The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1854-01-13
Written iOr ne Garland.
MHMORY.
By FLORA.

Man, e'er he had received the bles-
sing Of memory, one summer day
wandered forth and seated himself in
the shade Of delightful arbor and
as Hope whispered of bright things
inthe future, belonged toknow the past.
He knelt and prayed God to bestow
hat blessing upon mortals and even
whilst he knelt, there appeared unto
him an angel, who thus spoke "De-
graded man, wilt thou be willing, in
order to live through all the JOY and
happiness Of thy past life, to suffer
again the same sorrows, and commit
the crimes that were forgotten as soon
as committed. 'a.Ha n
Man gladly consented, and Memory
came and dwelt in one Of the many
mansions Of his brain. He sent her
on her journey. She wandered through
all the paths Of the past I; and return
ing, brought to his delighted imagina-
ton the images Of the flowers that
had decked the walks Of his childhood.
Again at evening be knelt at his
beloved mothers feet, and raised his
innocent voice in supplicatioa to God
to protect him, as he lay in slumber's
sweet embrace. He saw deep, blue
eyed boy chasing a bright-winged
butterfly, and, as the summers soft
breath blew back the golden locks
from off his noble brow, Memory
whispered, "That is thy image"
h But, alas there is no rose without
q thorn; and Memory, true to herself,
caused him to suffer again all the sor-
rows Of the past.
/ Again he saw his mothers pale and
emaciated form, as she lay upon her
bed Of sickness, pain and death |;
H again he heard her feeble voice, as
/ in her last breath she blessed him !;
again be saw her shrouded corps as its
Il was laid in her coffin, and borne tothe
H church.yard, where it was covered
forever from his fond gaze.
H Again, in fit of anger he chal-
lenged his brother. They fought.
His brother fell, and his cold, stiff
form was laid beside that of his moth
er. Man, in despair, called Memory
back; but often through the remain
der of his life, did "the still, small
voice" whisper, "Thy brothers blood
is upon thee" Years passed, and
man lay upon his death.bed, with
weeping friends around him. He ex-
claimed, in the agony of his soul,
30, could ] live my life over, how DIFF
ferent it would be-" His spirit soon
after stood before the judgmentbsr of
God but Memory revisited earth,
and carried the prisoner back to the
days of his childhood, when his soul
/ was spotless, but now black with hor.
/ rible crimes. And he cursed the day
that Memory was given to mortals.
/ But Memory is not a curse to all.
II 70 the Wlteless, chlldleSS pauper, her
enchanting voice sounds like sweet
melody, telling Of the time when he
was rich and surrounded by a beauti-
full wife and happy, blooming chill
dren. And to the drunkard's wife
\ Memory recalls the time when he,
whose only bed is the gutter, was
noble, daring youth, and as she
stood meekly BY his side, and was
united to him by the holy tie Of mar
riage, she was proud of the envy she
excited among her fair companions
and when he gazed with fathers
/ pride upon his first horn, his darling
boy, a thrill Of JOY filled her grateful
II breast.
II As the missionary in a far distant
land, wanders forth at evening, to see
the goodness Of God, displayed in the
bright gems that deck the sky, Mem
ory, gliding noiselessly over the Au-
tumn leaves of the forest, holds the
magic glass before his wondering eyes;
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