Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-10-22
VOL. xI.-No 13.
The Thoughtless sprite.
A STORY FOK CUILDREN

Picve and the Adige " Play with me- play
with me-" But they all answered, " No, we
are too busy"
"Toobusy," replied the little spirit "Too
busy, indeed should like to know
what you arc doing but dancing, singing
and MISUNDERSTANDING, in fact, tho
whole way from this to the great gulf
Yes, what indeed z"
(" We are laying the foundation for city
which will be the wonder of the world"
wps the reply.
la hal" shouted the spritc, and
though she was so small, her voice sounded
through the glcns, and was caught up and
repeated by the tree crested hill tops
Ha ho !" 1t was knocking laugh but
the streams did not heed it. They went
diligently on, dcposting far out in the Adri-
attic the earth, twigs, and pebbles which
| they gathered in their course
Ha ! ha!' shouted the sprite once
more In a hundred years, or SO, L will
come again"
The hundred years passed by, and the
merry trllcr flew down to see what tho
streams had done. IIa ha! ho ho ~
she laughed even louder than before for
she found only long narrow network of
islands, and few poor people who had es-
capped the sword of the conqucror Attila,
and who exchanged salt and fish for the
most necessary articles of food and clothing.
cha! ha no no a great city indeed y
and she fitted back to her messy caverns
aud shaded dells
1t was long, long time before the heed
less elf thought of the steady toll of her
| old acquantanccs, or of the miserable cx-
lies living in huts on the growing sand
banks. At last, however, it occurred to
her it might be well to pay them another
visit, What was her amazcment upon be-
holding the change. Sitting by the sea,
as if born of its sparkling waves, was a
wildcrncsso of churchcsand palaces, of great
marts troddcn 10y the feet of crowding stran-
gers, of massive walls, fnc domcs, and
stately towers, while the rosy sunset touched
the broad Lagune, crimsoned the countless
sails, aud glowed on the green islands out
lying toward the ocean. Tho gorgeous
banner of the city, with its winged lion,
symbolled the sovereignty of rich eastern
territories, of Gambia, also Cyprus and the
Nlorca and smiling provinces on either
shore of the classic sea. Sixteen thousand
men wrought in her arsenal; forty thou
sand manned her war-ships. Her glass
works furnished the world with crystal fab
rics; vclvets, and silks, and cloths of gold
multiplied in her manufactures Uncoun-
ted halls were gildcd, tape>tricd, and filed
with lovely landscapes and speaking por-
traits Exquisite sculpture invited to
study, painted windows let in tinted light
upon floors, and walls, and roofs dazzling
with mosaics of precious stones; and col
umns of porphyry, alabaster, and serpon-
tine upheld marble arches marvellous in
their grace and beauty. Gates of brass in
laid with silver, pictured pavcmcnts, ar
codes, and cloisters, and galleries magical
iii their proportions, fairly like spires, and
gcssamcr carving alike sought and sats-
fed the eye. The sun went down behind
the TyrOl draping in regal purple the Flu
gancan hills, the Frulian mountains, tho
distant continent, and festive Venice, when
suddenly the vast square of st. Mark witt,
its cathedral and palaces burst into light
along its myriad curves and distances, q /
heights, and points, miracle of flaming
architecture in honor of foreign king
| Awcd by the scene, the mountain sprito
kept silence for awhile, and then softly
whispered " Who shall read in the be-
ginning of things the prophecy of their
end !"
Dear children, you-lke the far off
streams-ore, day by day, hour by hour,
minute by minute, laying the Foundation
of Character; and your Future is the city
which will be built thereon Each of your
thoughts however feeting, each purpose
however momentary, each word however
trihmg, each deed however apparently un-
important, has voicclcss and unseen in
| fiuence which nouc can estimate, and
whose result none can forcsce BE not,
however, for this, moping and sad 30
gay and hopeful with the bright sunshine,
che fragrant flowers. the melodious birds
but be also industrious, patient, obcdient,
loving and true so shall life be to yolI
good if not great, and the light labor of
your childhood and youth will sustain
noble snperstructuc raised by your maturer
years.
tom, whom did you say Jcnkins mar
ried Z" "Wcll, he married fifty thousand
dollars" replied Tom; I" / forget her other
name !"
TIME is the most subtle yet the most
Unsuitable of depredators, and by appearing
to take nothing is permitted to take all
nor can it be satisfied until it has stolen tho
world from us, and us from the world.
INsrANTLy another is attacked, how
sagerly we all cry out, "Send for doctor %
aud yet wo rarely think of calling in his
services till the very last momout ourselves.
Isn't 1t pretty much the same with philos-