Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-11-16
ssIstt MistsIIang.
Spirit Longiags.

<t<<s 6N~*~s<***'ks
Spirit Longiags.
One by one. perish the ties that
bind us to earth. The dusky past
grows still more dusky rs the shadow
Of Life's evening creeps over us, and
there grows upon US an intense and
all-absorbing curiosity to penetrate
the still darker mysteries Of the Fu-
ture. The years over which we have
already passed dwindle into points
into mere specks upon the horologe OF
Time. and the hands upon the dial
move Ear too lazily until the move.
ment shall come when all this fretted
machinery shall cease its motion. and
this ingenious mechanism crumble into
ashes. Whose retsospection is ever
wholly satisfactory Who would
evoke the phantoms that were in ex-
istence in the years gone by. and dare
to face the dread array Separate
the joyous from the painful, the yir-
tuous from the vicious. the cnnobling
from the degrading, IN ary one hu-
man life, and how suddenly and with
wha. force does the scale of the form
or kick the beam How few the
number Of the myriads now living
who can took back on the records Of
their own career with any other emo.
tons than those Of pain and sadness
Some, indeed, there are, who. for
many years, enjoy respite from the
ordinary ills that afiict humanity. but
this respite does not lat forever
Sooner or later their turns too must
and do come, and usually the blows
of adverse fate fall with terrific force,
from the very fact Of their long accu-
mutation and the unprepared state ol
their victims.
The death Of those we love is the
most certain to restore to their senses
those who are Mt ease in their posses
sions. We have, for instance. been
passed by for years by the fell des'
iroyer. Our household circle has been
unbrolSen, nor have his shafts pierced
any who we're near and dear to Us by
the ties Of kindred or sacred friend
ship. We have looked on the misery
of Others who have been afflicted. but
our own souls have not felt the iron.
We have rejoiced in our fancled i'm
muuity. and forgotten to anticipate
the coming calamity. Suddenly
withouea note Of warning. our moth.
er is snatched away--our only moth
er-the being most beloved Of all on
earth-the best and most holy recip
lent of our affections-the guardian
Of our infancy and youth, and the
good angel Of our ripper years. The
green turf is leid upon her venerated
bosom. and we hear her loving voice
no MORE. The grief Of childhood on
such an occasion is mere mockery
when compared with the'auguish Of the
strong man in whom the ties OF filinl
love have grown into cords OF steel.
He may, indeed, meet the shock with
nm outward show OF courage, but his
inner existence is racked to the very
centre. Ere he regains that partial
sense Of complacency which seems al
most an institution Of our human ma
lure, he is again prostrated into the
dust by another stroke, from which he
finds IL almost impossible ever to re-
cover. The being who has become
his second existence, or rather, whose
existence has become SO identified with
his own that the two form but one
whom he has cherished in his bosom
as the fairest and lovliest flower that
ever bloomcd in Gods garden-with-
cred on his breast. and he grasps on
ly ashes What becomes of the
strong man now I? Judge him not as
he is seen in his daily walks, for he
wears a mask. He is ashamed OF his
own holiness, for all suffering is holy.
But 90 with him into his loneliness.
when no eye but the unseen one OF God
Is on him and he weeps tears OF very
blood. The chords Of his life have
been snapped asunder, and no skill
this side Of heaven can ever re-unite
them. To the world he may event.
ually appear forgetful, and even gay
and reckless. but there are thorns in
his nightly pillow, and unrelsnting
whisperers ever at his ear who will
not suffer him 10 quite forget. How
natural then the indulgence OF
thoughts and emotions that terminate
in an almost irresistible anxiety 10
know where his loved ones are gone--
an overwhelming curiosity to pierc'
the dark veil Of the future
Skepticism, as to the abstract fact
Of future existence. he..has not. nor,
in truth. has any man living. He
knows that his treasures exist some-
where. and his vain efforts TO discover
how and where, only renders his anx-
ious curiosity more intense, UnwIl-
ling and not daring to end his doubts
by voluntarily rending the curtain
separating life from death, he slghs
and prays for the hour when the great
mistery shall be solved, and he shall
meet his loved ones where there shall
be no more separation. Is this SIM
in curiosity? May not its indulgence
be attended with elevating and purl'
flying results? And win not the be.
lief, the consciousness that the glorti'
ed spirits Of the loved and lost are
lowering about his pathway, and per
haps to some extent influencing hl'
thoughts and actions. tend TO rendel
him more fit for his final translation
to their celestial homes?--Post.
n-rA grca, many words will not fl
| a nurse.