Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-04-07
Farewell to Aldcrbroolk.
"FarcwelIi
l may not dwell
mid flowers and music eyer !"


may not dwell
Mid flowers and music ever"
The hours Of my childhood have gone back to
their old obliviousness in eternity; youth is on
the wing, neeting- Aeeting-Aeetins. There is
hut narrow shadow lying between my foot and
the grave which it seeks-a veil Of grey mist,
that few ro-DAys may Dissolve into-what?--
the sicknening perfume Of dead flowers, or in
cense grateful to Heaven?
This is beautiful, bright world, made for
pure beings. At its birth, angels walked among
its cool shadows, bent TO its bright waters, and
inhaled its perfumes; and they fled not, those
holy ones, till their wirgs dropped beneath the
defling heaviness Of sin. A false breath played
upon the brow Of man; hcedlessly he opened his
bosom to it; and there it at once nestled, fatal
poison, ever distlling venom. Still the flowers
blossomed; still the waters flashed and srarkled
in the warm light; still the breezes waved their
censers laden with rich perfume; still the birds
oarolled; the stars smiled; leaves rustled, kis-
sing each other lovingly; dews slumbered in lilly
bells and the hearts Of roses, and crept around
whitening roots, and revived fading petals; the
sun, and the moon, and the silver twilight each
wrought its own peculiar broidery on earth and
sky; but upon the flowers, and the fresh leaves,
and the waters, and the breezes, the gay, beau
tiful birds, and the silent dews, on sun, and
moon, and stars, on all, everything of earth,
rested the faint of sin. In the morning of this
little day of time, what more deliciously sweet
than to reclne among the blossoming luxuriance
Of Eden, and worship God, there, in his own
temple? 1t was the object of life to enjoy its
own blissfulness, and praise him who gave it,
But when, on the whisper of the Tempter, sin
came, it brought change. The poison hid itself
among all the beautiful things that we most love,
engendering thorns and producing discord; it
festered in our hearts, revelled in our veins,
and polluted our lips, until the angels yelled their
faces in disgust, and man was left with ssno eye
to pity and no arm to save" Then, from the
dense cloud broke forth ray of glory;a crown
ed Head looked out in pity; divine lips bent to
the poisoned wound; and lost, ruined man found
Saviour. He was heralded by angels; angels
are still whispering, "Look! look! livev' that
Saviour is standing with love-beaming eyes and
arms extended; but men are blind and cannot see
his beauty. Shall sit down among thy flowers,
sweet Alderbrook, while my Redeemer is dis
nonored, and my brethren, the sons of those who
walked with God in Eden, die2
ssFaultless, if blinded" ssThe just God will
not be angry with those who, not knowing, have
not loved him." Who has said it?
All! "The invisible things Of Him from the
creation Of the world are clearly seen, being un-
.lerstood by the things that are made, even his
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are
without excuse" The beautiful page of hill
and dale and sky is spread open to all. go to
teach my brother how to read it.
Dear, beautiful Alderbrook! have loved
thee as l shall never love any other thing that
may not meet after the sun Of Time is set. Ev-
cry thing, from the strong old tree that wrestles
with the tempest, down to the amber moss-cup
grading the tiny insect at its roots, and the peb-
bic sleeping at the bottom of the brook-every
thing about thee has been laden with its own pc
culiar lesson. Thou art rare brook, my Alder
brook, written all over by the Creators finger.
Dearly do love the holy truths upon thy pages;
but 81 may not dwell mid flowers and music ev-
er;'' and 60 hence, bearing another. choicer
book in my hand, and echoing the words of the
angels, "Look! look! live!''
stand on the verge of the brook, which
seems to me more beautiful than any other brook
on earth, and take my last survey Of the home Of
my infancy. The cloud which has been hover
ing above the trees on the verge of Heaven,
opens; the golden light gushes forth, bathing the
hill top, and streaming down its green activity
even to my feet; and accept the encouraging
omen. The angel Of Alderbrook, '.the minis
tering spirit' sent hither by the Almighty, bless
me. Father in heaven, thy blessing, ere l 60!
Hopes full of glory, and oh, most sweetly sa-
cred! look out upon me from the future; but, for
moment, their beauty is clouded. My heart is
heavy with sorrow. The cup at my lip is very
bitter. Heaven help me! White hairs are bend
ing in submissive grief, and age-dimmed eyes are
made DINNER by the gathering of tears. Young
spirits have lost their oyousness; young lips for
get TO smile, and bounding hearts and bounding
feet are stilled. Oh, the rending of ties, knitted
at the first opening of the infant eye and
strengthened by nnmberlcss acts of love, is a
sorrowfui thing! To make tie grave the only
door TO meeting with those in whose bosoms
we nestled, in whose hearts we trusted long be-
fore we knew how precious was such love and
trust, brings with it an overpowering weight of
solemnity. But grave is yawning for each one
Of us; and is it much to choose whether we sew
er the tie that binds us here, to-day, or lie down
on the morrow? All, the .s:weaver's shuttle.' is
Aying; the ssfower Of the grass is whitening:
the span is almost measur ed; the tale is nearly
told; the dark valley is close before us-tread
we with care!
My mother, we may neither Of us close the
others darkened eye, and fold the cold hands
upon the bosom; we may neither Of US watch
the sod greenng and whitening above the o.her's
ashes; but there are duties for us even more sa-
cred than these. Bnt a few steps, mother-dfi-
cult the path may be, but very bright-and then |!
We put on the robe Of Immortality, and meet to
part never more. And we shall not be apart |