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

"Stay where you are, exclaimed Mr..
Regulus. "HaYe 1 not lectured you a
hundred times on this prepOsterous
shame-facedness of yours? Am I
Draco, with laws written in blood, ty-
rant, scourging with an iron rod, that
you thus shrink and tremble before me +?
Read, or suffer the penalty due disobe-
dience and waywardness."
Thus threatened, I commenced in
husky, faltering voice, the reading of
lines which, till that moment, l had be-
lieved glowing with the inspiration of
genius. Now, how fiat and common
place they seemed 1t was the first
time l had ever ventured TO reveal to
others the talent hidden with all
miser's vigilance in my bosom casket =
l had lisped in rhyme had improvised
in rhyme-I had dreamed in poetry,
when the moon and stars were looking
down on me with benignant lustre. ]
had thought poetry at the sunset hour,
amid twilight shadows and midnight
darkness. 1 had scribbled it at early
morn in my little room, at monday re-
cess at my solitary desk /; but NO human
being, save my mother, knew of the
young dream girls poetic raptures.
One of those irresistible promptings Of
spirit which all have felt, and to which
many have yielded, induced me at this
era 10 break loose from my shell and
come forth, as 1 imagined, a beautiful
and brilliant butterfly, soaring up above
the gaze of my astOnished and admiring
companions. Yes; with all my diff
dence 1 anticipated scene of triumph,
a dramatic scene, which would termi-
nate perhaps in crown of laurel, or a
public ovation.
Lowly selfestimation is by ne means
a constant accompaniment of difidence.
The consciousness of possessing great
powers and deep sensibiity often creates
1t is their veil and guard
while maturing and Strengthening. 1t is
the hower;sheath, that folds the corolla,
ill prepared TO encounter the suns burn
ing rays.
"Read 70
1 did read-one stanza. 1 could not
20 on though the scaffold were the doom
IF my silence.
What foolery is this Give it to
ne."
The paper was pulled from my cling
ng fingers. Clearing his throat with
oud and prolonged hem-then giving
flourish Of his ruler on the desk, he read,
n tone of whitening derision, the warm
of ehild's heart and soul,
truggling after immortalily-lhe spirit
md trembling utterance of long cherish
d, long imprisoned yearnings.
Now, when after years of reflection
ook back on that neyer-to-be- forgotten
l can form true estimate of
be poem subjected to that fiery ordeal,
wonder the paper did not scorch and
hrivel up ike burning scroll. 1t did
ot deserve ridiucule. The thoughts
Tere fresh and glowing, the measure :
orrect, the versifcation melodious. Ii
Tas the genuine offspring of a young /
urged by the strong ne $
essity" of giving utterance to its bright
iealities, the sighings of heart look
1g beyond its lOwly and lonely destiny. {
Ii Mr.. Regulus, you were cruel then.
Methinks l see him-hear him now,
Teighing in the iron scales of criticism ;
very. springing, winged idea, cutting
nd slashing the words tillN seemed to {
lie they dropped blOOd-then glancing
'om me to the living rows of benches I
18th such cold, sarcastic smile.
"What barbarous, unfeeling mon. t
.er !" perhaps l hear some one ex- I
aim: G
No, he was not. He could be very T
ind and indulgent. He had been kind i
nd generous to me. He gave me my /
lition, and had taken unwearied pains i
ith my lessons. He could forgive great
fences, but had no liberation for little
lilies. He really thought it sinful r
aste Of time to write poetry in school. t
e had given me subject for compost b
On, useful, practical one, but not at C
to my taste, and had ventured 10
sregard it. had jumped over the
'ck, and climbed up to the flowers that a
Few above it. He was thorough S,
athematician, celebrated gramma- f;
an, renowned geographer and lin A
list, but then thought he had no more 1
II for poetry or music, no more eye for g
painting of Color man a
than the stalled OK, or the Greenland o.
al. 1 did him injustice, and he was IL
Just to me. l had not intended to Il
ght or scorn the selection he had made, o.
It could not write upon i'll could
4 help my thoughts from flowing into "
yme. a
Can the stream help gliding and rip "
ing through its flowery margins ? Can al
O bird holm sin1;nc and uarhlino nm. c,