Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1845-09-18
So wildly, spiritually bright;
Who ever gazcd upon them shining,
And turned to Earth without replning;

WIN eVeI SdIcu upoH tneIn SHINING,
!. And turned to Earth without repining;
Nor wished for wings to flee away,
And mix with their eternal ray.
The waves OH either shore lay there
Calm, clear, and azure as the air:
And scarce their foam the pebbles shook
But murmnred meekly as the brook
We'll, to proceed with my story, wa!
completely enthraled with the visions u
the Poet. renowned the notion oftrav
eIIng and mere boy as was then de-
termlned to be Poet Coeval with this
determlnationl fell in love with a young
girl, year older than myself, who had
come to pay her accustomed visit to her
father, a neighbor whose plantation
joined my fathers. Her mother had died
when she was but five years old and be-
ing an only child her remaining parent
thought it would be for his daughters
benefit, TO live with sister of his who
resided IN Mobile, with the exception of a
few weeks she spent with her father
every summer her entire time
was passed at her aunt's. | had al
ways seen her on her annual visits, and
we had formed sort of friendship Cor
each other. But on occasion of the visit
ofwhich am now speaking, she had
changed so much, being transformed to
the lady, that when went to welcome
her back, | felt sly and bashlul in her
presence, which Was symptomatc of a
deeper feeling than mere friendship. Our
girls you know mature early They a.
dorm the parior, while Northern girls at
the same age are playing hide snd seek
in the kitchen. But the Northern girls
in the race of maturation make up in bot
tom, what they lack in speed. Con-
sequently at fourteen or fifteen, though
they may be verdant and awkward, at
eighteen not unlrequently weighing two
hundred pounds each, they are as graceful
in their manners as that quantum Of flesh
upon their bones will permit them to be.
But l am wandering from my subject
After few visits felt perfectly at home,
and called as Familiarity as ever with Bet
sey. That was her name by Cd, I'M
poetical as it may be. She was extreme
Iy beautiful. But it would be impossible
to tell what particular grace it was, that
rendered her so. She united at least it
seemed so to me, all the graces in her
person Her form was tall, but delicately
graceful her locks, like Lucy Ashton's S
described by Scott, were of shadowy
gold and divided on brow of exquisite
Wilderness, like CLEAN of broken and
pallid sunshine upon hill of snow. AS
my requirements were much beyond my
age, so was my susceptibility. My heart
was of finder, and she the match that set
it on flame, was miserable except when
with her. We read together walked
aud played together, And when after
an evenings walk or ride | returned to my
fathers it was only TO count the tedious
hours that were to separate me from my
sweetheart, and wish they would add
wings to its speed. One Saturday even
ing after walking in the garden gathering
flowers, of which she was passiona:ely
fond, we arranged to 60 next day after
church service, to mound about the dis
lance of half mile from her fathers, in
search of daisies. Delighted in anticipa
ton of the pleasure, the next day was to
afford, | returned home late in the even
ing, and to pass away the time, read
few verses that treat of Don Juan's ma
nGvres. Verses by the by which as they
seem to make us stand upon the ceiling
should not be read by men, much less by
hovs
When | woke next morning It was raining
violently. saw at once that | should not
only be declared the pleasure of stealing
glance of Betsey at church, but also
the exquisite enjoyment of the walk. |
am thus particular in mentioning all these
little circumstances, for, as you will pres
emily see, it was my disappointment, on
that occasion that produced my first poe
try. paced my room, feeling as miser-
able to use the term of Barns as the
hopeless wretch. who has got his mlltm-
us--Depart from me ye aCcused.' This
state Of mind was moi endurable, and
determined to 60 and seee Betsey in the
evening, rain or shine. gave this de-
termination expression in verse. Being
my first poetical efl'usion | will repeat it
toyou.
love fairy form of light
Her name it is Miss Betsey,
I'll 90 and see her this very night
If God Almighty let's me.