Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-03-08
FROM the Wiley Mess niger.
$. Touch US gently. gently. TImc.w


The hours are winging fast. Lies yesterdays
which hung So heavily upon us, dropped into OBJ
livOn even while we chided the r lingering to-
day is an unmcasurcd myth, and the clustering
tO-morrows, though we lean into the Future now,
and try to grasp them. will fly without spur
We do not like much to mortlize, it's dull
work, yet when we glance over the confused un-
balanced ledger Of the past, we clnnot help feel
ng IN neutrality-suspicious. better call it n weak
ncss-hcaving our bosom, and a tear tricking
down over the garland of smiles which linser
around the footsteps of departed years. Last
Tuesday we attained our mn joritv, yes we're
twentv-onc! And we cannot help repeating the
beautiful song of Bury Cornwall, rs we think of
our childhood, our boyhooi and our coming man.
hood, ana half wish might read the unwovcn
pages of the future. Listen to the bard:
ssTouc us gently gen ~. time!
Let rs glide al,,wn Thy stream,
GcntIy-as W sometimes glide,
Thru quiet, quiet, dream!
Humble
II ,'and wife, and children three,
C'ne is i"s,--au Anger ND
To the azure ovtrhcaJo
Touch Ms gently, gently. time,
We've pruu6 nor SOARING wings
Our ambiIi"n--our intent
Lies in simple, simple things,
DER Lies dim unsorni,d sea,
Seeking only cline,
Tocuh us gently, gently, Tin,e!''
Not yet have the crows feet begun to multiply
burrows III orr forehead vet when we revert our
look but yesterday, and watch the smiles and
shadows chasing each other, in the Younger twi-
light of our existence, and remember the pleasant
rambles, dearcr now than then, CO existent with
our plodding to the old school house, we can't
help repeating The prayer, 8 Touch us gently,
gently, time - '-'.a
And of all the dear family of flowers in child
hoods garden where were guest not long
ago how few remain The Lilies, and Bel's,
and Rose's have been plucked by fond admirers,
and born off into the great wilderness of Life 8
the Williams and Edwards whom We knew once,
have been scattered bv the hand of Fate-sOme
have been broken by Matrimony's wheel, some
have plunged into the w'lds, others have sought
the bright shining metal on the banks Of the Ell
Dorado, and others still have pitched their tents
on the banks of quiet river, whose waters are re-
newed from Lies fountain, AMI within the sound
OF whose murmurs. the visitors will never thirst
Tor gold ''TOuch us gently, gently, time!"
We had sister Onc,; hand in hand we
gathered the flowers she loved, from the cus-
tcrng grass; hand in hand sought berries in the
painless forest: hand in hand played, suffered
and enjoyed. To others she was doubtless like
other mortals, but the elder by three years, she
was our guardian angel. She unraveled the mys-
terry of our tangled lessons, helped to scale all
the difficulties along the slope of Life's en-
deavor, and Chow we'll we remember it, with
her little hands hurled Us to and fro, in the
swing which hangs in the elm at the old home
stead. But Death has placed his cold kiss on
her forehead, and a new grave is rounded on the
hillside yondcr. Touch US gently, gently,
Time 20
And now we are of age! Tao bright link which
connects childhood and manhood is finished There
is no boyhood. now-a-days,) the acsme Of youth
full anticipations is neared, and reached, and
passed. The horison Of she present wixlens on
our vision, and We review the disappoint-
ments Of the past, then look along the dim aiales
in the Time-to-eome, and try TO discern the out
line Of the faint shadows which flicker on its wall,
bow can we help repeating the prayer of Human
ity's sweet sougster sTouch rs gently, gently,
Time !' W af. ~ -s1s-T