Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-10-31
Aistellaneons,
The autumn and its memories.

The Autumn and its Memories
A solemn fellow is this Autumn, with
whom we now have to do Summer who
has lust been among us, is tickle maiden,
who smiles and weeps by turns; she dress
es in all the gayest attire-she adorns her
garments with the sweetest flowers, aud ar
Tavs herself in all the paraphernaiia Of fash
.ion, hoops included Beneath her magic
touch ali beautiful things spring into life {;
but she often coys with the sleep-god, who
prefers her 10 any mortal, and leaves us,
poor children of earth, to toss in provoking
inquietude, and ghtmosquitoes! Such IS
the damseI who has Just left us; and the
cool Autumn steps in with a majestic bear
ing. We feel his manly presence in the re-
-freshing air the chill of dawn, the tempered
and the delicious sleep we experience, for
he puts stop to the fiirtations of Morphe-
us. and leaves him to attend to his legiti-
mate duties.-YeS we know the Autumn
by the strength with which he invigorates
uSnot less than by his gracious Influence up
on or linen; for behold! our collars just
ifiaceid and languishing, now again stand
erect. Starch can perform its uses, and the
heartless perspiration no longer drenches
sour under garments!
But this Autumn, though a very pleasant
sand agreeable gentleman Just now, will cut
some sorry pranks before he is done with us.
Behold how he invades our gardens, where
the choicest fruits and flowers have glad
dened our eyes, see how he reaches up to
the taIIest branches Ofthe forest aGd pluck
ing their leaves with his long fingers, scat
tiers them to the four winds ofheaven! See
how the green grass pales in his footsteps!
He grows stern and frowning as he grows
eold-he is cross and acrimonious in his lat
ter days, as if dispIeased with his reign, he
would revenge himself on his unfortunate
subjects. We shall hear from the old fel-
low before he dies, you may depend upon
it he will speak in a voice which will
mourn through your lattice work and rattle
your windows, and chill you again and again.
He will weep over his decaying fortunes,
and his tears will drench our fields and
roads, and the streets of the great cities; he
will speak in dismal accents, and his frowns
shall hide the light of heaven, and we shall
button our overcoats in his chilling presence
before he is done with u.s.
But many are the delightful memories
that come with the returning visits of Aut-
umn Amid the noise and hustle of the
crowded streets, the mind wanders back to
the scenes of early times. The friends oI
.childhood-the cherished forms and faces
of DAYS gone by, come floating around us
in the dreamy remennrances these cool
DAYS awaken. Some Of them, alas! are nc
more of earth their voices are huShed
forever; the light Of their eyes went out in
life's young years, ard we shall see them nc
more, till the glad spring-time of immortal
ity, of which the good heart and true feels
the hallowed inspirations long before it
passes the dark portals of death.
The Autumn-how il carries us back to
the ripened corn.-the stubble covered fields,
and the meadows with beauty faded 1t
will indeed be a long time before we shall
forget them. Long shall we remember the
pleasure Of those times-the parties, the
apple bees, the huskings.
We will relate an incident Of a long ago
Autumn.-It shall have catastrophe not
uncommon to stories and by no means un-
known to the drama.
We remember old deacon Smith and we
wish you could all have such pleasant
memory. He lived on the hill near our
pleasant home, in stately stone house
well BETTING his solid character. The
deacon would not have been at home in a
wooden dwelling structure so frail would
not have expressed the substantial manner
in which he did everything-for piece of
unfinished business never came from his
hands-it was all done and would last. A
stern contenance had deacon Smith; and
yet there was world of generous and man
ly feeling and Christian charity in his man
ly heart. The poor could testify of his
benefcence; you must go many a mile from
Woodside to find man who would speak
against him.
Woodside was comparatively new set
tlement then-the iron horse had not found
his track through the valley. Deep woods
were seen on every side, and the people
had to 90 many miles to market. There
was little village which could be reached at
a great saving Of distance by going through
the woods; and it was no uncommon
thing for the little folks to be sent there on
errands to the store or post-ofice, oyer the
well-beaten track Though the forest.
Deacon Smith was fond of young people,
and we all looked upon him with the