Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-01-29


The words mud and sleet are not to be
found in our winter vocabulary; but were
we able 10 send yeua specimen day Of what
we are now enjoying, can wsIl Imagine the
JOY and surprise with which it would be
greeted Calm sanny,-just cold enough |
10 keep the sleghing in good order, and with |
an atmosphere which seems allied to spark |
ling champaign from The exbiliration il pro- |
duces. We know nothing Of that dampness |
of the air which seems TO fold you in like
wet blanket, If you veuture,out OF doors,
quickly subtracting all warmth from the
system, and sending you home with chatter
iag teeth aud sense Of discomfort, which
renders good nature one Of the cardinal
virtues.
Then our moonlight nigbtsI Oh how
wish you could witness with MS the rising
of the night Queen--not like that OF Venus
from the foam-wreathed sea,-but clearing
the silver shield of Lake Superior's icy.
breast. she rises slowly to the zenith, food
ing all the earth with wondrous light, and
enIirhtning in every human heart the ash
covered embers Of expiring romance, un-
eli even staid and sober matrons after many
BtduCt tutOHBu tuO pui OON ON e"ihos MI
TO the seam-needle," and rolling up their
work, aud idly leaning against the easement,
gaze forth upon the scene, and signing wish
for youth again. And then came throng-
ing memories Of years agone, when upon
such night as this, paving stud stood
neighing and sRorting at the door; and
there too was the fur-lined, cosy sleigh, and
.yonder "gude man" sitting by the FIRE
side with his newspaper spectacles, knew
so well just how to fold and tuck the glossy
robes! Then there we're ringing bells, whose
music woke strange echoes through the
forest aisles, rs swift they glided past, and
there were thrilling pressures of hands, and
murmured words of tenderness, and long &
soulful glances into faces looking like sculp-
tured marble in the pallid moonlight, save
for the tell tale eyes more eloquent than
words could ever bel All does he who sits
there so dignifed, so grave, so reverend, =
does he remember aHght of these ! Aye
He does inGeedt Aud that elevated brow
and pursed up mouth, ,--eh, he is "oVerdo-
ing +" himself, even now, and wOman's pene-
trating eye has seen the working Of the
heart belOwt And yet she ''makes no sign," ;"
to wound his pride, but well she knows that
should ever discord sound his toesiI in their
happy home, the key note TO restore its
harmony, is found within the magic music
of the past. Then dream on, oh matrons,
gazing into the enchanted moonlight for
they are wsest, happiest, best, who are
" truest to the dreams of youth"
Christmas and New Years were With us
duly observed. The good Santa Claus, hay-
ing found a beautiful little spruce tree, de-
eorated with artificial flowers in the corner
of our parlor, took good care to lead il
with his generous gifts. Our pretty little
church was open on Christmas morning
looking like forest bower, and chasten
ed happiness beamed from every face with
m its walls.
On New Years day we were right gaily
launched onto the unknown sea of 80
Most of the ladies kept open house." and
the gentlemen, like hummng-birds, il
bootsn few in and ont among the flowers
Ia heml slipping nectar from fragrant cha
Eces, cofee-cups, aRd luxuriating ii
sweets nnti we knew they were surfeited tC
the verge Of martyrdOm. know of moth
ing which calls out body's wits like the
necessity for ''return fire" to the brilliant
conversational nothings so freely dealt out
upon these brief 4 sparkling calls: and YET
when it was over, felt as though had al
day been chasing an illusion, "Wll O. tht
Wisp," or attending a CariyaI, where W.
had labored hard at pelting each other witt
sugar plums. And after all, the custom il
pleasant one, and worthy to be observed
Frederika Bremen, in her Homes of the
New World" has given it a significance
which we Americans have never fully un
dersteod, and for which we should be mucf
obliged to her. She says that upon how
ever unfriendly terms two families may hav,
lived through the year, if. upon New Years
day the gentlemen mutually call upon tn,
ladies of each others household, the feuC
is settled at once
Isn't il amusing how many good resolu
tions make their advent on New Years
day! Poor weak mortals that we are, W.
want something to brace against when We
take stand. So we say, after such day
i will, or will not do, SO and so do hope
that the time so leaned upon will be true
to its important trust ! for presume thai
most of US, have commenced the year with
many secret VOW, and yet with sad mis-
givings. Lo, text for homily (which
have no intention of giving, either
A week has passed since l began this
letter; for a succession of s0irees and Other
amusements, have prevented me from finish
ing. And then, for the last three days il
has been too bitterly cold Why, yester,
day morning the thermometer indicated
$50 below zerol Fires were early kindled
about the house, but when we arose, the
window -panes were still covered with thict
ice, and it was only after long scraping
could get view through one of them 0
the scene out of doors. Behold, the SUI
was shining just as bright as ever, thougl
from the "dim religious light" within, yor
would never have guessed" it! The smOk'
from the neighboring ehimnes arose il
masses Ike that from large steam engine
and the few pedestrians who hurried by
would have looked venerable in whiteneC
moustaehes and whiskers, if suggestive
redress Of noses had not neatralized the eff
feets The snow fairly groaned beneatl
the tread, and the screeching Of passing
sled was really excruciating. Forgive tha