Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-05

The following is from the Gossip with Read
ers and Correspondents, which forms - at
tractive feature in the Knickerbocker Mig
azine -
My hair is getting gray the crows feet
are multiplying about my eyes, and the wrlnk-
les becoming deeper and deeper in my fore
head and around my mouth. Well, what Of
this to thee, nv reader Nothing in part-
cular; only | thought for moment. while
looking in the glas. this morning, of the
beautiful lines Of Barry Cornwall and i'm
mediatelv made up my mind to ask old Father
Time to deal gently with me. But first,
reader, TO the lines just read them -
Touch US gently, gently, Time
Let glide s-down thy stream
Gently-as We sometimes glide
Through quiet, quiet dream
Humble voyagers are we,
Husband, wife, and cullltn three
Zone is lost-an ansel-led
To the azure overhead ,
"Touch US gently, gently, Time
We've no proud nor soaring wings
Our ambition our content,
Lies in simple, simple things.
Humble voyagers are We,
Ger life's dim unsoundcd sea-
Seeking only some calm cline,
Touch gently, gently, Time
Il recollect distinctly, years ago, looking
with a sort of sympathetic pity upon rcit'
tive of mine whose hair was turning gray,
and was quite surprised at his apparent in
difference to the fact at the same time be-
! lieving it out of the question that my dark
| locks would ever put forth any silvcry hairs
but 10 here they are by the sco-e, and yet
do not actually mind it, although it ism the
/ pleasantest thing in the world to have friend
come up to you half a dozen times day,
Why, Pipes you're getting quite gray
/ | declare
Therefore, old Father Time, touch us
/ gently. if you please some years ago, at
/ parting with 4 very dear sister, she remarked
/ to me
" i will not say, goodbye for ] know
we shall meet again, at least before TlHlr can
have made any material change in either Of
US
"She IS dead-and my hair i, turning gray.
/ Time has made changes but g'ntiy has h'
dealt with me.
In what way, after years Of separation,
do we meet Do We look at Zach other with
the same feeling that We had at parting -
Does not, in many cases, the surprise felt IT
not expressed at the impress Of the seeds of
mortality in our outward appearance,
amount to positive pain | think 50. We
part in youth-hright, joyous, ruldy youth
. e meet again IN lnlGHle A-t- IIu'N Us
gently, Time Has the heart changed have
the affections waned No But touch Va
gently, gently. Time And some have gone
To dig gJld--thc young, the ml.,dlc-aged, tine
old They have left the HON steaJs of their
youth, the pleasant fire side, the smiles of
wives and the voices OF their little ones ,
and they have toiled and l,bprcd aud what ,
in many cases, ha. been their reward In
their wooden-rockcr, peeping up from heap
Of mud, sand, and stones, a few Npecks Of the
glittering metal make glad the eye. Gold
found at last must have more Touch
US gently, Time They toll, and toll ira
verse the ravines, valleys, and hills In
abundance they find the bright, bright metal
They will return to the loved ones at home
Touch us, gently, Time And years have
past, and the footsteps are homeward bound
Oh then let there be some green spot left
that has not felt the withcring influence of
thy cold hand, old Father Time upon which
the eye of the Wanderer can rest with plea
sure unspeakable ; that will bring back to
him-through the long ylsta-a touch OF
boyhood that will make him rememhcre'
even though the sprigs of mortality are fast
thickening, and the wrinkles growing deeper
Touch gently, Time y
May that prayer be answered