Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-13
ltpNNl NuAIIp
An Old Mans Soliloquy

ANA cold. the sun Ilai d'cIlhoi, ana n!-it
drcarinrsS wa> drawing around her ,r.,r
form the mantle Of darkness Quietly H..
evening sank 10 rrpose. and not .uw..
was heard. save the signing oi the wa.in.
wind amid the russell leaves.
I At that lone hour. an octogenariau fra.
I his chamber window gazcd out through d..
| fast gathering darkness, upon the wor.l
chained as it was by winters icy hand H.
| bent his aged ear to catch once more Mature,
song; but he heard itnot for the cold bla>,>
had concealed her voice and her anthem
was hu~hcd
| could see the Old Mans brow contrac,.
and his wasted lips culver, as though he Wa,
contending with some mental strife tcrrlnr
| to his soul and ever and anon as twilight,
feeble rays displayed his corrugated features,
tear would bedew his turrowcd cheek, ami
cause his decrepid form To shake as with
grief. A he stood there he seemed to grow
faint at his own retrospection, for it was with
tremulous steps he gained his chair, and in
interrupted accents exclaimed: Thus it i,
ever with life's eyancscent dream. Ii is ;up
true, that the willing hand of are is upon NE
now, for the irosts Of eighty-one winters have
whtencd my locks, and the heat of four
score summers has dried the skin upon nv
frame, narrowed the channels of life's stream,
and life's changes have wrecked me on the
ocean of existence. Yes. the memory Of my
early wears rolls back like hurricane upon
nv mind and chills the warmth ot my pas
sing soul: for all, all have gone glimmcrius
with the things that were and nought re
mains but the impress of their gladncss or
pain. As nv mind reycrts To those long gOnr
scenes. it animates memory and | seem t.
exist again in manhoods prime: tor with
electric speed recollection moves from one
period of my life to another, until varied
panorama confuses my vision and bids me
know the pain of sickening grief. Retro-
spection yields her wand, and find myself
in Youths academic field with my ambitious
step resting upon the first round OF flames
ladder, and again following Newton into the
recesses of the earth or wandering with him
in his aerial flights beyond the blaze of the
Georgium .>idps Closely seem to follow
the footsteps of Euclid, comprehend his mys-
IlC ultSTdlIlS, anu NOlNt Will tli' al't'iINN va
youth his intricate problems. | sit in fancy
by the side of Homer and listen enchanted @
his tales, and feel my soul expand beneath
the voice of Ossian ~ he breaths forth his
passion-stirring poems. All. in my erudi'n
youth assembled the hill Of Science with u
steady step, and As | gained the topmo,i
mound looked down and saw with amaze
ment the expanse my mind had trayerSri.
and thought had arrived at human great.
ness: but alas when | looked forward b.
yond what knew, my spirit would sink with
in me To think of the Wilderness Of the gulph
which separated me from human perfection.
| associated with the most profound OF men.
rambled with them in their mental tours and
was instructed by their wisdom portrayed III
words My heart was in my hand 10 all th'
world, and it reciprOcated my frankncss hy
a generous bestowal of its transient honor>:
but q Heaven! my pulse stays its motion
when memory recalls my social sphere; Tor
have tasted joy and disappointment, lies
immunities and its liabilities. its plna-ur"
and its pain. have been the happy hu,.
band, and the miserable widower, the cxul.
TAFT father and the chlldless man. nurtur-
ed bliss, and saw it vanish before the decree
of fate | stood BY the sick-comrh of the be-
ing most dear to me of all earthly gifts. and
watched the Pickering flame Of life until it
ceased to burn, and clasped in bitter tears the
cold hand which once grasped my own with
all the warmth of Il woman's love. | though.
then of all her charming goodness, and far
over the varied past Of our pleasant inter
course, my thoughts wandered, and all holi-
ness followed them. As my mind retracel
the path We trod 50 calmly together. it pau
scd to pluck the many. many fragrant flow
ers which bcautifed its course and presented
Il bouquet of rarest buds. for recollection to
contemplate without regret; and as looked
Oh those dear eyes that once conveyed more
than felicity to my soul, | thought all wo-
mankind was dead. sat by the cradle of
my lovely infant boy, who promised to be the
solace Of my declining years, and felt with
an anxious hand the cold drops Of deaths
damp gather upon his sweet brow. saw
the eloquent face Of my only daughter, that
in life's hcathtul moments spoke more than
rccompense for all had suffered, bedlm-
med by deaths resistless cloud; and . God
heard the harsh sound of the clOdS ~ they
shut out from my view all that held most
dear As the sepulchral noise fell upon my
bcreaved ear, turned hcart-brokcn from th"
spot, left the lone graves of my hearts dear
est treasures, and sought my once happy
home to spend the remnant of my mfrmIty IN
gloom and reflection for obdurate Fate had
sported with my destiny, enbittered the cup
Of enjoyment, and laughed at my repnlng.
Yes, grim and cherries Winter is triumphant
in its sway, and its frown seems to hay"
chilled all save the torrent Of my melancholy
feelings. Night. too, most dreadful IN her
display, has thrown her sable manti" over
earth's rigid form, and conccals all from my
gaze except the miseries Of the past, winch '"ll
me am disconsoate and alone. But thank
Heaven, the struggle will soon be over, for
feel deaths steady approach, and ere another
year rolls past, my heart will has" stiied itt
motion, and my cn!eebled body commlnSl'i
with the dust
The Old Man hushed. lie turned hl'
sunken eyes suffuscd with tears towards iie;-
ven, and lifting his trembling hands suppl
Gated Almighty God to dispcl the doom
which overshadowed hi- world-wcary soul.
His prayer was heard, and ere joyous Spring
again decked the earth with flowers. the
sound Of the funeral bell told that the Old
Man had gone quietly to rest!
Thus the spirit Of man is tried. High
hopes to-day swell his breast and anticipated