New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-11-14
From the Rose of Sharon for 1915.
E U T II A n A STA.
BY MRa.-LJD r.sv
BY MRS. L. J. .. CASE

ucgeo win something OF Its youthful gold her
thin, brown hair, now spnukled with gray. Con-
! trary to the fashion of her years, she wore il
uncovered, and plainly fastened at the back OF
her head, revealing all its fine development, and
the calm, MAJESTIC thoushtfuness Of hsr large,
blue eyes.
Il was the close Of bright June day, aud tue
little lake IL front Of the window sperkled and
| glowed in the descending light, while shadows
crept along ihe iGterstices amongst the trees on
| Ito banks. There was TO wind stirring their
dark, green foliage. Bird and bee had ceased
their melody and toll. Brilliant coruscatiors Of
that noiseless electricity known as heat Lightning
we're Playing along the few thin clouds Tia, how.
cred IN The western sky, else nature might have
| seemed too langud to make even an effort al
morton. 1t was tranquil scene, and its beauty
vent desp into the soul of the 4ged spectator
tee ceepar, re'chance, taat more than half a
century ago she had sat in that spot, and gszed
upon It with the eyes Of hopaiu youth, dreaming
its delightful dreams She was q solitary
dreamer still, yet her visions now wore differ
ent o'oring and character.
There was an expression that might have been
called melancholy, but Tor its sweet serenity, IN
her teep blue eyes, as she set III her honed
hgh-bscked chair, and look out upon the land
scape. Her life had revealed sad passages, Ito
whom does not a heightened one, however fortu-
nate2) but whatever had been its eriefs, they had
subsidized beneath some holier influence, and her
soul was at rest.
But there was now spell on her spirit, with
which the quiet beauty of the scene had little to
do. the Past was around her. Years long
persisted were floating near In the soft, pensive
light. She knew them as they came and looked
into her SOUL for each one had left there its wit
ness but she felt that all other relation was for
ever extinct They had touched her Intimately,
and their lessons remained; but their spectral
forms now spoke of bonds that were sundered
fer ever.
More than two years had passed aince Amy
Hudson came TO dwell in her native home, and
this was the second birth-day;-no wonder that
she was thoughtful, and that the Past came to
her. She had ever been visionary living more
in the inner than the outward life, yet she had
neye. forgotten the claims of duty, friendship,
aad society. Shs had even ,rihed among trifsrs,
and worshipped at the shrines of earthly folly.
But the delusion soon passed. She felt the IN
worthincss Of such worslip, and turned to the
Father of spirits with an humble and contrite
heart
Amidst all the changes of her life, one vision
never foIsook her. 1t was Of her early home.
Ii haunted her amongst tropical groves; novercd
over her pillow in her siumbers; II the dcriun
of sickness it came with intense power; and she
prayed to live, only that she might dc there.
TIE wish had been granted. When the last
one to whom love or duty had bound her In that
alien land had lain down in the unwaklng sleep,
she gathered up her little store, and returned to
claim never relinquished right in the old home
stead, and spead her latest breath where the
La lArs \, hob, ind
her, to whom she had become endeared by long
communion, and went to find home in olden
memories, and grave amongst generation
Who knew her rot, and who smiled at what they
deemed her hallucnation.
Shallow observers were they of the mind, or
they had learned it makes it's own companion.
ship; that it is sufficient for itself, and indepen-
dent of outward, human sympathy. Life had
tqurht this to the lone and aged woman, OF she
had not left circle of friends 10 dwell among
shadows. Nor was she disappointed. Every
thing about her had tongue and language.
The old furniture was iull OF tales Of what had
been. That very chair talked 10 her Of twlhghts
long ego, when she had sat taus and dreamed
maiden dreams: when visions OF q superhuman
per ection and happiness fitted before her. to be
hereafter realized in the name OF lone. That Ola
mirror brought before her not only her own faded
features, but faces tnHt nov are as Tho dust that
hides them, aud there was no shadow oil the grave
on their lineaments, so majestic IN established
faith, or ,oycus in un6iClmed hope. And yet
that mirror w6s no enchanted glass; II Is the
mind alone on whose speculDm nothing grows
dim ard pelisbes, where that which has been re-
yer ceases returning-a!as to the evil-doef,
with msDace anda frown.
The sun had SINK, and shadows were swift ly
falling. TIE ii htnn gs had ceased in the West
EN- horizon A cool breeze had arisen, and from
the trees low quvesiug murnur stole to ine eur
of the listener. The dow had called forth the
sweetness OF leaf and flower, ana heavy per-
jume filed The cir. She still sat by the winco",
watching the broodng night settling lower and
lower upon the earth, while the STARS Looked out
with their mid, loving eyes. They were the
stars of her youth, still malching on their inter
minabe pathway, and they had won NJ weari
ness or dlmne. s, whilst her footsteps had grown
slow, and mists lay upon her eye. The wall Of
tired childhood sounded in the rooms below, but
she ard it not nor the light football of the young
girl upon the stair, she passed to her innocent
end happy sleep. The hushed beauty of the scene
was powe riul on her soul, and her thoughts were
serene even as the star.ighted armament. What
wonder the aged woman still gazed forth into the
night A strange, voiceless melody hreathcd
from all surrounding things, like that heard in
summer twiights of long ago. Nature lsd sung
discords tc hear, maDy, Uery many times since,
bet that, also, was far of, and but dimy remem-
bercd
Twilight faded, and the darkness dsepened.-
Fire flies fitted liSe living Sparks OF light every
side, and the voice of the whippoorwill rose shnll
and clear amidst the gloom. The aged one knew
by the sound that it row sang beneath the tree
where it was wont to sing in her youth. That
young, hourishing Tree, it had grown old and died,
and she blessed the careless husbandry that had
lef; its sspless trunk and skeleton arms as a me-
moral of other days. That bird-rote, 81 clear,
so wild, thea Iivcted her attention, but the mu-
scan was not the same. Years ago the dust OF
lis little frame was scattered by the winds over
hillside and plain She thought solenn'y and
,rustfully of man, and his destiny how thus had
rbled the earlics. progenitor OF that ltilc melo
dist, and thus would sing his latest successor,