The southern press., 1851-07-28
Summer Eketehos.-NO. A.
BY MARY J. WINDLE,

SHANNosDALE SPRINGS, Va, July 90.
1t is calm and lovely evening; the very Sab
bath of nature,-its funess Of repose; one of
thos e beautiful nights on which we cannot gaze
without comparing the pure and passionless
kquiet of the world above, with the fierce soci-
tude of the world around u.s. Everything is
still in the grounds, not even the wing of a
sleeping bird stirs itself The moonlight lays
as though it loves to sleep among this exquisite
scenery riot flashing out with bright CLEANS,
but calmly harmonzing with the spirit Of the
place and hour; solemnizing without obscuring
its grandeur, like veil upon gigantic piece of
statuary.
To be seen in all its beauty, Shannondale
should be looked upon by moonlight Then it
is that the visiters enjoy to the fullest perfec-
tion the beauty of the scene around them The
glare of noon-day reveals too broadly the fea-
lures Of the locality--while the deep blue star
studded sky and the holy quiet of evening, lend
to it mysterious indistinctness, which doubles
its attraction. The visiters seem conscious of
this fact for one Of their greatest recreations is
to seat themselves on the banks of the Shan-
nondale, sheltered by the foliage which gives to
this delightful spot its charm of beauty and
seclusiveness.
Apropos Of that foliage-there are strange
secrets in the ke eping of the trees, whose voice
it is,--could its whisperings in these summer
months speak the language Of tale-bearing,
they m ght declare many a story of the human
heart in its softest and hoest phase; for they
have long formed outrageous retreats for
lovers,-have listened to the "welcome and
FAREWELL" and ever and anon overheard the
tones of proud beauty subdued into the scarcely
uttered breathings of tenderness, and the voice
of naughty manhood grown tremulous " ith the
accents of love. A vague tradition there is,
even of great aud widely admired national
author yet living, who--but the story is hardly
sufficiently corroborated to warrant me in re-
peating it, All of which there can be any GER
tainty, is, that his footsteps during short So
journ here several years ago, were wont TO hal
low these lovely haunts; and since the spot af-
fords attractions not less great for the imagina-
tive writer than the lover, we are inclined to be-
lieve that it was to him the trysting place only of
inspiration, sought in like manner, as was Shan
nondae by one of his female cotemporaries
But in that case, he should have linked in some
manner with his fame as his sister author has
this place, which will remain sacred to her
memory long after the hand that immortalized
it shall have mouldered into dust. In vet
another light, hers was happy idea, that we
readers could wish to see perpetuated The
spot in which such minds find their fresh and
sparkling thoughts and wealth of words-that
wherein they weave the spell which they throw
around all minds, is to their works what the
date is to letter-the name TO picture-the
Ia 10 hrc 81 foc
the enjoyment of the production, but doubtless
some accessory to qualification, otherwise par
TALLY incomplete.
We yesterday took long walk on the banks
of the Shannondale Oh those wild woods
Every pulse within us dances at the remem
brance of them, and even yet our heart hutters
like bird in sight of its own free heaven. How
we shouted, until the old woods rang with ter
thousand answering echoes. Then how we sa
and dreamed till fancy transported us to gay
Sherwood, and we detected among the chang
ing foliage the Lincoln green, and started Al
every leaf that rustled, expecting to see peerina
ont upon us the face of bold Robin Hood or
some one Of his merry foresters Oh let me
die in the country, where shall not fall like the
single leaf in the forest, unheeded, whore those
who love me need not mask their hearts to
meet the careless multitude, and strive M
duty TO forget Bury me in the country, amid
the progress of the good and the tears Of the
loving: not in the dark, damp vault, away from
the sweet scented air and open field, among the
flowers we loved and cherished while living.
Then--
/ II around my place Of sleep.
The frisnds lovs should come to wsep.
They might not haste 70 70 ;i,a..
Son aias, and song. and light and bloom
= Should keep them lingering by my tomb.