The Columbian fountain., 1846-01-10
iscELLANEoUS.
From the Yale Literary Magazine,
The Mothers Grave.

The Mothers Grave.
Reader were you ever ina grave yard I
LIDO not mean the proud monumented ceme-
terry of some neighboring city, where the
bones of the dead may scarce rest i'll peace,
while the tread of the living, thoughiless,
sight-seer is ever echoing overhead; but
were you ever in a quiet country church,
yard5 beside its little ivy-covered church,
containing the plain and unpretending, but
no less impressive tomb stones of aformer
generation. If you have, you must have en-
|joyed few tranquil moments, suchas seldom
visit the breast that is racked with the rest
less realities of the world. Are not such
places and such scenes proyidentially adapt
ed to callforih all the purer emotions of the
soul, and hold them in sweet communion
aloof from the baser ones that elsewhere abb
sorb them? Herestands the church, plain and
unadorned, save by such beauties as nature
may have bestowed, where the simple villa
gers once worshipped with all the fervent
gratitude of untutorcd nature, and here
around lies all that earth can claiIn-their
bones on earth-their souls with their Civ
er. Could you have entered such a place
without thinking of your own insignificance,
and the utter worthlessness of worldly goods
as blessings Did there not come to you
through the silence around, 1sstill, small
voice." more impressive and more con-.
vincing than The proudest burst of human
eloquence, the voice Of nature thrilling on
the mind, and thou too must soon be
coldm All, yes! if you are human, and
possess the faculties of rational being,
such must have been your meditations and
such your conviction. Then how many
tales of woe or happiness may not those
grave-mounds commemorate-ofh ofhopes once
bright, but soon blighted--of friendships that
were changed into loathings of piety turn
ed from hei paths--of wealth cloaking foul
deeds of iniquity--of poverty clad in the
galb of misery--all crowding there SO
closely together that their very identity be-
comes lost in their proximity. Such tho'ts
as these must have crowded upon your
mind, especially if you have ever stood
alone within the precincts of quiet coun-
| try church-yard.
/ chanced once to be on visit at neat
country town, whose inhabitants principally
consisted Of those substantial old farmers
and mechanics. who compose, if not the
wealthiest, still the most useful and valuable
portion of our population, Few events
ever occurred TO disturb the quiet Of these
worthy villagers, save when they met to se-
lect those who should see to the well-doing
of the little community, or when some day
of national jubilee called them forth to en-
lioy the green-sward dance Here you might
find true happiness, and It's elements, indus
try, integrity, and consequent comfort. Why
need philosophers invent their theories TO
find receipt for happiness in vague terms
of the imagination, or attempt by their met
aphysics to mystify a principle at once SO
plain and simple But so it is in the world,
1--we willfully blind our eyes and senses to
Those things that are revealed, and yet with
impious hands try to tear off the veil from
those secrets which Nature has chosen
should remain mdivulged Do you ask
what Is happinessi Go forth in the world
and see for yourself, a Nature trained up
/ in paths of virtue and simplicity
Won find that you have found happiness.
Ii was Sabbath afternoon, when having
listened to the inspired word of their ven
cradle pastor, the little congregation had
Ileft the village church and retired to tie
comforts OF their respective homes. Twas
left alone upon the low stone steps that rose
| to the door; and mechanically leaving them,
turned towards the graveyard that lay in
The rear. Itwas surrounded by a neat white
fence, the little gate Of which was unlocked
and unlastened, save by a bolt. A sum
mer,s sun was setting behind the distant
hills, and flooding all things with the red
ness of its flashing rays. The scene was
indeed magnificent. Though had seen
many grander and wilder prospect, ! had