The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-20

: vspor bubble that feeds the meteor patriotism Q
our " nineteenth century, Thanks to human
ity, 1t is not all a meteor. There are SOM star
: in heaven yet
The sun came up from the bosom Of the lake
10 look on a grand gala day. The like was neve
seen on our Western shore. Every shop and
store closed its doors except those whose com
modities have such subtle affinity with warlikG
spirits, TO kindle the fame of would-be patriot.
ism into widest copfsgration Those were wide
open, enticing the uuwary in the speech Of many
nations Companies Of cavalry and infantry, from
cities and towns far and near, paraded to the beat
of the mufiied drum, and the refrain Of sad sweet
music, through the crowded streets Every man,
woman, and child, who could press or creep into
the street or even to front window, was gazing
in the delight Of curiosity, upon the glittering
| show
"Them's the c. Grays home from Mex
icom spoke ragged, barefooted urchin, as q new
| train ratified along. My eyes how they prance
on the prairie Won't be soger yet, though ~
In the recessed window above him, three ladies,
in gala dress fair, beautiful flowers Of fashionable
aristocracy, stood, showering down their sweetest
smiles and glapces, and waving their white hand
kerehiefs and whittier hands 60 the glory-crowued
"defenders of their country's fame p A bouquet
Of rose-buds and myrtle, wreathed with cedar
sprgs, fell at the feet of the captains pranciDg
steed, just in time, unfortunately, to be crushed
heedlessly into the yielding sand Thus, from
highest TO lowest, the pulses Of that throng
throbbed in unison
A troop, clad in sable, came slowly after; the
music grew more broken and plantive-and then
hearse, magnifcently osparisoned, with sweep
ing drapery and nodding plumes, gliding through
the yielding throng toward the place Of graves.
None could have sworn TO a certainty whose dust
brin cd hut ell Ioro tka
name and titles of Ralph Mayhem Party spirit
had put its hand to the public treasury and drawn
from the honest earnings of Woodworking peo-
pie ample funds for the fulflment of it's pur-
poses
The swelling Grafton had poured out its last
breath the military dinner and it's revelry were
over; the last Of the minute guns had ceased to
e.; -. Nss, iiss 1eenrTasd in'penee TO its kin.
dred dust again. The shouts Of intoxicaton
deepened with the twilight, and rockets whizzed
luridly up to the lingering heaven.lit clouds-fit
emblems Of the false, feeting glare that had that
day dazrled the willing souls of men
pale girl put aside the bed-curtaius within
chamber that had been closely darkened all day
long, and lovingly whispered" Are you better
now, dear mammsp
Is it over, all over, Lctty2n spoke the woman,
lifting her wan face from the pillow she had
clssped around It for hours
GAPS over, except the firing and the drunken
rioting-these will last all night Do let me
comb your hair, dear mamma, and bring you a
cup of tea y she added soothingly parting the
grief-tangled gray locks on her mothers feyered
forehead
"Not tonight, Lettym murmured Mrs May
hew, sinking back upon her pillow
Mamma, you did not grieve thus, when he
when the news first oame'--the poor girls speech
was ctoked by her rising memories
"No, Lefty that was not 20 hard TO bear.
Heaven gave my heart that blow, and healed
while it smote--oh how heavily But this grief
is from mans selfshness and pride--man's vain
pomp and cruelty They are wiling the sons of
other mothers to the path where my boy threw
away his soul They are wiling new victims, by
a web woven from my poor child's very grave
clothes! Oh just Heaven But it is over now
it NIL be over in little while Lefty, sm wrong
to talk this before you" she added, rs a deep sob
convulsed her daughters bending form. "Dear
child, don't cry so! There-hush again Lift
one corner of that curtain, love- ! would look at
the blessed stars tonight Who calls them the
eyes Of angelsp They are more to me; they are
| the promises Ct God, written unchangeaby in
A cold, high, costly monument terrs une NAME
the fate and the fame of Ralph Mayhem TO the
strangers eye, in the burial ground Of -.
The world looks on it TO envy and admire; but
the dew OF affections memory seldom falls there.
The shadow OF that bsbbling, ostentatious marble
is chilling to the chastened sorrowing hearts that
shrink into their own solitude to weep, and turn
away from what the world looks on. This Is the
only trace the meteor Of false patriotism has left
on one NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Is the grave of glory
N. b. If the Western reader will substitute
stage sliedo for stage ded,' in the latter
part of the first sketch of this series he will i'm
prove the sense Of the passage, and recognise an