The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-03-30
Number Is.
For the Richmond ratl..iinr,
Days of Child hood

DAYS of Childhood.
Days Of childhood, What = magic charm
hes deep in these few words, From memorv's
page, they call up many scene of by-gone
DAYS.
The ringing laugh of playmates, glad and
Joyous as ourselves. the meadows where we
.ported. passing many a happy day. absorbed
IN Suiieiess pasame. our steps blithe rs
scarce 70 leave print upon the grassy sward:
the brook, beside the wood, wherein the heat
OF noon we lay us down 10 rest beneath the
cooling shade, and watch the gambols of the
natives OF the stream, careless as we, the OBJ
servers Of their prauks. The woods where we
have wandered all day long in search Of ber-
rles, nuts or flowers wild. TO deck our hair,
and merry sun-burnt faces: return st night
with aprons torn, feet scratched with thorns,
and faces marked with juice of ripened fruit:
the little bubbing spring. beneath the tall and
towering maple, near which, with cloth spread
on the grass, our simple fare arranged. aud
water from the fountain near, we had our
childish parties; or winter. how we hsiled the
driving snow; It's cold had no effect on us when
we were gay and happy
Behold us gathered on the hill preparing
! for riac' some on sleds all ready soon. glide
swiftly down the slope: others less fortunate.
content themselves with planks, which serve
the purpose We'll. but more apt to meet with
obstacles, stump rock it in the way, tos-
sed us IN the air, then is heard the Joyous
shout, IN strains of youthful merriment, Ali
those were happy daysl But Q. our school
days then began our infant troubles: 10 be
pen, up and sit so still, when our hearts were
far away among the hills. on which We gazed
with ever longing eyes, and the breezcs watt
ing pleasant odofs TO our senses, from tie
fields aud woods, almost our homes, seemed
to invite us FORTH but there we must remain
poring over things we could no. comprehend,
and yet when nature was worn out, our weari-
ed frames found rest Ill the sweet forgetful-
ness of balmy sleep. wishing books had never
been made to mar our youthful pleasure; and
when the sign was given for dismissal, our
one light bound and joyous shout. we cleared
the prison walls, our thoughts as far removed
from books as innocence from guilt Those
days psstand gone, bu, engravened on
memory tablet. there to be till our mother
dust receives
One youthful friend, neghbor, school
mate, bosom friend, can never be forgotten-
! Her soft dark eye was full of love aud sympa-
thetc tenderness. Her auburn hair hung
gracefully in rnglets round her shoulders
! But fate stern determined we should part.
Broad rivers, chains of mountains and wide
extended plains were stretched between US.
but letters over rleaped them ALL
Stll they come, but few and far between
Little did think they soon would cease All!
soon the last one came A few lines traced
with trembling hand saying: farewell, but
do not forget ne; it is gloomy thought to
die and be forgotten" Then came another
written by a strangers hand, bearing tidincs
lof her death, and her last words to me: II
can not write again, but hope we II meet in
Heaven. thus eight long years the stream
OF love was kept IN constant flow, and the
cham OF friendship formed remains unbroken
still, for though the sweetest intercourse Of
earttiy friendship is broken, yet may not spirit
JOIN with spirit In sweet communion. though
one still inhabts the frail tenement of man,
and the other dwels in the society of angels
IN the regions Of Immortality?
Now she Is gone, we never shall meet TO
roam again over scenes we loved so we'll
The bhghtlng hand Of death turned pale her
lovely check. Consumption, the DESTROYER
of SO much youth and beauty. claimed her as
his victim No earthly power could keep her
back; no human skill could save her, and now
she lnhabils the spirit land, where disappoint-
ment enters not and sickness never comes
How her parents miss her, and little sister
too Will miss her gentle guide When sorrow
qyer5akes them they II miss her soothing voice.
brow. and smothe her fathers pillow iney ~
miss her then, and shall miss her tokens so
fraught with future hopes ard whisperings Of
the past, bat, Angeline, thou art gone to NEE.
thy God ere sorrow scared thy heart.
Thy life was short, Dut may that lfe thy
last faithful message, and thy quiet, calm de-
parture lead me to meet thee where love
and joy doth never end and grief can have
no place. NJ. j. w.
Dublin. Sd mo. 25, 1855.