Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-11-09
AutumMal Reflection.


October, Autumn's second born, with its rain
bow woodlands is here the saddest month of all
the year. On every little cherub flower all
along the meadows, by the hisides, and down
the valley through the forest glades, and in each
zig-zag streamlet, is written, "PAssING AWAY"
We know not that we ever realized more fully
the plaintiveness and force of these two simple
words, than on a Tuesday not long since
Twas the hour of sunset. We were on board
cars. Our ron-lunged steed dashed madly
through thickets of the most gorgeous and va
riegated hues; across brooks that run faint and
seemed thirsty: Ger valleys whose bright smiles
had changed to melancholy brown and scar;
and meadows, little since decorated with count.
less buds and pretty flowers, now looked cheer
less and wthered Tie sun shot its last golden
arrows through the leafy lace.work of the ben-
ded crimson, green, and yellow trees. Ever and
anon the gloomy shade Of some huge hill would
sweep down the valley like an unpleasant
thought DER the mind Everywhere, "the seer
and yellow leaf was visible Upon every thing
was written passing away" Everywhere we
saw the reaper Death at work. In vain we sought
the Frightening fields
"And humble glories of the youthful Spring"
Everything reminded us of silver-locked old age
with wrinkIed brow and lettering form. Every
where we traced the busy hand of time. We
failed not to gather instruction from this lesson
of Dame nature The merriegt may brood sad
ness at times, and learn wisdom. We recog.
nize in this Autumnal decay the solemn presage
of human existence-the frailty of man-the
shortness of Iife--the certainty of death.
This "season of fading glory" admonishes us
e Al. IS md
1t is a light ilIumining orr pathway. 1t aids US
in solving the mystery of the future. 1t bids US
look beyond the howery smiles and gay sunlight
of our youthfulness, into that more active sphere
(which fate has reserved for a bright manhood"
it admonishes us in the Spring time of youth to
wreath for ourselves bright garlands that shall
never fade. As the primrose of to-day sinks I'M
der the same October breath that withered the
full blown OF yesterday, even SO are the youth of
our age summond with the sire, whose locks are
silvered with seventy winters. Listen when next
the iron voice of the death.belI rings out its tri-
umph Who is 1.-THE high or the humble? Is
it white-haired age, with its burthen of years and
its heart of garnered greis and faded dreams, or
youth arrested in its strength, its glowing frame
robbed of its manliness and vigor, its cheek of
health and its opening heart of bright young
dreams? Or infancy-som fragile bud wthered
in its first contact with the winds of life, its wal
changed to an angels hymn-transplanted tc
bloom fading in better cline!
The passing away" of natures grandeur
( ~ not without its lessons. Let US heet
thn', ID in our youth strive to SOW those gol
1 ISIS that shall produce an abundant har
vest, acceptable to the Reaper The days q
man are "as the flower the wind passeth owe
it and it is gone; and the place that now knowet
him, shall know him no e. The Watch
tower