Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-02-17
BY E. p. WALTON & SON

end, what will become of our restless souls 2
VIII not Interchangeable pleasure at last
bring on ennui? " Eternity what word
for creatures who know no law but that of
change and diversity What man would
wish his sweetest pleasure to last forever
O my God no more past aud no more fu-
ture no more remembrances aud no more
hopes Eternity eternity eternity o
word, which has spread fire and lamenia-
ton upon earth, what must thou then mean
IN heaven ?" Thus spoke Brother Alfus,
and every day his doubts became greater.
One morning he issued from the monastery
before the other monks had risen, and de-
scended into the valley. The fields, still
moist with last nights rain, we're glisteniDg
under the first rays Of the rising sun, like a
maiden smiling through her teass Afus
stole gently through the shady thicke,s on
the hillside The birds which had Just a.
woke from their SAUNDERS were perched in
the hawlhorns, shaking down rosy blossoms
on his bald head and some butterflies, still
half asleep, flew lightly in the sun to dry
their wings.
Altus stopped TO gaze on the scene be-
fore him. He remembered how beautiful
IT seemed when first he saw it, and with
what transport he had looked forward TO
ending his days IL that delightful retreat.
For him, poor child ofthe city, accustomed
to see nought but dark courts aud sombre
walls, these flowers and trees, and clear air,
were bewitchlng novelties. How quickly
passed the year of mis- novitiate Those
long rambles in the valleys, and those char
ming discoveries Streams murmurlng
through the corn-hags, glades haunted by
the nightingale, eglantine roses, wild straw
berrles-what JOY to ligh, upon them for
the first time To meet with springs from
which he had not yet drank, and messy
banks upon which he had never yet reclIn-
ed But alas these pleasures themselves
do not last long very soon YOU have tray-
ersed all the paths Of the forest, you have
heard the songs of all the birds, you have
plucked nosegays of all the flowers, and
then adieu to the beauties of the country !
Familiarity descends ike a veil between
you aud creation, and makes YOU blind and
deaf
And thus 1t was now with brother Alfus
Like men whose abuse Of ardent spirits has
made them cease TO feel their power, he
looked with indifference on spectacle
which in bis eyes had once been rayishing
What heayenly beauties, then, could occu-
py throughout eternity a soul which the
works of God on earth could charm for a
moment only Asking himself this ques-
ton, the monk walked on, his eyes fixed
on the ground, but seeing nothing, and his
arms folded on his breast. He descended
into the valley, crossed the stream, passed
through the woods aud over the hills
The tower of the convent was beginning
already to fade in the distance, and at
length he stopped. He was on the verge
OF vast forest, which extended as far the
eye could reach, like an ocean of verdure.
A thousand melodlous sounds met his ears
from every SIDE and an odorous breeze
sighed through the leaves. After casting
an astonlshed look upon the soft obscurity
which reIgned in the wood, Alfus entered
with hesitation, as If he feared he were
treading on forbidden ground. As he adj
ysnced, the forest became larger he found
trees covered with blossoms which exhaled
an unknown perfume; II had nothing ener-
waiting IN It like those of EARTH but was, as
1t were, sort of moral emanalion, which
embalmed the soul. 1t was Strengthening
and delicious at the same time, like the
sight Of a good action, or the approach of a
lover. AT length, he perceived glade, ra-
dlant with marvellous light. He sat
down to enjoy The prospect, and then sud-
denly the song of bird overhead fell upon
his ear, sounds so sweet as to defy descrip-
ton, geniler than the fall of oars ON lake
in summer, than the murmur of the breeze
amongst the weeping willows, or the sigh
of a sleeping infant. All the music OF the
air and earth and water, the melody oil the
human voice, or of instruments, seemed
centered in tina; sony. Ii was hardly a
song, bu, floods of melody; it was not Ian
guage, and yet the voice spoke. Science,
wisdom and poetry, all we're IN il; and in
hearing II one acquired all knowledge.
Alus listened Tor long time, aud with
Increasing pleasure AT las, the light
which illuminated the forest began TO fade,
a low murmur was heard among the trees,
and the bird was silent.
Aius renamed for while moiionless, as
if he was awakening from an enchanted
sleep He at first looked around with a
SOIL oi stupuI duu lNch dioec' lie luuuu MS
feet benumbed his limbs had lost their a
gility. 1t was with difficulty he directed
his steps toward the monastery.
But the farther he went the greater was
his surprise, The face of the whole coun-
try seemed changed. Where he had before
seen sprouting shrubs, he now saw wide
spreading oaks. He looked for the little
wooden bridge by which he was accustomed
to cross the river. 1t was gone, aud in its
place was solid arch of stone. On pass
ing hedge on which some women we're
spreading clothes to dry, they stopped to
look at him, aud said amongst themselves
There is an old man dressed like the
monks of Olmulz We know all the
brothers, but we have never seen him be-
fore"
These women are fools" said Alus,
and passed on. Bat at last he began to feel
uneasy. He quckened his footsteps as he
climbed the narrow pass way which led to
wards the convent. But The gate was no
longer in its old place, and The monastery
was changed in lis appearance; it was
greater in extent aud the buildings were
more numerous. A palm-iree which he
had himself planted near the chapel few