The Columbian fountain., 1846-04-13
THE RETURN HOME.
BY CHARLES WILSON, U S. A.

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to deck herself with smiles to gladden. the
heart of man, and cloth the face of creation
in a garb of Joy, that we found ourselves
upon the banks of the Gennesee, within
short distance of the home of our fathers
and the spot Of our birth ten long-long
years, had rolled into the past since we had
left that loved spot, to seek in the cold
strange world, that which is only to be
found in Heaven-happiness.
i What variety Of circumstances we had
passed through since that time, and our
mind, as if wanting to compress the actions
of years into the existence of a moment, or
as if seeking to gather the few CLEANS of
joy, which had fallen to our lot, through
years Of conflicting storms, glided over the
past with the rapidity oflighting-again we
stood at the threshold of our home, mother,
sister, friends, crowd round to press the
parting kiss, and bid the last farewell
"God bless you my son." breaks from
mothers lips-so bs-tears-an all that
man holds dear on earth was left behind
Again we were wandering through the
western wilderness, floating o'er the clear
waters of almost boundless lakes, dreaming
beneath the orange groves Of the sunny
south, ploughing the blue waves Of oceans
dark bosom, climbing the lofty brows of
old Vermont, struggling with the savage
foe in the wllds of Florida, fleeing from the
scene of strife to revisit-the vision was
gone, and we were standing-no not stand
ing, but hurrying along, our heart swelling
with anxiety, hardly casting glance at the
well remembered scenes of our boyhood.
Oh what fond hopes, what fearful misgiv-
ings, crowd upon the heart under such cir
cumstances-do they still live, are they
still true to the ties of kindred and afec-
ton, or has time, the fell destroyer of all
things, with his desolating breath, swept in
to eternity. or changed the beings of our
youthful alteration and manly love-is that
one being still faithful-does her heart beat
with love and affection as it was wont in
days long gone; will her cheek redden, will
her eye brighten, will her angel bosom
heave with unuttered JOY, as we press her
to our heart We seldom or ever doubt
the truth of those for whom we cherish an
affection, until time dispels the pleasing
visions of fancy, and they are lost to us
forever; and if the heart-sickenng thought
does fit across the mind, "They may be
unfaithful," we dash it aside with They,
they cannot be fal'hess.''
1t was so with US, all was as left years
ago. Sickness had stolen the bloom from
none. Death had been around, but left
untouched the beings of our solicitudc, and
she who had won our childish love, and
retained it as a nan, was all a trusting heart
could wish But just beyond that hill is
the village of our birth; a few more PAGES
and the scenes of our childhood will gladden.
our sight, anxiety, adds feetness to our wca-
red limbs, we gain the hill. Heavens,
what change! often had we stood upon
the same spot, gazed on the gentle river
the scattered dwellngs-the open fields,
bounded by thick forests, and thought it
one of the most beautiful scenes in creation
But now how changed the tall trees were
gone, the few scattered dwellings had swell
led into mighty city, whose tall spires
glitered in the sun as if mocking our hum
BILE hopes and fancies, Not a spot did we
know, not an object was familiar, all was
strange, save the river; that, too, was chan
ged, it once flowed with gentle murmur
through green moss covered-banks; it now
rolled its muddy waters between rows Of
brick and stone. As we gazed upon the
change, for the first time came the cold
thought to our mind, man has changed
the face of nature, may not time have
changed man, may not the green sod now
cover some dear being, may not hearts be
esnanged, may not she who was once the
idol of our soul, be now pressed to the bo-