The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-08-17


host of them home with her, only there
is but one bright dollar at the bottom of
her purse, and that very likely saved by
the sacrifice of a tempting bonnet ribbon,
or bright hued dress pattern.
Not long ago we watched fresll-chsek-
ed, bright-looking young girl, evidently
the daughter of some honest farmer in
our hill-towns, rs she was selecting book
from among large quantity placed be-
fore her, of which she had enquircd the
prices. Her fair transparent face revealed
all that was passing within,-the desire
for the more valuable ones, tue necessity
of eeonomizing, the fear of being deceived,
the bewildermenta and hesitation; we could
see them all. We became more and more
interested as we saw her reject the more
expensive works; then turn lovingly tow
ards the poems in preference to prose,
then draw out and set aside some halt
dozen, rs those from which the final choice
was to be made. We saw how hard it
was to give up any Que of these: there
was sort of caressing tenderness in her
touch, as each by turns was opened and
shut; its binding, title page, and fronts
piece examined, and we fanciel we heard
o little sigh as all but one were at last
laid back upon the pile; and she said, with
an anxious brow, Il will take this one"
1t may have been rude, but for the life of
us we conldnt help moving near enough
to the clerk who was tying it up to see
what it was. sBRYANT's POEMS" "Brayo,
my good little girl.' we mentally exclaim-
ed, "you might have chosen moro class
ical, or a more profoundly thrilling poet,
but one with purer thoughts and more
healthful sentiments, clothed in sweeter
or choicer words, you could not possibly
have found. There is nothing within
those covers to faint the innocent heart OF
yours, or make it boat with unhalowcd
desires; nothing to embitter, or stir up
within you foolish craving for fuller
pleasures, or to make your artless nature
less simple and confding, less hopeful and
loving" How at that moment we wish
ed we had wealth, that we might some
day send to that quiet home Of hers two
or three of those coveted, costly volumes
How we should enjoy giving her the sweet
delight of wondering from whom they
ofbrooding over the little mystery.
with heart OVERLOOKING with gratitude t.
the unknown giyor! But alas {! we were
too Door to afford ours ,ves the treat of q
new book, save at wofully long intervals,
and so our little air castle had to fall
But we gave her our hearty sympathy,
and followed her in thought to her hum.
| bic home. We almost envied her the
pleasure of sitting in the grand old wood:
which we were sure crowned the hill just
back of the house. and reading, perhaps
| for the first time, such passages as these
"But Thou art here. Thou fills't
| Thesolitude. Thou art in the soft winds,
| That run along the summit of these trees
| In music; thou art in the cooler breath,
IN ! - Haul aft n
Comes, scarcely felt: the barky trunks, thu
ground,
The fresh, moist ground, are all instinct witt
Here is continual worship; nature here,
In the tranquility that Thou dost love,
Enjoys thy presence. Thou hast not left
| Thvself without witness, III these shades,
| Of thy perf-ctions. Grandeur, strength ant
grace,
Are here to speak of thee.
THAT delicate forest flower,
With scented breath, and look SO like smile
Seems, as it issues from the shapeless world,
An emanation of the indwelling life,
visible token of the upholding love,
That are the soul of this wide universe"
But we are wandering from our topic
yet before we leave our young country
friend we must add, that the dapper look
inc clerk, who tied up her bundle, seem
ed to have different idea altogether from
ours of her purchase, for we heard bin
say to fellow clerk, after she went out
with sneer on his smooth liz, on which
light down was just perceptible: swell
she WAS long enough about it; and only
seventy-five cent one, after all.' He VIII
lived in the atmosphere of books, looking
every day at thousands of them--thei
outsides-but who had never received in
to his Utmost soul the contents of a singh
one, (rnay we be forgiven. if in the high
of our indignation we wrongcd the dap
pie little clerk } he couhjudge only OF th
value of a purchase by the price paid II
dollars and cents for it But why be IN
dignant at the civil-spoken lads Do nc
all the would pass similar judgments, reck
oring thing to be worth whatever ii
money value is.-ali the world, except
wise and gifted few, of whom the sapier
writer of course is one. - Sprtnefel
(Mqss.) Repad'ifan.