Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-04-09

down a silver shower of melody as il
flies ?
Perhaps some may think am swell
ing small things into great but incidents
and actions are to be judged by their re
suits, by their influence in the formation
of character, and the hues they reflect
on futIrity. Had received encourage
ment instead of lebuke, praise instead Of
ridicule-had he taken me by the hand
and spoken some such kindly words as
these:--
'This is very well for little girl like
you. Lift up that downcast face, nor
blush and tremble, as if detected in a
guilty act. You must not spend too
much time in the reveries-of i'm agiuation,
for this is workin :. day world, my
child. Even the birds have to build
their nests, and the coral insect is a
mighty laborer. The gift of song is
sweet, and may be made an instrument
of the Creators glory. The first notes
of the lalk are feeble, compared to his
heaven high strains. The fainter dawn
precedes the risen day"
Oh had he addressed me in indul-
gent words as these, who knows but
that, like burning SapphO, might have
sang as we'll as loved ? Who knows but
that the golden gates of the Eden of i'm
mortality might have opened to admit
the wandering Peri to her -long-lost
home ? l might have been the priestess
of shrine of Delphic celebrity, and the
world have offered burningincense at my
altar. 1 might have won the laurel
crown, and found, perchance, thorns hid.
den under its leaves. 1 might-but it
matters not. The divine spark is undy-
ing, and though circumstances may
smother the flame it enkindles, it glows
in the bosom with unquenchable fire.
remember very well what the master
said, instead of the imagined words l
have written.
"Poetry, is it?-or something you
meant to be called by that name ? Non
sense, child-folly moon beam hallu-
cination ! Child do you know that this
is an objectionable waste of time Do
you remember that opportunities of i'm
provement are given you tc enable you
hereafter to secure an honorable inde-
pendence ? Phis accounts for your reve
ries over the blackboard, your indiffer-
ence to mathematics, that grand and
glorious science Poetry ha, ha 1
began to think you did not understand
the use of capitals-ba, ha !"
Did you ever imagine how a tender
loaf of bread must feel when cut into
slices by the sharpened knife 2 How the
young bark feels when the iron wedge
is driven through it with cleaving force ?
1 think I can. by the experience of that
hour. 1 stood with quivering lip, burn
ing cheek, and painting breast--my eyes |
rivited on the paper which he fourished
in his left hand, pointing at it with the
fOrefnger of his right.
"He shall not go on, said 1 to my
self, evaporation giving me boldness-
che shall not read what 1 have written
of my mother. l will die sooner. He
may insult my poverty, but hers shall be
sacred, and her sorrows too
l sRrang forward, forgetting every
thing in the fear of hearing her name as
sociated with derision, and ATTEMPTED to
get possession of the manuscript. A fly
might as well attempt to wiring the trunk
of the elephant.
"ReaIly little poetess, you are getting
bCld. l should like to see you try that
again. You had better keep quiet"
A resolute glance of the keen, black
eye, resolute. yet twinkling with secret
merriment, and he was about to com
mence another stanza.
Jumped up with the leap of the pan
ther. could not loosen his strong grasp,
but tore the paper from round his fin.
gers, ran down the steps through the
rows of desks and benches, without look
ing to the right or left, and flew without
bonnet or covering out into the broad sun
light and open air.
"Come back, this moment %
The laundering voice of the master ,
-olled after me, like a heavy stone,
threatening to crush me as il rolled. 1
pounded on before it with constantly ac- !
speed. (;
"Go back-never %
l said this to myself 1 repeated it .
loud to the breeze that came coolly end ,
OOthingly through the green bOughs, to
an the burning checks of the fugitive. 7
1t length the dread of pursuit subsiding, /
slackened my steps, and cast furtive
lance behind me. The cupola of the +
cademy CLEANED white through the /
ak trees that surrounded it, and above
hem the glittereing vane, fashioned in t
he form of giant pen, seemed writing i
n the azure page of heaven.
My home-the little cottage in the 6
Foods, was one mile distant. There was !
BY path, foot-path as it was called, I
which cut the woods in diagonal line, 4
nd which had been trodden hard and
mooth by the feet of the children 4