The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-29
Misrallanruns.
+ Oa :se FCmly Fdisnd.
MARY I EE.

The early spring days always affect me
with feeling Of strange, bu, no, unpleasan,
sadness. In autumn. am not untouched
by melting OF a similar kind, but il proceeds
rather from sympathy with the decay and
decomposition without me. / am Of the
earth, and have an affinity with The earthly |;
but, in spring, the symbols and ,inis Of the
terrestrial have passed away, aud seem 10
stand face 10 face with purified and reju-
venescen, nature. Then can even look
upon tho grave Of my immature hopes with
a sort Of smile, and remember the features
OF many an early disappointment, with n
feeling akin 10 satisfaction.
Bu, on afternoons IKE this, when The air
is sOlt and drowsy, and there is angour in
the sky and in the clouds--when earth is
full of the notes, the iinis, and odors Of res.
direction when The slough Of time seems
10 have been cast, and the lie OF animate
and inanimate things is quicker, fuller, and
more jucund at such times, 10 an old man
ike me, there is a sor, Of blind impulse 10
revive the past, and retOuch the faded col
ors Of younger days.
Sweet Mary Lee Thy shadow floats up.
ward oui Of the river Of time, calm and
heaying, beckoning me on 10 those pure
and tranquil seats, beyond tho smoke and
stir of,his dim spot, which men call earth" "
that even now | forge, The frailly Of time ;
my limbs regain momenlary aler,ness, my
eyes are ignoran, Of their dimness--l feel,
see. and | perceive, as il the winter was
not, and death had been banished from The
world. IT'S the privilege Of age 10 be gar
rulous, so le, me talk awhile, and bask, as
i, were, in the sunshine Of reason, sleeping
as the half.awake flowers do, this May
afternoon. What recolleciions do they
bring to me primrose, and celandine. and
daisy, and the faint bloom Of the siar.leaved
wood.anemone. In the armament Of mem
ory they shine out forever and ever incor'
ruplible. -.i
Bul remember story was 10 tell
Well, will once more tell the story oI
Mary Lee. Long and lonely have The
yeas passed since she went away, yet 10
think other childhood now seems 10 me 10
be iorelaste Of paradise.
Mary Lee was The mos, beautiful child !
remember 10 have seen. She was not large
neither was she small. Her form was one
of extraordinary perfeciness, and a, seven.
teen. 1 think her beauty Of features, and oI
body unrivalled. Her eye was Of dark
blue, almost black /; the lashcs long and
jei,y. Her hair very dark, and parted
plainly. on a finer forehead than Canova
ever sculp,ured; her lips ehiseled with
perfect regularity, and yet, If there were
any lau, in her face, it was in little TOO
much iulness Of those same lips. They
were not precisely in harmony with the
rest Of her iace-bu, you would only notice
this on close examination, and perhaps no,
then. had fancy for watching her lips,
as well for the words Of love they so grace.
fully formed, as ior the kisses I, and I alone.
(in those years.) had from ,hem-sor Mary
Lee was the adopted daushter Of nv father,
and so my sisier. She was the child Of my
ialher's old friend. They had been boys
and young men, and grew TO be old men,
together. When Mr. Lee died, he left
Mary, then eu' ten years old, 10 my mother.
geulle care.
Il was my fathers wish, l. have alway.
supposed, ,ha, we should marry but some
how ], happened that our love was neve
based on any such hopes. II was the per
lee, confidence Of children. growing will
our age, ,ha, bound US together.
imay no, pause 10 tell the history Of ou
childhood. Enough ,ha, il was as child
hood in the beautiful country must Away
be-eSceediugly beautiful. The earth wa
one wide source Of Joy TO Us, and ever,