Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-10-18
0GR8BER 28.
WOODLAND REvER1Es.

grassy slope that leads down to some noisy,
rushing, whirling brook. IT'S a pleasure to
steal away from the crowded, Earring city.
and set down in the "populous solitude Of
bees and birds !" There the wanderer can
think, remember and resolve and we have,
in this wise, thought, remembered and re-
solved a thousand times. Here we have the
Arts in their perfection and their exhibition
free as the wind. We want no better paint
ings than the golden landscape seen from the
hill, the blue sky with its silvery clouds, the
f~aultless trees and the glorious sunset gliding
the west with a sheen Of crimson, purple, red
and yellow. We want no better music than
the humming Of the bees, with the lark to
sing alto in one wild strain of love with the
robin, the wren, the A%ippant ~blackbird, the
thrush, the bobalink and a score Of others to
swell the chorus, and above all let the mock
ing bird wave the orchestral baton and to-
gether link the notes Of ali in one continued
strain. For hours we have sat in the green
solitude aud then went away, we trust, no
worse n man.
81 love not man the less, but nature more,
From these our interviews, in which l steal
From all / may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the universe, and feel
What can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal"
4 TUE HIGHWAY is a living panorama to-
day. How many tread its dust and under
what different impulses ! We sit and gaze
on the living tide as it sweeps by. There is
en- old, old man bending on his staff and COW
cred with the dust of many days travel
How he tolls up the hill and at every fifty
PAGES sits down to rest and wipe his furrow-
ed brow. Poor old man the world is well
nigh done with him. How the young and
eager rush past him with scarcely a nod =
We can only wonder where the old pilgrim
can be travelling. Perhaps it is to stand at
the bedside Of a prodigal son or daughter to
see death remove them to another world or,
perhaps, he has finished his course" and
is now beating out a pilgrim path to the hills
he roamed when a boy, to the spot where his
mother sang over his cradle when a child,
that he may be buried at the side of those be
most loved in life. The old man totters on
the road and his white locks go down behind
tho hill from our sight. We never saw him
before-we probably never shall again.
Here comes the traveller with his family, GO
ing TO seek a better home, as he thinks, in the
FAR west. Brave hearts beat in the sturdy
boys' bosoms as they walk manfully by the
wheels, but a tear fingers in the eye of the
pale woman sitting in the wagon with a small
child clinging to her breast. She is leaving
sisters and a mother, and the hOme cottage
where she trained the eglantine and made
sod seats Mt the door-leaving all for the sake
Of her husband and children and n new home
in a strange land. May her new hom al
ways be n happy one, with eglantines, ant
rose.bushes, and honeysuckles and green soc
seats ut the door like the one she is leaving
forever Here comes a happy peasant will
his cart load Of trade for the market. Nc
man happier than he, as he whistles on his
way, gently goading his patient OK, and amor
and anon casting a proud glance at his bux
ON wife, and noble turnips, and golden pump
kins, aud fat poultry. His humble hom'
will be made happy Tonight with rare pres
ents and comforts brought from the town 70
the children, who gave promises in the morn
ing to be L" good children all the day long.
There goes a gully dressed man on a prancln
steed. His clothes are of the finest textur
and he is bedizzen with flashing jewelry.-
lie is out Of sight like a meteor. We kno
not who or what he is. Yonder roams
bevy Of school girls across the hill. Son
with baskets and some with satchels, and a
with clean white aprons. They leave II
highway and take the bride path that leat
IN into the forest. Their clear and joyo'
laugh rings out on the evening air like Il
merry tinkliugofbells Happy they! TIT
have not vet learned the great lesson OF Ill
In q few months they will be scattered-tI
scbool.day ties will be severed and they W
begin life in earnest. Could they look in
the pages Of the future they would tremb
One will go down to the dark grave ear
and be a tomb tenant for ages and ages.
Another will be the proud mistress of q g
mansion. Another will sit down by t
grave Of the early loved and mourn in all b
teruess Of soul. Another will stand by a
see the blessed buds God hath given dro'
and wither, and die. Another may DO
wife Of a brutal drunkard and pray for def
and Heaven. And that little rollicksor
laughing, singing creature now so lovely, n
die in a howell mid filth and vermin. Life
a mystery. To-day all seemeth happy
the highway, but Death is at work now
some home and hearts are being slowly
ken, and Tomorrow will be as To-day.
r Tue WORLD is wisely governed. Th
is Joy and misery-sunshine and shadows
beautifully blended. Yet we hear men sol
times complaining of the gall and bittern
Of life, and they sit down and repine q
theirlot. After viewingthe wonderous We
ings Of Infinite wisdom, the pleasures
paugs Of life, the beauties and deformitie
nature and humanity, we verify believe a
all. mortals are blest with more sunlightt
shadows. True the weary heart someti
feels like giving up the struggle in the la
Of life, and sinking down to be wrappe
gloom and darkness always, but the chez
thought comes that it will not last alw
and the oar is grasped with a more ner'
will. Men who sit down determined alv
TO look on the dark side Of hfe's journey
n hard time Of it: