The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-04-26


q, Are thy returns. Il, flowers in spring,
l." which. besides their own dcnean.
Inc late past iro>ts tributes of pleasure brine
''rlei Mclt> away.
Ik" flower, in Nav
A. II there were 10 such cold thine
=" h" could have Thought nv >hrivelod heart
tonld have recovered rrcennc-S: II was zone
'''il'" under ground. ~ flow crS depart
10 see fher mother root. " here they have blown /:
here they together.
All the hard weather.
Dead TO the world keen house alone"
HEEBEET
Not tar from our stone cabin is a pile of
rnd" gray rocks, careleSslv thrown together,
and hoary with mosses. Here and there in
the ci"its The crimson columbine hangs its
rasseS. ard wild rose, Saxifrace, and ferns
con.binc 70 make garland round and over
them. The graceful white birch, with sill
very stem and clancing leaves, keeps senti-
mel here arm in arm with the stunted and
scraggy pitch pine. This white birch Low
ell calls the "Dryad" of our woods. and it is
in shape and feature the very per>oniication
of woodland elegance aud grace Its arrowv
leaves are OF brilliant and glossy vellowish
yrecn. and constantly glitter and simmer on
their long stems. as if 1crvahed bv tender
and tremulouS ecstasy Of lite, forming a sin :
gular contrast to the sullcn and craccv i'm
mobility of the pitch pine, with which they
tro tI,,o 8.
iShed white trunk. graceful and shaprlv.
seems like marble shaft in the creenne>s.
and is peculia-itv wherever the tree ap-
pears in the landscape One or two Young
elms. and growth Of Young oaks also lend
their shade to encompass these rocks, which
have history connected with them Ira
dItion whispers that this srot was in former
davs. the trystinc-pace where Samuel j.
Mills and his companions met. while mem
hers of the Theological Seminary at Auburn
to nour>h by PRAYER and communion. that
lovely vision of human brotherhood which
has since carried ihr American missionary to
every country Of the earth \ generation
has grown up since then. and we whose era
dies were rocked bv mothers IN whose hearts
the missionary spirit had become an absorb
ing enthusiasm, who were taught to prav and
feel for every nation and tribe IF the c.rth
AS brethren. can scarce realize what was the
labor to introduce that spirit into America.
when missionary enterprises were deemed
visionary and chimerical. Sad is it indeed
that America. while doing this great work in
foreign lands. has stood so Indifferent 20 the
sutferincS Of three millions of heather in
her own land sad that The l"kcwar.nn--s
and Inconsistency Of the religious world on
this subject. has brought suspicion of the SIN
ceritv with which she seeks to convert the
heather of other shores But while the low
ers of foreign missions should not forget the
American slave, neither should the abolition
ist forget the heathen abroad. for both alike
are brethren, and each is inconsistent who
ncglccts either.
This spot therefore, should be sacred to rs
as shrine, and its woodland carandS. its
shimmering leaves, its NOSES, is flowers.
speak of more enduring beauty than any
thing in this world.
Behind this pile of rocks thick forest
stretches itself over the brow of the hill, and
as YOU come near the rough fence and look
in. it seems hopcessly impcnctrable.
But merry concerto of birds, and the
distant waving OF some anemoEeS, decide YOU
to risk pre-1c>tined scratched face. and >t
after Il Chamber vou come crashing down a
: mong the ,hrub-oa and birches on the 9th
or SIDE. "A brisk twi. gives vou a smart ca
over your face, long armed black berry 5usl
tears off your Sun-bonnet, and another Law
r hold of your arm as if it had teeth ard claws
But after all. the bark of nature : worse tha,
her bite, and after making few pacific ar
e rangements with your new friends, you pus
: on and soon discover broad, clear path Gu
through the entire wood. Here vou are the
alone with nature, and God the father of j
b The ground is now paven and dry with cvel
= falling pine leaves, now fringy with crasse:
i ard checkered over with moving tlecks an
=, spots Of sunshine and shadow Either sic!
I. the violetS, not one alone. bnt perfect boz
n der of them, of that large and beautiful kin
which bo'ani>tS call the pehate or birds foo
and whose large flowers and delicatclv-c,
g. leaf spring in careless profuseneSs from tt
b. dricst and sandiest Of soils There is som,
l. thing quite affecting in the JOYOUS abundan,
' and pertinaci'v with which some very lovcl
I flowers will grow in the poorest soils. The
are missionaries of Gods love. they dciisI
L. IN adorning waste places; YOU NAV tran
y plant them to your trim garden but Won "a
-. never give them there the perfect sbandt
2. Of 5eanry with which they will spring cut {
a dry sand heap. Every moment YOU stop
some cluster Of these flowers that seems
;! YOU falrer. more clearly cut. more finely &C
!. ored than the last. Some YOU admire f,
j. their pale and delicate tint, and some f
e their firm and decided color. and ever and
H. non you say to yourself the sweet iargon
~ the man WiIli,m of
- ''Niolet> hne
Blu. >wcc,cr than the Ids Of Juno's ewes
= Words which have very little real meanin
" but kind of enchan,ment of suggestion iii
'e a snatch Of an old song.
10 Either side of you the shrub-oaks are pu
y ting out their first young leaves, and VI
CtOD mOfpopt1v oJn,;ro H. -, ~