The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-06-09
For tho National Era.
THE FIRST IMAGE-B KER
BY MARTHA RUSSELL.

Far back in the morning of Time lived Azo,
who, through his father, Aim, claimed kindred
with the household Of Seth Earth, in her
dewy beauty, lay smiling up to Heaven, for the
terrible reverberations OF the primal curse had
died away amid the hills, and were heard only
in that low, sad minor undertone with which
Nature bewails her desecration, and in the
heart of man, where it kept sounding ON, filling
the land with violence and crime.
But Azo had sprung up, like young cedar,
in deep mountain gorge which opened to-
ward the west where the waters Of the river
Pison laved the borders of the golden land of
Havilah Flowers of wondrous dyes carpeted
the sward, or sprung from the creviees Of the
rocky walls, and perfume, like that of Eden,
hoated ever in the valley for here, amid the
pains of expiration, had blossomed the fair
flower Of maternal love, when Azo was given
to the arms of his mother, Zillah, and her heart
throbbed with the prophetic intuition of the
coming of One who should lift the curse from
off mans brow, AND, opening again fair Eden's
gate should "let them through 10 mercy"
And the stars came nightly, in troops, and
looked down upon them rs with the clear,
friendly eyes of angels, and 1ocks of soft, white
clouds "shepherded Ivy the slow, unwillin,
| winds, loitered above, to shield them from tn,
heat Of the noontide sun; or retreating to thei
western folds, left them to the ministry of tn
gentle.footed dews.
Watched and tended thus, the child grew il
stature, and the light Of his beauty gradually
over-arched, like a glorious bow Of promise, thu
heavy cloud Of grief that had shut down over
Zillahs heart, when her husband, the youthful
Aim, grew cold beneath the touch of Death
the Mystery.
When the boy was old enough to reach the
altar of green turf which she had raised by the
grave of his father, and lay upon it her votve
offerings Of fruit and flowers, she delighted to
lead him there, and, Swallowed by the thick,
unwoven branches Of a majestic cedar, talk to
him Of the wOndrous story of Creation and,
pointing him to the West, where the heavens
were all a-glow with the gorgeous dyes of an
Eastern sunset, speak to him of Eden-of
Eden the beautiful, with its streams, and birds,
and howers--of Adam, created in Gods image,
and Eve, life Of his life-and the living mount
aims where angels stood,
And shook from head and wing, thick dews of splen
dor
Then, husbing her tones, az twilight deep
ened amid the cedar boughs she told of a voice
"heard in the cool of the day"--a voiee that
cent Joy unspeakable through ali created
things, US it spoke with the children Of earth
and then, with shudder and a glance ut the
grave by her side, she related how sin came,
and then, death. And the angels folded their
bright wings before their faces that they might
not look upon the dimmed beauty Of His crea-
tion and the flaming sword swung slowly be-
fore the gate of Eden, until God walled it up
with final cloud of sunset )" while the boys
eyes would dlate and deepen, and his soul
drink in every word, as thirsty flowers the dew.
Or, seated in the door of their tent with their
gentle hocks at rest around them, she would
tell of the patriarchs who had left the flesh
of Methuselah and Enoch, beloved OF God-of
Enos and Scth-of Abel first Of the dead and
first Of the ransomed--of Cain, with Gods
curse burning upon his forehead, and eating
into his heart--thus feeding his soul with high
and holy thoughts and examples, while the
free beauty of Nature permcated his being and
moulded his outward proportions to all perfec-
ton and grace.
Thus taught it was not strange that when
he was old enough to lead his flocks alone, to
the hills, be shonld seem to hear from the UNI
brageous depths Of some gigantic tree-relic of
that primal growth that sprsng, full-leavcd, as
in dance, at the creative word--that voice,
talking to him, and bidding him break down
the wall Of Sin that shut men out from Eden
OF that he caught the silver glinting Of angels
wings upon the sunlt hills
All beautiful things that bring Heaven near
est to the sense, became ministers to him.
"Ths tempest shaken wood,
The waves, the fountains, the deep hush Of night
spoke to him of Jehovah.
"And well he understood
His smile divine, when the calm bright
With silent stars, and Heaven was .breathess with
delight"
Besides articulate teachers were not want
ing for often, at eventide, travel worn pilgrims
would pause at the door Of their tent, and,
while Zillah with ready hospitality, prepared
the frugal meal, Azo, unwilling that they were
angels, laved their feet in water from the foun-
tain, while they let fall such words Of holy
wisdom and power as filled his soul with aspi-
rations that reached upward like tongues of
fire. And, sometimes, other visiters looked in
upon their lovely valley; for Zillah was still
beautiful enough 10 attract the admiration OF
those truant sons Of God /" who allured by
the beauty Of the daughters Of men, wrought
confusion on the face Of the EARTH But she
needed not their destinations; for the sweet
Of her welded life, and love for her
boy completely filled her heart
But one thought came TO trouble her happi-
ness. Love made her wise, and she knew there
would c,me q time when even her full love
would not satisfy the cravings Of young Azo's
all the deep yearnings OF his
heart must find rest and com uletion in another