The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-05-14
LOUIS O. CowAN, Editor & Proprietor.
Observation-Disclosures
Prom Harper. M,ra,Ins for May.
He Always Came In Sunshine.


sunshine; and there are men whose pres
ence you feel as shadow. II Is ever 80,
meet them where you will--at home. in the
street, on Change, In the store, Office. or
counting -room--there is ever the radiant
sunshine or the projected shadow.
As men are, 90, in the main, you will find
their homes. The man who turns his face
to the light brings his warm and genial
sphere into his home circle; While the man
whose back 10 to the sun never enters the
door Of his dwelling without throwing u
shadow over the household.
My Uncle Florian was man whose
spirit seemed to know perpetual sunshine.
necer saw q cloud in his face; | never
knew his coming to shadow the heart OF
even child. Dear Uncle Florisn! What
pure pleasure 1t was when, leave obtained,
l turned my steps lightly from the shadowed
house where my early years were spent, and
came. for brief season, in the brightness
Of thy beloved presence! O.. ...-. F
.Ah! Hattie, dear, is this you?" Mem
ory will never lose the echo Of his pleasant
voice as he greeted my coming; nor do !
feel the pressure Of his hand lighter now
upon my head than II was thirty years ago,
when il buried itself in the golden curls Of
childhood.
Ny sun, was not so cheerful in spirit as
Uncle Florian. She was more inclined TO
look upon the dark side Of things, and TO
prophecy evil instead Of good. But Uncle
Florian never permitted the clouds 10 dark
en- the whole sweep Of his horizon. II he
II. sha l,.H Han ft,as nE
vapor, he would break il into riits, and let
in, here and there, broad strips Of Sunshine.
Children are always children - thought
less, given to fits Of passion, disobedient IN
little things, inclined to selfshness. give
the pictures shadowed side. Ny cousins
were no exception. Children are not born
angels; they come to us in the natural plane
Of life, and receive by inheritance natural
inelinstions, which, unhapPily, ever show
downward proclivi,y. But the germs OF an
gelic life are 10 the inmosts OF their being,
and the wise parent gives loving yet earnest
heed to the dissemination Of these, which Is
done by the awakening OF gentle, tender,
unselfsh affections, and the storing up OF
true aud good principles in the mind.
Nv cousins were like other children md
their mother, like too many other mothers,
weakly indulgent at times, and passionate,
unreasonable, and exacting at other times.
lll.health-the bane Of American mothers
made her ofen iretful, and dimmed her vis-
ion when she looked out upon lie.
remember one June day that spent, os
q great privilege. at Uncle Florian's. did
not ask Of my father the privilege, for l
feared his universal "No." But after he had
gone forth, / enticed with childish art. my
weak, unhappy mother into consent. Out
etly, almost demurely. fearing to show any
exuberunt feelings, stole out from my
hadowed home; aud when once fairly be-
yond the gate, and across the road into the
green fields, l flew over the intervening dis
tance with the tremulous JOY Of an uncsged
bird.
.Ah! Hattie, dear!" II was the kind
voice Of Uncle Florisn. met him at the
gate, surrounded by my cousins. He laid
bis hand upon my head, and stopped to re-
ceive my kiss.
"How are father and motheri'
"Well, thsok you" ....
All. bat il was not well with them. Why,
IN my childish ignorance, knew not. But,
somehow, my father always came to us In
shadow. His presence hushed the sports OF
his children. Our home rarely knew the
blessing Of cheerful sunshine.
"Take good care Of Hattie, dears," said
Uncle Florian. with abeaming countenance,
as he turned from the gate; "and make this
day in her life's calendar q golden one."
And il vas golden one, as were all the
days I ever spent ut Uncle Florian's. Yet
was not the day all cloudless. II was more
shadowed, perhaps, than any day had ever
spent with my cousins, who were, as ! have
said, like other children, given to fits Of pas
sion. and swayed BY the sudden impulse OF
selfish feelings. Several times Aubry, the
oldest of my cousins, who seemed for a
while possessed with a teasing spirit, wor-
ried his gentle sister Marion into tears, and
sadly msrred our pleasure. He would no,
90 sway and find his own enjoyment, but
kent with US nearly all the morning, for no
other reason, Il seemed, than to crafty an
unamiable temper.
A, dinner.time-Uncle Florian had gone
10 the city, and would not return until to-
ward eyening--Marion complained bitterly
of Aubry's conduct, and my aunt scolded
sharply. The boy did not receive his moth
er's iniemperately spoken reproof in very
quiet soirit, and was sent from the table in
consequence of a disrespectful word dropped
thoush,lessly from his lips word repented
of as soon as uttered. and which wiser re-
proof on his mothers part would not have
provoked.
| tasted no more food after Aubry was
sent from the table.
1Your father shall hear Of this !" said my
aunt, s,ernly, as Aubry lell the room.
Nv cousin did not trouble US again DUR
ing the remainder Of the day. met him
several times, but he did not look cheerful.
His own thoughts were, ! saw, Furnishing
him severely. A restless spirit Kept him
wandering about, and doing all kinds OF out
Of the way things. Now you would see
him turning the grindstone vigorously, mo
no one held axe or kniie-blade TO the swiitiy-
revolving periphery now he was Oh 'he Top
Of a hsy.mow, nov climbing the long,
straight pole that bore up the painted b,rd,
box, to see il the twi,tering swallow had
laid an egg; and now lying upon the grass
in restless Incidence.
Crash! What is that' The boy had
found his way on, upon the branch OF one
Of his fathers choice plum-trees, which had
only this year come into bearing, aud Was
laden with its FIRST offerings OF hali-npe
fruit. His weight proved too much ior the
slender limb, and now, torn from its hold
upon the tree, it lay in ruins upon The
ground.
/ Aubry was unhurt. In falling he had
aligh,ed upon his feet. But II his body hat
escaped ~i,hou, harm, not 30 his mind io
he eompreheudeL in an instant the extent o
injury sustained by his fathers favorite tree
IA tree to which t~o years OF careful st'en
ton had been given, and to the ripening o