Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-10-09
p o E &c AL.
From Graham's Magazine.
THE SPELLS OF MEMORY.

IT MHo. NJ. ~ M DONALD.
II is strange perhaps the s:rangest of the
mind's Intricacies-the sudden, the instanta
neOns manner in which memory, by a single
signal. casts wide the doors OF one Of those darl
s'ore-honses, in which long passed events have
been shut up for years. That signal, be it :
look, tone. an odor, single sentence, is iht
eabalistic word Of the Arabian tale. at the Pc
tent magic Of which the door of the cave OF thu
robber Forgetfulness is cast suddenly wide .ano
all the treasures that lie had concealed display.
ed.--JAMEs
II was but the note Of summer bird,
but dream Of the past in my heart it stirred
And waited me far 10 breezy spot.
Where blossomed the blue forget me not.
And the broad green bongIis gave checkeret
CLEAN
10 the dancing waves Ola mountain stream,
And there, in the heat Of a summer day,
Again on the velvet turf lay,
And saw bright shapes in The floating clouds,
And rear d fair domes, mid their fieet.y shrouds
AS looked alott to the azure sky,
And longed for birds soft plumes to fly,
Till lost in its depths purity.
Alas! | have walked from that early dream,
Far, far away is the mountain stream,
And the dewy turf, where SO Oft lay,
And the woodland flo ~ers, they are tar away.
And the skies that once to me We're 50 blue
Now bend above with darker hue,
And yet may wander in fancy back
At memory's call to my childhood's track,
And The fount of tho't had been deeply stirred
by the passing note of summer bird.
1t was but the rush of the autumn wind,
But it left spell of the past behind,
And was abroad with my brothers twain
In the tangled paths of the wood again:
Where the leaves were rustling meath out feet,
And the gales of October were fresh s. sweet,
And the merry shout of our gleesome mood
Was echoed far in the solitude,
AS we caught the prize which kindly breeze
Sent down in shower from the chestnut trees.
Oh! weary time hath passed away
Since my brothers were out by side at play;
4 weary time, with its weight Of care,
And its toll in the city Is crowded air.
And lis pining wish for the hill tops high,
For the laughing stream'a and the clear blue sky;
For the shaded deli, and the leafy halls
VI the old green wood where the sunlight falls
But see the haunts of my early days,
The old green wood where the sunshine plays,
And the flashing stream in its course of light
And the Hill tops high, and the skies so bright
And the silent depths of the shaden dell
Where the twilight shadows at MONDAY fell
And tn mighty charm which hath conjur'd these
Is nought, save the rush Of the autumn breeze
It was but foweret's faint perfume,
But it bore me hack to aquie, room,
Where gentle girl. in the spring-time CAV,
Was breathing her fair young life away.
Where light thro' the rose-hued curtain fell,
And tinted her cheek like the ocean shell,
And the southern breeze on its fragrant wings,
Stole in with its tale of all lovely things.
Where love watch d On thro' the long long hours,
And friendship came with its gift Of flowers;
And death drew near with stealthy tread,
And lightly pillowed in dust her head,
And sealed up gently the lids so fair,
And damped the brow with lis clustering hair,
And left the maiden in slumber deep,
10 waken no more from that tranquil sleep.
Then we laid the flower her hand had prest.
To wither and die on her gentle breast,
And back to the shade of that quiet room
l go with the violet's faint perfume.