Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-08-02
The Dark side.

There are some people who are always
looking on the dark de" Of life. They
seem to see the world through "coloured
glasses" and thus everything bright, beautl-
full and glorious, takes sombre tint from
the medium through which they gaze
They have not strength and courage to
struggle with the actual ills Of existence, for
these are wasted in graphing with imasl-
nary evils. If in the spring-time they sow
amid the budding loneliness of nature, they
do not believe that, when autumn comes
their fields will be filled with "plumy
sbeaves," aud plenty will sit smiling at the
household hearth. They think of the de-
vastating march of the tornado, and the
whitening breath of the frost king, rather
than the crystal dew-drop, the refreshing
shower, and the cheering sunlight, that
shall ripen the fruit and give golden hue
to the waving grain. When the harvest
has been gathered in. amid the merry songs
of the reap pers, they do not offer prayer OF
thanksgiving for these mercies. On the
contrary, they borrow trouble concerning
the winter, and fear that during her long
and dreary reign, want shall chase abund-
ance from their dwelling. If they have
white-winged vessels floating in far-off seas
they listen to every rising breeze, as if it
were the herald of coming doom, and
fancy each ship thousand times wrecked.
Do they possess richly-stored Golfers they
are in constant fear of burglars s. assassins.
Friendship they do not trust, because there
is possibility that smile may conceal a
deceitful heart, and kind words be used to
lure another to rain. They visit homes,
that seem to them like emblems of Eden.
Peace, and Joy and love, throw over them
halo of light, but even there shadow
floats up from the murky atmosphere which
enshrouds the distrustful soul. They won
der if this apparent happiness is not assam-
ed IN order to make an impression, and
give them an idea of real domestic bliss
There are those to whom they are bound
bv thousand ties, but instead of enjoying
their society, they spend the hours in goo-
my forebodlngs of death and misery. Dear
readers, you have seen just such persons
so have we, and marked how they not on
lv rendered themselves wretched, but cast
dismal spell over all with whom they
come in contact. 1t is well to look upon
life as it is; to realize that it has sorrows
and suferings, s prepare for them; but it is
vain and sinful to look continually on the
dark side. Ifwant falls to yourl lot, remem-
Der, that He who sent the ravens to feed his
servant, will not forget his trusting child
rem. Iffriends become your foes, do not
think that the whole human race are OF the
same stamp. Angels are bright still,
though the brightest fell" " and so it is with
mankind. True there are thousands OF
wretched fallen, guilty beings; but there
are, also, hearts that throb nobly with their
wealth of pure and generous impulses. 1t
is pernicious doctrine, which too many
are teaching, when they portray friends as
"only of name," and truth but the fair
semblance of what she ought to be. Death
NAV sever us from those to whom we have
clung with yearning fondness; but we must
not repine in every hour of trial and suffer-
ing, we must remember that there is One
guiding the affairs and destiny Of the world,
and that "He doeth all things we'll.
Olive Branch.