The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-10-07
"No pent up Utica confines our powers,
The broad, the boundless universe is ours. ;

erns of the sky those far off unsunnee
regions where the star-gazer wanders il
solitary gloom. Only mathematician
mind can venture, all lonely, into this far
Off realm. Our timid footsteps dare hoj
explore this silent unechoing wilderness
Vast shapes and gigantic shadows, the
guardian spirits of those mysterious
worlds, rise to haunt US. We fancy that
unsubstantial arms are waving us back,
and goblin eyes flashing at us through
the darkness. The adventurous and un.
assisted spirit always finds in pure and
lofty truth, some startling perplexity, or
tremendous doubt to destroy its fainting
courage. We are forever dreaming that
We hear some fearful discord rendng the
music Of the spheres We close our
eyes, We sicken with despair; and for a
moment, believe that the universe has
fallen, an awful ruin. Princes, shall we
resign our immortal crown!
A hand is laid in ours, a hand like it,
trembling and unsteady. We are raved.
| Together, we will no longer shrink with
fear from the seeming contradictions, or
the awful majesty of truth. Now, we
can tread together the starry pathway of
the skies. Behold the first, the divine
offices Of true friendship; to lean upon,
yet half sustain another spirit in its search
for truth, its wanderiugs through the in
.4.-tellectial world. Supported, sympathi-
zed with, consoled, no labor is half SO
irksome, no pain is half so acute, no fail
ure half so sorrowful, as when all un-
thought of and alone we toll upwards.
The grass is springing up around our
barren pathway, now, and clustering
vines arcn over us. Their branches are
bending to the ground with fair and
wholesome fruit. Sweet perfumes steal
out on the breeze from fresh blooming
flowers, a golden radiance fills the air;
| the far off mountains are bathed in pur-
pie mist. Can this beautiful, romantic
land be that rugged Wilderness, that cold
region Of stern truth (? Thy hand, Oh
friend !! hath planted the gardens aud The
forests; thy hand hath smoothed the
steep ascent, and trained in desert the
blooming shrubs of Paradise.
This intellectual companonship is
sweet and pure. 1t sheds a calm radi-
ance on the path of truth, and creates
for the mind, the most vivid joy of which |
it is capable. In the regions where it
dwells all is calm and bright. Its noise
less footsteps have not been echoed by |
the heavy air of earth. On the sculp-
tured brow of this placid friendship, no
shade of sorrow, or flush of JOY can rest.
Its smiling lips are cold, though gentle,
and its marble orbs colorless and dim
Sweet is that old pathetic story, so often
repeated so simply told, of two friends
who loved each other so much better than
life. They deemed the bounding pulse,
the beating heart the shining light of
heaven, but poor and worthless dross.--
In that age of darkened hope each was
glad to throw them away, and longed to
lie down in an eternal sleep; longed to
be only, and foreyermore, a cold damp
clod, for the Others sake. In trembling
eagerness each tore death from the others
arms, and clasped him in his own en-
brace. Yes, and desired passionately to
drink the cold poison of his breath, that
the sun might shine little longer on the
beloved one Behold the friendship of ,
the Aeart-the living principle, without
which life is cold and pulseless stagna-
lion; without which joy is selfish salts
faction, or some sickly ray of wandering ,,
Intellect Who dare call by this sacred
name the groveling instinct that clings
to its object for safety or convenience I
Who dare call by this holy title the
worthless contracts which unite the SER !
wants of the world and sin Let US be i
gentle, though. with the erring, and the .
lost; let us pity the poor blind eyes that
have never seen the light; for no mortal |.
ips can utter the depths of their wretch- a
,duess. the immensity of their loss /