The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1860-04-12
SPRING.

beg pardon on the grounds, not only of
forgetfulncss, but in consideration of
our timely attention in years gone by,
We hope to DO fully excused, and if
there be any who are yet wearing hca-
Wy ovcrcoats and hurs, undorshirts, and
other things too tedious to namc, just
because we never told them that Spring
was here, to them we have to say that
for their suffering we arc truly sorry
and if we live until 1861 and another
Spring comes that year, (and we have
no room to doubt it, we shall certainly
take great pleasure IN giving them
timely notice,
Yes, the vernal season is on hand,
and there's no use to attempt to ms
guisc the fact. Boldly and cmph&tical
~ We make the announcement, anu
challenge a contradiction, AS we sit
in our little country sanctum and pccl
through our little country window
(mado famous by its opening towards
the residence of q lovely ~tcmalc)-as We
look through this window and see linen
trowscrs and linen coats, unbuttoned
vests and cloth CATERS, going along the
street, we are forced to the conclusion
that Spring is here, Borcas may pipe
in the far North, and the winds may
blow aud beat against our doors anG
shake US in our beds, but the winter is
over and the sccptrc Of icicIcs and shat
dows is broken, The iocnnd day steps
ont Of the East like II King in purple
and his sunset payiIIions are bathcd IN
showers of gold, Here and there, too,
are blossoms in the grass, ana the steep
inc blood Of the forest is shooting out
into sweet little buds and beautiful
green leaves, The landscapes in the
distance begin to look c%nchantingIy
green, and here and there may be seen
pIodding along, the husbandman rs no
follows the ploW. But what noise is
that we hear? Oh. school is out, and
the boys arc going home. Here they
come, whistling, singing, jumping, run,
ming, harloing-anything for fun. See,
two, four, half 4 dozen are playing
marblcs-littlc, siX-ycar old fellows,
with marbles in their hands, are enjoy
ing more happiness than you or ever
expect to see again. Sec how each
tries to hit the middle man--fOr that
counts you know;,.hc who displacestho
middle man tho first shoot wins q game
by it, and saves time and trouble. See
how one fellow grabs a little dust in his
hand before shooting his marble. He is
sensible. His hand is too slick--too
clean. That ought to teach soft hand.
cd young men, and Iily-handcd, lazy
young ladies, Il lesson. 1t ought tc
teach them that in order TO be success.
tul--in order to win the prize and out
strip our ltIlow-mcn we must not b'
afraid Of soiling our hands. A littlv
dirt will do no harm, but may be tn
means Of gaining for US what the sloth
full, instidcous and vain may covct, bu
are unable to attain. But you ask II!
what these little boys playing marble.
have got to do with Spring, and wha
we are alludins to them for. Well
good friends, we were talking, yol
know, about evidences Of Spring, ant
those little ba~rc-iootcd, round-abou
boys, with their pantaloons tucked NJ
above their knees, arc the very hes
chroniclcrs Of the changing seasons.-
They watch for the ldcs of March will
anxious eyes, and they know when the
sunshine is longer and stronger as wei
IA the astronomer and the mcteorolo
gists. SEQ how the little fellows ~rcjoic,
when they III pull Off their "socks
stockings and shoes" rnd rompthrougl
dust and mudholcs. Unused to fash
ions hateful ways, they have their fee
all free from cOrns, their necks unbur
dencd with great c~ravats, and all thci
apparel is loose and cool. Yes, the boy
give us good evidence of Spring time
even if we had no birds to chant thei
sweet melodies, or flowers to laden th
air with sweet perfume.
Another, and, to us, the most charm
ing evidence ofthc glorious, balmy sea
son, is to see the scores of females VIII
pcrambulato of evenings, when the go
den hues of sunset, the purple light
and ya"ying shadows make beautiful
our earth. At such q time we love t
wander forth and gazing in raptur
sweet upon Natures lovely handiwork
list the carol of the woodland choristcrs
tho humming of bees in flowers, watci
the lanbkins that sport on the hillside
and tho children that dance in tn
bowcrs-'tis then we feel like giving VI
our soul-ooh! we are exhausted. Real
~ we feel poetical, but can't find word'
adequate to express oursclf in
Couldn't some (femalc) body help us in
our talk about Spring? It's such a
momentous subject that we don't like tc
quit right off without giving a little
rhyme. Let's see
fIaill oh! glorious. lovely Spring,
~ 49,. Llan-x .nl At.l