Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-11-11
From the "GUARpi,S" for October.
The Spirits of Autumn in the Willow
BY REV. II. HARBAUGU.

sigh in the twilight of an October evening.
Now, upon its pendant branches, there was
the quick bias. of the cold wind, like a
sharp rush of pain through the limbs of
the afflicted. Now, there was softer
sigh but still sad, like the moan of deep
abiding sorrow. The waving of its long
branches, was like the tanning Of angels
wings over graveyards, in the Silly night,
to make deeper and sweeter the repose Of
the dead!
l listened! Mingling with sad music
Of the wind aud the willow, heard, as it
might be the soft voice of friendly spirits.
They spake to me tenderly; and their
tones were as the breathings of love.
"Hearkcn, Q child of dust, pilgrim OF
few years in these low-lands Of sin and
sadness, hearkcn to the voice of wisdom
Look around thee upon the earth d. Hear
est thou the hollow meanings of Autumn
from the woods, from the groves, and from
the mountains? 1t is prophecy of the
great Autumn of the world when all
tn nss shall fade and fall . Seest thou the
falling # leaves, and the fading Of the
flowers? So shall the light of thine eye,
tie health of thy cheek, and all that thou
lowest On earth, fade and vanish away,
VII N he short SUNNI r of this life is ended
Seest thou the dark clouds which hang
around the portals Of evening? They are
are ike the pall-l ole which are hung over
the bier, when man goeth to his long home:
Dot thou feel, in thy limbs and at thy
heart, montivc chills of coming winter :!
They are like the first gentle touches Of
the cold hand Of death. Dost thou"
Stay thy words, O spirits of the SOL
emn tone cried, "they bring to my soul
sad feelings, as it might be, the dark and
cminous approaches Of despair. They be-
get in MY soul sorrow, which, like a
sigh, is called forth by thoughts of the past.
They mike Inc see nothing but vanity in
the present. They cause gloomy shadows
to float before the future"
"Ah! child of dust and sin, said the
spirit, "that sadness is healing sorrow to
the soul. 1t is as the sishs and seekings
Of the exile, when be thinks of the land he
had left; and when, from his melted heart,
well up the first tears of penitence that fall
upon the homeward way"
/ "Sp;rits of the solemn tone. is there
no spring time, to succeed the great Au-
tumn of the world ~
"Aye, verify, to those that weep now,
and are sad for sin To the hear
ted there cometh a time of healing, and Of
joy. When the Autumn is gone-whcn
the dark winter is past-when the mourn
ing earth, under the melting breathings Of
the south wind, shall open its long conceal
ed fountains, and there shall be Aowings,
like streams of tears from the eyes of a
penitcnt then comcth spring-time, and
green trees, and lovely flowers, and joy,
and hope, and life, aud love"
"Will it surely come, that eternal
Spring which ends in an Autumn no more? ?
Will it come, ye lonely spirits in the will
low? Oh, when will it Gomez
Lift up thine eyes penitent child Of dust;
believe, hope, and smile aud live forever
1t cometh soon the spring-time of the Uni
verse-and Of thy spirit 1t is before
thee, the land where nothing fades, and
where thy heart shall no more moan in
answer to the mournful music Of the spirits
of Autumn, in the branches Of the willow
Go thy way, and sigh, and sin no more
/ The twilight had faced into night; ; but
the stars we're out above, and their soft
light of love seemed to say Crest in hope,
We that live on the earth, and ye that
sleep in it bosom. We will watch till the
morning comes y"
The wind ceased, and the spirits we're
quiet in the willows. Far-from afar, as
if from out the Infinite, l heard soothing
words, and sweet songs, and voices Of well
come. They said, "HITHER! HITLER :"
! '--~---~-~---~-- ~--~~-~-----~-~
FATAL AcCIDENT-On Tuesday even
ing, the 18th ult, as Harrison Meiser and
David Foltz, of Perry township, Union
county, were returning home from Millers-
town, with load of coal, the latter met
with fatal accident Mr.. Foltz, in the
act of getting off the wagon, for the pur-
pose of drawing the lock, at hill near
Leininger's saw mill, Greenwood township,
unfortunately missed his footing and fell
under the wagon, and ere the horses could
be stopped, the wagon passed over hi.
head, causing almost immediate death
He was about 80 years of age, and leaves
> a wife and two children to mourn his sud
den and untimely end-Jvriata Sentinel