Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-06-27
For the Spirit of the Age.
T n PAST.
BY MAT.

The dear old past How many have
written on this same subject. How many
hearts have throbbed at the mention of the
past! Who is it, that does not love to
dream of the hours long ~gone-hours that
had their sunshine and their shadows too
Ones life, must have been a life Of guilt
indeed; when that one signs for the waters
of Lethe, All no let memory hold her
sway-let the past bring up its stores and
let us live it Ger again in thought. Often
when seated, with others around me pleas
antly ~chatting-and little children playing
their merry games, all unconscious, and
careless Of what | was doing have Lost
myself, as it were, in the dear old past
[ seem again to hear the voices now hushed,
again the eyes beam brightly, which, long
ago, hid themseIEe S6shiRd their curtainmlg,
Ids, fofaye-the Body seems once more to
be terminated by the spirit, which for
months ago has fed. That form-those
eyes-the voices of music the "green
and fiowery curtain of the grave" inter-
venes between me, and them-memory
draws it aside, and [ am with them. |
had a Mother-where is she now Alas +!
the relentless hand of death spares not
even though the warmest affections Of many
hearts cling around a darling form-when
this grim messenger comes, he bears with
, him, whom we will. God, in his kindness,
has so constituted the human heart, that
e it broods DER even its sorrows with a spe-
! cies of pleasure. Though no fond Mothers
r hand e'cr rests now in loving kindness on
s my brow and [ miss the words of coun-
e sci she was wont to bestow; yet, | have
a the blessed boon Of memory think Of
her as she aCas-ah as she ia spirit al
radiant with light, and [ am comforted
! while putting together the past in her des
tiny, and the present; and feeling that sh'
is happy.
Re The past is not peopled alone by the de
lie parted. No no! those that are Twin
W even now, but far away, throng the mind
Id All, the hearts hat once beat in uniso
es with ours What feelings thrill thel
MS now ? do their affections Irvine IN fondnes
he around the objects where mine too are tW
III ming? once twas so-h0W is it now? th
=; books we have read-the conversations W
" have had-the walks we have taken sic
IN by side-the tunes we have sung-they al
'l all present with me now | love these de-
IN reminiscences-my heart forgets all els
IN and throbs happily as it did then. Aa
many are estranged-the tones of love a
my changed to bitterness ; but shall [ think
.et, them with less esteem, because It's SO !!
mo All no for the sake Of the past, | W
for think as fondly as [ have ever done. I
as have not grown cold !; some there are, tt
NO, cling to me yet; and the mention Of ho1
past, will wake in their bosoms a thrill tt
echoes to the one in mine.
ing The past oh It is glorious to dream
Xed may have been hidden for a time by
the veil of care-when we draw aside this v
Is we pass over the dark spots in the pictu
oses or they serve to heighten the brightness
ain the rest.
her "a fig for the past" says one, " [
cut for the future" " and |" says anott
the olive in the present" "chacuna a son go
i = say [; but let me sometimes, nay oft
dream of the PAST.
o1ly S~unsbury, N. G.. 1856.