The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-12-24
"A U VIV VUUEHaI,
Sunday Afternoon Musings,
"Fm sick of life. I'm weary
! would that ! could die;
Ilow lightly on my Pulscless breast
The soft white snow would liz -

" FN'iN NtA''b N'hAN N'N
How lightly on my PulscleSS breast
The soft white snow would lie"
We have learned that life is not all oro
summer dream that he who quaHs #,
burning tide, must drink the bitter with
the sweet; z that the tiny, joyous bub.
-bles that sparkle and ddanee upon its DIM
pied surface, serve but to hide the world
Of dark waters that lie beneath. OL.we
have learned life's lessons young, too
young for happiness. We have conned
its pages, stained with sin, until the
heart 81 kened, and grew sad and wtaricd
with its heavy task, turned away aid
wept at the hollow nlockcry that masked
itself i'll smiles aad htadiy tones, only to
hide the void within. They but the
holiday attire, put on and off at will the
gorgeous dress that with its many colors
dazzlcs tie eye, pleascs the fancy, ana
soothes the fa;tered fool but, as the gos-
samer web, blown into airy nothing at the
heath of the first rough breeze. Oh,
with what glorious anticipations We first
stepped from chiIdhood's happy ground
upon LIES active stage, with what conf
dence in mans goodness and purity, with
what gorgeous colors we had pictured 10
ourselves a beautiful world peoplcd with
a race, little below the angels, and re-
( flecting the image of the Divine Archi-
tect of the glorious whole. For, thanks
to the good guardians of our infant years,
,cs had not felt life's blighting influence,
but basked only in Its rich sunlight, pick
ed its beautiful flowers, unheeding ''thc
trail of the serpent that's over them all,
looked with JOY upon the richly coorcd
rose. rot seeing the cankerous worm coil
ed within its crimson heart and pluckcd
eagerly the quccnly flower, unmindlul Of
the singing thorn. Ola happy, careless
childhood, would thy fair innocence and
trusting confidence Still remained would
time had not rcbh-l l'$ oir by purity, or
revealed to Us SO much Of >i4 and guilt
I When we GREW into w0manhood kind
friends still guarded cur little bark from
all threatening storms, and wrapped our
faults in the beautiful mantle OF charity,
and from our hearts we bless them. 1t
might have been better had we known
more Of life, had We been taught its utter
.hcartlesSRess, and that the very a2cs who,
wear the fairest seeming; within, have
hearts but as 'whiseHed scpulohcrs. =
But as it is, within one short year among
stranger hearts, we have learned more Of
its bitterness than, in many that on gold
en- wings, few away among fond friends.
IT'S hard to trust and be deceived; to
look for goodantf iiud but guile; to almost
Worship the God-liko intellect Of man. tc
find it the home Of the baSest thoughts
to drink in the inpassioned strains Of Or
atory that vibrate 50 touchingl y upon the
.'harp Of L thousand strings, to ind theG.
but cIoqucncc Of tongue and lip.
3. And susless treasures from affections deep
10 DOtkF Oh 5ll'HeA ItNt.S--sl W s1>tCU ShIo Ntt'
To make idols, and to find them clay,
And to bewaIl their worship.
Ah, what beautiful visions have been
: dispelled, what gorgeous castles baye been
hurled from their buseie=s boights, how
many fond dreams that lullod and soothcd
the spirit haze been replaced by sad real
ity; and how many friends We trusted
have proved but "thc worm in the bud
feeding upon our own fair fame, Those
happy dreams, like spectre forms, the
ghosts of departed joys, hey hurat MS still
with their wierd arms they still bcckon
to trusting hope, still lift Fancys misty
, veil and show the treasured gems within;
but as We reach to grasp the boarded
wealth we embrace but the mockng VOID
go fade fade on my gif. Of love shall cling
y cooling sadness round my heart ana brain,
: A silent, fruitless, vet undying thing,
: All sensitive to pain"
: and still the shadow of VAN dreams shall
: fall
On M minds world, daily darkcnins, pair,
F5ld then thy weary wings, and sink subdued
Into cold and unrepineing solitude
NELLA