Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1858-01-14
For the Quasqy5ton Guardian.
STRAY THOUGHTS.

L
peace. Now is fit time to contemplate
the pastscenes of life /; and as as our lit
tie CIRCLES is seated around The glowing
fire this Ieasant evening, conyersing up
on thingspast, present and TO come, my
mind walders to other scenes, and an
other hom, in far distant land. Yes,
upon the ufeless wings Of memory my
mind is carried back to my childhood
home. Thee, smuggled in among the
green hills d Vermont, ( view the cot of
my father Here, in thesoeietyof loved
parents, brothers and sisters, / spent my
childhood dsys. Many were the plea
SAINT hours | have passed with loved play
mates and companions. We were happy
as the gay birds that sung among the
forest branches, and free to wander thro'
grove and meadow, culling the sweet and
beautiful things which natures hand has
so bountifully supplied Oh, happy and
unsullied childhood ! your sunny days
too quickly pa.s-too soon we awaken to
the realities OF life, and find that our
pathway is not ttrewn entirely with roses,
but that thorns are mingled with the
flowers-that clouds as well as sunshine
surround our pathway. Life is uncer-
tain-friends whom we love and cherish
are taken from us, and our hearts are left
sad and desolats. 1t is thus with ALL
There is no hone SO happy, but sorrow
may overshadov it; no circle so COM
plete, but that Death, with its relentless
hand, can sever. And thus it was with
our home circle. In one short day our
little band was changed from joy and
happiness, to SORROW and mourning-our
circle broken and our hearts left sad and
lonely. 1t was not in gentle spring time,
when flowers bloom and birds sing, that
we laid her down to rest, but in the cold
and cherries winter, when the bleak
winds howl SO mournfully around, and
the drifting snow is scattered DER the
earth. Yes, the light of our little band
had seemingly gone out, But Time,
with its changes, brought balm to our
wounded hearts, and we bowed with
meekness to the chastening rod for we
knew that He who rules and governs all,
doeth nothing wrong. Weknew that the
little flower, who was SO dear to US here,
bloomed in a fairer cline, where no low
ering clouds o'ershadow her pathway
no chilling winds sweep by.
Years sweep by. We again see that
family circle, not in the old home, among
the green hills of Vermont, but in a far
distant land, situated upon the broad and
beautiful prairies of the Western world
Yes, we babe adieu to the scenes of our
childhood, the kind and long tried friends
of our youth, and had sought a home
among strangers in distant land. 'Tis
spring time. The buds and flowers are
opening to life and loveliness. We see
this little band planning for their future
home, Which is TO be upon tie beautiful
prairie, each one suggesting some new
mode of making it a homo of beauty
But, look IA dark cloud suddenly Ger
spreads our horizon, and bursts with all
It's fury upon us. One of our number,
beautiful maiden, in the morning oil
life, with noble brow and love beaming
counlenance, goes forth in this bright
spring time, to gather sweet flowers from
natures garden, to listen TO the music OF
natures songsters, and to naingle her
voice with that Of ker new found friends
in singing praise to the God of love
But she returns not again to her family
and friends. One moment SO full of life
and song, the next still and motionless.
She faded like the spring flowers that
were interwoyen with her silken tresses.
which but an hour before bloomed in all
their native loyeliness, but when broken
from their native stem, they withered and
| faded away. And now that loved form
gently rests beneath the outspreading
| branches of the stately oak, upon the
banks of the beautiful Wapsipinicon.-
Oh ! how dark and sorrowful are the
hearts of those who are left to mourn,
So sudden and unexpected the bereaye-
ment, doubly hard seems the burden to
be borne. And, oh, how bitter the cup
which is placed to our lips Neyerthe-
less, we have strength to look through
the deep gloom that peryades our earthly
horizon, and see that the love of kind
father still surrounds US. We know that
He does not willingly afilict His children
but for their greatest good, and that
through suffering we are made perfect
We II drain the bitter cup that's given,
and humbly say Thy will, oh God, not
our, be done Though our circle on
earth is broken, and part of our number
gone TO happier sphere, yet all life 5
joys have not fled away. There are
pleasures still on earth for Us. Friends
( Kind and tpua ctiIl surrnund No i. ,ban