Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-04-16
Ynmbsr 80.
Our Arm Chair.

THE winter fingers and lengthens Its
reign. Even MS we write, the clouds whirl
on the ETHEREAL highway and another Install
ment Of snow is threatened by the chilly east
wind. There is a winter rattle in the win
lows and the tappings Of hail fingers on the
pane, warning us to not go poisoning yet.
When will Springtime come? The wind
sings winter songs yet. Afcw days of cloud
less skies and dancing sunbeams gave goodly
promise of bursting buds, but a pail has been
spread between sun and sod, and leaf and
flower yet sleeps 10 the bud. Oh. for a
brilliant resurrection Of the sleeping beauties
Of forest and field! A stately maple, as if
bent upon being the first to display the holy
day suit, crowned itself with purple and red,
but the snowfakes lodged among the buds
and gave it a hoary head. Alas poor ma
pie, you were in too much haste-the winter
fingers.
The birds seem struck with amazement,
and wonder if S~pring-time is never coming.
Only " or three have yet swung in the
bush by the window and treated us with a
song. There was something more p~laintive
in their notes than usual. There was not
the old time, rollicksome " Chick-a-dee !
Willie-Leel whip-th'-D! who-but-me !"
bursting from the feathered throat but a
subluei song, such as might be sung at twi-
light DER the grave Of buried love. Who is
wise enough TO say that the sparrow, the red
bird and the wren are not mourning the loss
oftheir mates persisted in the winters storms!
Birds have hearts |! May their olden songs
yet cheer the weary heart Of man.
Whea will the glorious spring-time come ?
That it tcH come, we have a Divine promise.
Let Us be patient. These grim winter clouds
shall not always %o'ercast the sky. The glo-
rious sunbcams, ~frcighted with mellowness
and warmth, will yet cheer the earth and
open a glorious prospect Of green and gold.
So it is in the relations Of life. A thousand
times the mental sky is yelled with curtains
whose wool and web are Of the darkest dye,
and the sun and the stars Of hope are hid
through n long, long night Of trial and an
guish but the clouds do sometimes break
the veil is rent, and a glorious and cheering
prospect opens to comfort and encourage
Let none despair: Spring-time comes to the
relief Of the burdened earth and Spring time
comes to the weary heart.
SPEAKING of the lingering winter brings
70 mind the poor who have suffered through
its long season Of trial. How they long to
see the season of warmth and plenty again
They will d~evoutly thank God for sunshine
that is cheaper than anthracite, and for
earth's fruits cheaper than the cereals ofmo-
nopolizing traders. What a blessed thing it
Is Tint sunbeams cannot be bought and sold
If they could, what studied calculations of
per centum and profit would be made. But
there can be no monopoly here thank God!
sunbeams are Ills free bounty, and the sam
q pies falling through the poor mans door are
a. rich as those gliding the rich mans gate.
The rose assumes no more gorgeous tint from
blooming under the rich mans eye. The
daisies do not close mp their petals because a
poor man cometh. The birds sing as sweet
ly from the boughs of the poor mans thorn
as from the top Of the rich mans magnolia.
Thank God for this. And in the end, the
same blue bells bloom and the same grass
grows DER the graves of rich and poor. A
great lesson is herein taught. Oh! Dives.
Lazarus is thy brot err! But Dives would
not believe that for half his goods. 1t is toe
humiliating to his pride. lie regards Laza'
rus rs n segment Of another circle--as
branch Of another stock hence, there is, in
his opinion, no moral obligation upon him tC
divide his riches with him even though he
suffer and perish.
lie has gone to seek his fortune" Per
haps there is no event in the life Of man o.
more Importance, and to which the minC
more instinctiyely wanders back with pleas
ure or with pain, than that of his leaving thu
parental roof to seek his fortune in the grea
battle Of life. That is the moment when h,
begins life in carncst-wheu he chooses on,
Of the many paths that open before him
when he begins to plan and project for him
self-in II word. when he takes the first ste
that affects all his other steps in the journe,
Of life. How important is it, then, and hoy
natural that he leaves anxious hearts throb
bing behind for hi. welfare. And how i'm
portant is it that he should properly calcr
late the chances against him, and place hi
confidence of success in the shield and he
met Of honest probity, virtue and truth.
AIN Mon! Aye, aim high in life. BE nc
content with striving to be merely a " hewC
Of wood and drawer Of water" but fix tn
y eye Aloft aud resolve to make your mar
high in the worlds annals. Aim high, G
you will fail of the prize. Aim high!
AND here we must close our Arm Cha
chat. When we meet again, may blossom
be "a plonteous a; the snow-lakes Of yeste
day.