Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-05-27
About the Stranger up Aloft.

About the Stranger up Aloft.
Among the editors Of the Chicago Jour
nal, there is one who occasionally writes
some very beautiful productions. Such is
one of his last articles, about the comet, en-
titled as above, from which we make the fol-
lowing extracts:
There is splendid foreigner coming this
way, even into our family circle-our nice co.
zy family of Planets-and is making himself
at home about our hearth-stone, the sum-
The juvenile portion of our household, the lit
tie fellows of Asteroids, huddle together to
keep warm-we hope he will see them in
time and not tread on the children.
This foreigner, however, is not altogether
a stranger; he has visited us before, but a
long time ago, and his sojourn was as brief as
ballad.
Whoever he is or whatever he has seen, he
is just now our guest, and we are hospitable
people, we Planets, and we wish him, like
good Christians, right welcome, for is it not
written, forget not to entertain strangers,
for thereby some have entertained angels un-
awares."
We have called him foreigner and a
stranger; perhaps we.are little too fast, for
it may be he is only travelled gentleman,
and one of "our own folks" and in fact a
first cousin, who has been abroad, and return
ed, at last, with the news, to the old home
stead.
But it is strange what queer stories some
people tell of him, as if he were lawless fell
low, and was out on clark" instead of on
duty. We think it unkind, this gossip and
we protest. He is dashing fellow, we know,
but then they are no Sabbath-day journeys
he takes. The country we live in, is one Of
magnificent distances, and even the thought
is breathless that only goes to the neighbors,
and flies to the starry cottages whose small
lights twinkle in the outskirts OF our hamlet.
And our guest himself; is he solid globe,
making mighty wake of light, and glow
ing like furnace, or is it magnificent Will
O the Wisp floating about the Universe 3
What if it should be an abandoned world
drifted from its moorings, dsmantled and lost
and wandering like ship in winter sea
Or wild outlaw, madly plunging from sys-
tenn to system, and making terrific descents
upon peaceful planets, scattering confusion
and death? Il
And if this should be, and the Asteroids
are indeed the sparkling ruins of some pleas
ant world destroyed by such visitant, and
the route of the Comet across the path OIL
earth has been truly OWNED, and our small
craft should be just there as it dashes into oul
unfenced hghway-what then? If huge
globe of granite and red sandstone, why
there might be more Asteroids in our solar
circle, and fragments, like the pieces of mir.
ror shivered by blow, might each reflect
the sun, and move in orbits of their own
If such a thing could be, and human life re-
main, how wilder than dream and saddel
than death. The child playing in the gar.
den among the flowers, might see the home
stead circling far away, the mother stretching
forth her hands in vain-the garden and the
homestead in two worlds. The wife just part
ed from her husband, might be divorced by
a broad abyss Of empty unnavigable air
The daughter of some house and heart, who
went with blessings, from the sheltering roof
would meier return again. The hunted debt
or on one side the cleft, might see his credit
ors afar, on their island world, they driftet
out to sea. Maybe, on one small planet o
their own there would be two that love, fo
whom alone the rain should fall, narrow
ribbon Of green Spring be woven, and the
cloudy bow yet keep Gods promise good
Somewhere, alas upon one atom of a worl(
alone, Juan Fernandez in the sailless sea, /;
soul might dwell, whose story no De Fo'
should ever write.
There are no Outlaws mid the worlds o
God; true as His Word, the splendid engine
moves harmonious; as docile, our far sentry
Neptune, on his rounds sublime, as the brigh
planet dew, poised on the Aspen's leaf.
The World is going somewhere; our LITTLE
family of planets are on a journey, and sure
ly it is pleasant thus to travel together
Away towards the dim northwest where tn
constellation of the Eagle spreads his star-li
wings, we are moving-the kingly Sun am
} his splendid company of retainers. Along
the highway of Heaven we are going, and t.
Angels eyes, it must be pageant worth be
holding. Who knows but we are bound t
some far court ruled by an elder SUM-
| IL i. 1