-The following IS

ELEGANT ExTRAcr.-The following is
an extract from an Grafton delivered BY
Dr.. George w. Be.hune before the li,era-
ry Societies Of Dickerson's College. The
Grafton opens with the following fine pas
sage:
There is a story told somewhere, Of
one who came back, after long absence,
to the scenes of his youth. He had gone
forth in early adventure to distant lands,
and the hope of return had cheered his
MANY years OF foreign toll, until the noon
of life found him drawing near once more
to the only spot he ever could call home.
His heart beats more and more quickly as
the mountains around the village rose in
the blue distance; then, as ne saw the
spire Of the village church, or the vel re-
membered trees grown old but still green;
and then, as he entered the cheerful street
many dwelling was familiar though
touched by time; but, among the groups
about their thresholds, and those who met
him on the walk, there was not face
that he knew, or that knew him. He pas
sed on through the abodes of the living to
the resting place Of the dead, and there he
found craven on stones, many names that
were written on his soul. All whom he
had hoped to meet again were gone, or
buried or had forgotten him. He was
alone, stranger in his early home. He
paused to look around him. There stood
the venerable edifce within which his
young mind had been trained to learning.
There was the green where he had leaped
and shouted with his fellows. There
| flowed the little stream from the shaded
spring which had so often shaked his
summer thirst. He followed to it the path
deep. beaten in the soil. He stopped and
took one long cool draught; his tears fell
from his head. breathed prayer, and de-
parted to return no more.
with some such emotions does your
orator address you now. A score of years
had passed since he left, for the urgencies
1 of mature life, those academic shades
dear from thousand memories Of happy
youth. They were then populous wilh
|
were directed by the kind and maternal
solicitude of teachers to whose fidelity
gratitude can make sufficient payment
He has trodden the college halls again to-
day, and has seen within them many hap
py faces in the bloom of youth. but those
whom he once loved to greet with frank
regard, are all gone. Some are in the
grave, the rest widely scattered through a
cold world,neyer to know again the buoyant
happiness and careless wealth of affection
that here blessed them and him. But
thanks be TO God the fountain Of truth at
which they drank. still pours forth its liv>
ing waters; the path to it is still deep-beat-
en- by youthful feet. and have come 10
take one draUght of it with you; to send
up prayer TO the Father Of lights, who
causes it to fow-and 60 my way!'
A CALM AT SEA.-A distinguished gentle
man who recently arrived at this port from the
West Indies, among many scenes and incl
dents which he describes as having attracted
his notice during the passage, thus eloquently
por.rays the effects of terrible calm:-
I s..
1--we had no wind-but the sea, the sleepIess
sea. rolled high and fearfully. The sails hung
| 20 the yards-(not to the masts, as poets sinol
empty and forlorn as soldiers bread-bag {:
and every wave that passed US tossed our gal.
liant bark about like piece of degraded hui
manity under the influence of the striped PIC.
The biige water! 0, ye authors of coonhymns,
whose genius mingles with the sewers, assist
me to describe the almost pes,iential efflnvia
that 1t sent up, for my vocabulary is too limit
ed to DO justice to such smell: can only
say it was 'orrid The effects produced may
describe. Our gallant captain, with that sagu-
cious foresight and daring so characteristic Of
the true sailor. saw the danger, and prepared
to grapple with it. He called his crew aft
and addressed them briefly and to the point,
urging them to stand by him to the last. Three
cheers tfrom the crew in response to the cap
i taln's address. partly revived our dropping
spirits. The gallant tars, led on by the daring
captain, now went to work 10 earnest. Hand
spikes were passed through the scuppers, and
over and anon as the vessel rolled, the men
held or by the rails to keep her upright. Eve.
~ effort that seamanship could devise was re-
sorted to IN order to keep our goodly bark on
an even keel, and consequently to quiet the
working OF the 'orrld waters below, but with
out effect.
Weary with exerton, the crew sank one bv
one on the deck, and left the daring captain q.
lone posing the cooks poker on the main
ya'd.arm, despsing TO give up while hope
remained. Still the vessel rolled, and still
the waters breath grew stronger. As the
captain was about to make desperate effort.
the poker slipped from his hand and landed nm
the cooks shins, who bleeding at the nose.
rushed fearfully into the cabin, seized a box
of cigars and demijohn of strong waters. pnd
in voice Of thunder roared. Ssmoke and