The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-05-21
AUTUMN, OR TAREE SCORE AND TENi
4 ny Mrr DpED G&@

The old man sits in the autumn twilight,
the shadows deepen around bin, the evening
wind signs .mourniuHy through the trees, and
the witkered leaves fall with d rustIing sound
to the earth; and thoughtful he sits, though
not in sorrow, as he sees around him the
emblems Of the autumn, and the twilight Of
his own years.
The old man sits in the twilight, and sees
the stars gemnling the mantle Of night, aud
hears the music Of the evening wind; but in
his heart there is brighter light than the
light III stars, and hnlier, grander music is
in his ears than the music Of the wind; for he
is drawing near 10 the portals Of the better
life, and rays Of its glory stream across his
pathway, and the music which steals upon
Ills ear is The voices Of the loyed ones, who
have long been welers in the land Of light,
and who now throng its gateway to welcome
him TO his home.
As the old man, in The autumn evening Of
bis life. sits beneath the autumn starlight,
his memory has gone far away into the carly
spring, thc spring Of nature and Of life; he is
a child again in The green meadow, weaving
garlands of clover and starry snow droTs TO
deck the brow Of The little maiden BY his
side, herself as fair, as irail as They; he sees
the blush q spring deepen INFO The glow Of
summer, tie gorgeous summer with its gol-
den sun, its ripeDed fruits and waving grain
-thc summer, too, Of manly hopes and joys,
Of Il lone where his chosen flower, in all her
ripened beauty, sheds The sweet perfume Of
her presence, giving 10 his life beauty aud
a glory like the golden summer Of the year.
lie sees bis children at their play, he hears
their happy Voices. and the music Of thuse
loved tones floats onward and mingles with
the harmony which comes 10 him from the
spirit.land.
The old man has nobly born bis part in
The great battle Of life; he has worn the laurel
crown; he has lived life Of worship, for be
has laborcd 10 bless his brother man, and
"labor isworship." Perchance he has opened
To his brother new paths through the fields Of
science. or with gentle hand and words Of
love has led him through the gloomy wilder
ness Of doubt into the sunlight of Fathers
presence. His life has been rici, in love, and
beauty, and use; full of flowers, and fruits.
and wasing grain; and now the autumn has
come. the fruits have fallen, and the flowers
have faded. but to bloom again in the never
failing spring, and the grain is bending with
its golden burden, ready for the harvest.
Calmly lie sits in the autumn eve, with the
light OF well.spent life gliding his evening
sky, with his heart full Of joyful hopes, frd
by The music which is borne on spirit voices
from the land he has almost reached. His
day has been calm, and clear, and bright, but
the shadows of evening are gathering around
him, and ere long the curtain of night will
fall, aud he will lie down to a sleep which Is
not Jeep. but wakening into life.
The old man does not die. The spirit,
which makes him lovely and good, will vet
live, loseler and better even than now; and
brightly will be live. TOO, in the human hearts
Of lie world he leaves behind. Ills life will
blossom aud bear fruit IN many lives, is end
ing Who can tell The seeds 81 thonght his
hand has planted will spring up aud Yield a
rich reward; The perfume Of human sympathy,
the word 81 kindness ftly spoken, will ill
with love aud harmony the lives Of many ~
the coming time.
j No! The old man will not die, FIR his life
has just begun; he will close his eyes upon
The bright sun aud the green earth, and open
them TO behold brighter sun and lairer
world, where no night shall come; and behind
him, stretching into the dim future, further
/ than thought can reach, the life of his exam
! pie, of his teachings aud his love, will be
green aud fruitful forever.
beauty not Of earth i around the old
man, sitting ~ the autumn twilight, fast fad.
/ ing into night. and We are filled with joy and
thankfulnrss Tor this picture of what life ma,
be; aud We pray that We too may ST. calml,,
and beautifully. A. be. looking forward INF,
the better land and waiting 20 enler in. whei
We too have numbered our " three score anS
ten