Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-07-18
For The Spirit ofhe Age.
A REMINEsGENsE.
nY ErrnL.-To J. II. q.

BY ETToL.-IO D II. e.
That was a lovely day, the 18th day Of May,
e. Dost remember ? At an early hour, around
The old Spring, under the branches Of shady trees,
To relieve the tedium Of a few hours,
We were all gathered. The limpid water
Wound its sinuous course in the woods below.
In different parts Of the grove were different groups;
Parties Of two, in earnest converse enga ged,
Nor could another be allowed to share with a
boquet,
A trio, in language alegcrical, their sentiments
Were conveying. The song, the laugh, the shout
And the mefriment OF the party their enjoyment
Attested. In the mean time the gleesome children
Their shoes and hose had DOTTED and were wading
The purling stream. The ieathered choristers,
Making musical the grove, seemed to have assem-
bled,
Too, to cheat old Time. A sylvan scene =
A sweet haunting place is that old spring
And a merry party it was on that day.
There was one, though, that felt the whole
To be a madness and a mockery.
Exclusively he might be seen moving about;
- DAyou not rvmsmber what a sad tale was hiss
He was a wanderer
The sound Of rolling wheels
In the direction of the road, which came round the
hill,
Was heard, and towards that which was approach
ing
All their attention turned -
And the face Of the wanderer turned pale
The sound Of rolling wheels it proved to be;
Acarriage well known to all had arrived,
And 10 our party an accession OF three
Was made. OF that number
There was one to whom no other holds a likeness.
- - ~-, -. poaotAt othar
And hand in hand proceeded to the spring.
The little furry, caused by the late arrival,
Having subsidized, the party had re-arrangcd
Themselves, in twos, threes and more,
But two there were who seemed not Of the party
Nor seemed they Of themselves.
A nymph stood at the fountain. One Of the
Naiades, she was, but had no pitcher or urn.
A simple dress she wore Of white no ornament
Except that Of beauty with which she was
Adorned. In her left hand some fresh flowers
She held near her cheek whose red and white
Were the more delicately intermingled
And her right, with a careless grace, of the faire
And most exquisite mould, hung at her side,
Alone she stood, and on either side
Grew stately trees whose towering height
And extended branches, for her, made
The lofiest shade.
And the other,-where was he the wanderer
On the lowly ground, below the fountain,
At the base of a century-living pine, he sat,
Fixed like one, lin days Of old, the nymph
Had seen and was beside himself and with
Eyes upturnedh he was gazing intently upon
The most beautiful Of earth, with eyes full
or melting tenderness upon all he loved
And she apparently absorbed, with one look
Had not yet ilumined him, the scene
Was surveying.
And now she spoke to him Ca wall is propC
ToinclOse tho spring, andthe place to be ornamen
But think ii prettier as It be,-do you not ?"
Ito whom he replied yes for nature
when unadomed BIKE beauty, is adorned
The most
1nd now she was looking upon him yes,
His earnest, fixed gaze she met, and throagh
The windows Of his soul, her dark lustfbus ey
IStole a glance-a seventh heaven twas to hir
And saw herself the sole occupant within.
Her eyes were again withdrawn and their
Dark lashes shut out the light and closed
From him the portals of Eden, and he was sac
But not as before--disconsolate-
IL was a sadness so sweet-so serene!
one spoke not, nor said be more.