The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-11-20
IT0W A7fHHr's Home Gazette.
The Meeting Of the Waters.

! Irish melodies is that koown as THE MrrrIxc
| OF THE WATERS" In the summer of 1907
MOORE paid visit to the vale of Avoca. in the
county of Wicklow, whore the rivers Avon and
Avoca meet Il most lovely and enchanting spot
Tins visit suggested the song which has since
been SO wide tayorite, and which has associated
| the vale Of Avoca with all that is charming and
romantic.
There is not N this wide world n valley so sweet
As that vale il whose bosom. the bright waters
meet.
Oh. the last rays Of feeling and life must depart
Ere the bloom Of that valley shall fade from my
heart.
ct, Il not that nature had shed er the scene
Her purest of chrystal and brightest of green;
. Twas not her soft magic Of streamlet or hill,
Oh! 40, it was something more exquisite still.
Twas that friends, the beloved of my bosom we're
''i," mad. every dear scene Of enchantrn.nt more
And who felt how the best charms of nature
improve
When We see them reflected from looks that we
love.
Sweet vale Of Avoca; how calm could I rest
In thy bosom Of shade with the friends love
best,
Where the storms that We feel IN this cold world
should ceree,
And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in
pesce.
The vale Of -tvoea, thus made classic ground,
thousands have since Visited and the tourist
through Ireland would think of neglect
ing the lakes Of Killarney the vals II whose
bosom the bright waters meet"
From among the many descriptions Of this
beautiful spot, will select that given by an
American lady who visited Ireland, in l645 1t
is brief but eloquent She says:
lit Irelsnd's summer twilight, lingering
long, as though 10th to draw the curtain closely
about bright i.le ia a dark world like this 1t
early Ia July, the rich foliage had attained
its maturity, and not scared leaf sprnkled
bush tree, to WARN that autumn For
the first mile the road was smooth snd broad,
lined with trees, now and then white gate with
white stone pillars, opening TO some neat cottage
domain; the glowing stresks Of the setting
had not left the western sky, and glimmered
through rhe trees, while the air made fragrant
by the gentle shower, difused through body and
mind that calmness which seemed TO whisper
8 Be silent; it is the Vale Of Avoca you
opened upon Us at "th. Meeting Of the Waters"
The tree under which Moore sat when he wrote
the sweet poem had been pointed out to me in
the morning. We now stood near the union Of
the Two streams, where the poet says,
Their. is not in the vide world valley sweet,
I 4. tine vale in whose bosom the bright waters
sleep"
. no VIC rin n oIo
water; the hill and vale, in some parts dark and
wide, in others light and soft, ever and anon re-
lieving the eye by some new variety; but above
ALL the pleasant association that this vale, how
ever dark and deep its recesses, harbors not
venomous serpent or reptile--no, not even the
buzz of the mosquito is heard-made it unlike all
others. We rode three miles scarcely uttering
q syllable all the while; holy repose seemed to
rest on this hallowcd spot, as when it first
! bloomed under the hand of its Maker, and imagi
nation was prompt 10 say, as no serpent has ever
! coiled here, the communicating touch of sin has
not left its impress.
Never did leave spot more reluctantly;
it was night scene which never has faded from
my eyes and hope never will.
Oh. the last rays of feeling and life must depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my
heart
- In the deep silence, the voice of God and the
soft whisper of angels seemed to be there
Their voices said kindly, There is mercy yet for
poor erring man 1t appeared like the bow of
the covenant, telling to look and remember
that though this world has been nursed by sin,
I yet new heaven and earth has been promised,
/ of which this is shadowy resemblance.
! The borders of this valley are interspersed
with gentlemen's seats, and here and there dotted
with the white washed cottages of the peasants;
and the rich cluster of foliage upon the hill Sides
upon bush and tree, almost persuaded you that
! the dew of Hermon has fallen upon them. Stran-
| ger, when you visit Ireland visit the Vale OF
Avoca. If you love God, here you will see him
| in picture that must be read; If you stay to be
| limited waste it not in decyphering time-de-
faced stone, telling the bloody deeds of some an
cient warrior or the austerity Of some long-llved
ascetc; but linger in this spot; stop at the neat
little hotel erected on purpose for the accommo-
dation of the stranger; and morning noon and
night explore its never-dying beauties OF light
and shade. Three times did go through, and
when l turned away, felt that
''I could stay there forever to wander and weep