The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-01-15


pose myself for an evening OF such soLer
and thoughtful quietude, as I believe, OF
my SOUL that very few of my fellow mcr
have the good fortune 10 enjoy.
My tenant, meantime, 10 the other room
| can hear now and then, though there
is thick stone chimney, and broad entry
bctween,-muIipIying contriyances will
his wife, 10 put two babies 10 sleep. Thh
occupies them, should say usually ar
hour though my only measure OF time
(for never carry a watch into tho coun
try,) is the blaze ol my fire. by Ten, oI
thcrcabouts, my stock OF wood is nearly
exhausted, | pile upon the hot Goals wha
remains, and si watching how il kiGdles
, and bla zes, and goes oul,-even like ou
, joys and then slip by the light Of tht
embers into my bod, where llxurate il
such sound, and heathul slunber, as only
such rafting window frames, and country
air, can supply.
The other eyening-it happened to be
on my last visit 10 my latm-house-when
had exhausted all the ordinary rural top
les Of thought, had formed all sorts Of con-
lectures as to the income oi the year had
panned new wall around one lot, and
the clearing up of another, now covered
with patriarchal wood and wondered i
the little rcketty house would not bo after
all a snug enough box, to live and TO die
in--I fell on a sudden into such an unpre.
ceden,ed line Of thought, which took
such deep hold Of my sympalhies--
sometimes even starting tears-lhat I de-
termined, the next day, to sci as much OF
it as could recall on paper.
Something-it may have been the
home-looking blaze, q am bachelor Of.
say six>and-twenty,) or possibly the plain
tive cry oil the baby in my tenants room,
had suggested to me the thought of-Ma ar
riage.
piled upon tho heated fre-dog,, the
last armfull of my wood and nov, said |,
bracins myself courageously between the
arms ofmy chair,-ill not finch I'LL pur-
sue the thought wherever it lesds, though
it lead me 10 the d U am apt 10 be
hasty, at least-continued !, soiening,
until my FIRE is ouI.
The wood was green, and at Grst show
ed no disposition to blaze. 1t smoked iu-
riously. Smoke, thought l. always goes be-
fore blaze; and 60 does doubt 90 before
decision: and my Regerie, from the very
starting point, clipped into this shape.
eve wish we could give tn. " Reyerie "
entire, but must pass over lhis most eS>
quisile burst Of feeling, copying only por-
| ticn Of tho conclusion. 1t describes the
falling Of the fire into "Ashes,' OF the
close Of the day dream in which the
" Bachelor" has enjoyed the heavenly
brightness OF the domestic hearth,)
But tho tiial comes: colder and colder
were growing the embers.
That wife, over whom your love broods,
is fading. Not beauty fading; that, now
hat your heart 10 wrapped in her being,
would be nothing.
She sees with quick eye your dawning
apprehension, and she tries hard to mako
that step of hers elastic.
Your .rials aud your loves together have
centred your affections. They are not
now as when you were a lone man, wide
spread and superficial. They have caught
from domestic attachments a finer tone
aud touch. They cannot shoot out ten
rs into barren word-soil and suck up
thence strengthening nutfment. They
have grown under the forcing glass Of the
house-roof, they will no, now bear expos
ure.
You do not now look men in the face as
if heart-bond was linking you-ns if a
community of feeling lay between. There
is r,-bond that absorbs oil others !;
there is community that monopolzes
your feeling. When the heart lay wide
open, before it had grown upon, and clos
ed around particular objects, it could take
strength and cheer from hundred con-
nectons lhe, now now seem colder than
ice.
And now those particular obIecis-alas
for you ARE falling.
What anxiety pursuss you How you
struggle TO fancy-there is no danger; how
she struggles to persuade you-ihere is no
danger .
How it CRATES now on your ear-tho
loi, and turmoil Of the city! 1t was mu-
sic when you were alone il was pleasant,
even, when from tho din you were eabora-
ting comforts fer The cherished objects; =
when you had such sweet escape when
evening drew near.
Now it maddens you 10 see The world
careless while you are stepped in care
They hustle you in the street; they smile
at you across the table they bow careless
ly over tho way; they do not know what
canker is at your heart.
The undertaken comes with his bill for
tho dead boys funeral lie knows your
grief he is respectful. You bless him in
your soul. You wish the laughing streets
goers were all underakers.
Your eye follows the physician az ne
leaves your house is he wise, you ask
yourself; is he prudent is he the best
Did lie ever lail-is he never iorsetlull
And now the hand that touches yours, is