The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-12-04
From the Waverlcy Magazine.
Leaves from the Journal of Prudence
McNab.

=
McNab.
Long years ago, when dear grandam's care
ful hands smoothed down my childhoods pillow,
| loved little blne.eyed baby brother, and with
him each petty Joy and shared. was his elder
by some four years, and should have been TO
him, a, every time, tiny shield to guard from
harm and danger; but my little heart overflow.
ed with mischief, and often made that baby boy
the subject Of my vexing jokes. Full well do
remember, even now, the crafty cunning that
then made use of to secure my wishes.
At ,wilight's deepening hour we laid ourselves
down to rr.t within our little beds and then
commenced my petty tyrannies. Bright, silvery
shadows played upon the wall and made long
fingers there. as il to bid us raise our souls in
humble prayer to Heaven. The silvery moon
played bo peep through the window pane, and
gentle stars hung out their golden lights to grace
the arure curtain of the night. aud make cen lit
tls children glad. But made use Of every shi.
uins thing to play guileful trick. We named
she shadows playing on th4wall and called them
ours; we sAul our eyes, when fairy moonbeams
shsas, and fshrt made for us carica,ures Of
what We saw By day; and mine must be by far
the largest pile Of gildej shadows. the strsngest
forms must deck my drowsy brain, or else my
iit,le brother must have sinned, and humble
prayer alone could wash it out Zen now
seem to see his little honest face upta!sed 10
Heaven in earnest prayer, while crystal tears
drop from his weepngeyes and water his clasped
hands as if to wash them free from stains.
And the distress of soul was raised at my
suggestion and ne'er allayed, forgiveness ne'er
of Rom--had hidden that young heart rejoice,
which refused to do until each beOu,ious shad-
ow was secured.
Alas time flies That baby boy is now a
mar, as full Of young ambition and bright hopes
as ever blessed manhood's early dawn. No
rombre grienines rests upon his brow-the pres.
ent is to him fragrant flower, the future a vast
garden, full of unknown and unblossomed buds
.--thorns may be :here, and singing uettles,
too, but manly foot he trusts shall crush the
one, manly grasp abstract all poison from the
other before its veHing sting is felt. Trust on,
young dreamer may'st thou neer awake from
thy bright vision until Heavens shining gates
unfold for thee, and angels bid thee enter.
], too, have dreamed; even from my earliest
recollections bright airy castles have been reared
but like the soapy bubbles so loved to form in
childhood, and watch their varied hues, they
have vanished ere the acme OF my fond ambi.
tion was obtained. My woman's heart had its
bright fancies, too the present had some JOY,
the future had some more. Mine should be
Agufs prayer revised to suit wild, capricious
maiden's heart. That prayer has been answered,
and have drank al Marahs fount, and found its
waters wormwood mixed with gall. The soul
that once oveThowed with tenderness, that once
was happy in itself, went out one day aud tim
idly embraced another soul-a kindred one it
thought but hardly had its trembling lips in
hailed the perfumed sweetness ere sudden faint
ness seized the truant soul and left thorn i'm
planted there. 10 sting until the life-chords fret
ussunder. Tyrannous childhood, thou hast thy
Just reward. Coquettish maidenhood, thou art
ftly punished Imperious woman, thou ART
truly humbed, and the naughty flowers of pride
have withered on thy brow.
Dark is the night; its shadows seem TO res
upon my secret soul! The vivid lightnings flasl
across the heavens and peer into my curtainet
Ioom-the fiery daggers seem to threaten me
but sorrow flashes are far more terrific blear
syed unrest finds darker curtains than tn
gloomy night can spread it gives no bright
elastic flashes to ilume the shade-vapors an,
fogs, it vexes forth from every secret cavern O
the heart--no light but that of ignis fatuus.-
All, all. is gloom and sadn :ss.
Life hath few charms for me, now
Its roses have Departed
Th0rns spring tauntngly now
Like prOphecys fingers, up from the bough
That shaded me when loving words
Fell on my ear, like songs of birds,
Making me bthsome hearted.