The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-03-27

colder regions OF the north and in which all was wont
to be joy and festvty echoed only to the low drawn
sob cautious footsteps. But What has spread over
this household The pan OF such unusual sadness? Let
us enter and Step lightly friend you are in the
chamber of death! On low couch lies one who, tho
wasted by disease bears the impress of glorious man
hood; and on whose pale prominent brow, is stamped
indelihy the mark of genus but there is nothing now
the painful heaving Of his breast to tell that the
vital spark yet lingereth The last rays of the de-
cning sun are family streaming through the half open
shutter anon they disappear just as the Tesper slowly
records the death of day The dying mans eyes
unclose the paid lips move; each painful sob is hush
ed within each bursting heart; each anxious ear ia
strained to catch the last earthly note Of that heaven
bound spirit; calm light is in his eye as be slowly re-
peats in UNISON with the Ginning of the bell that floats
through the open window the balmly autumna
breeze "The eurfew tolls the knel OF parting day."
and then, he is dead! The "God-like Webster is
dead The orator whose eloquence had thrilled every
American heart, and trembed across the Atlantic till
it found echo on the European coast had breahed
his spirit forth in Grays touching elcgy.
But lei US change the scene.
Night had spread her sable mantle DER creation
Since that eyentfu night hundred circlng years heve
told their rapid flight On Champain's placid blue
there foatcd many lifg-treighted vessel All was
hushed, and still, as the muteipped God himself. Had
Luna then asserted her gentle sway, she would have
revealed boat that contained the heroes of many
a well fought battle, and among them the brave Wolf
Deep thought sat enthr0ned upon each care pale brow
edCil eye was lUleulI} uAEQ upon llc darkness II
read tbs events Of the coming day Not sound
heard, the regular stroke Of the mufaed oars,
till the prophetic lips Of Wolf repeated a line from
Gray's immortal elegy Ihe paths of glory lead but
to the grave" How prophetic! for he himself was i'll
path of gorv that ere another short day would ter
inmate at the grave But what poet is this on wings
of whose inspired muse the spirits of 'God-like"
and laureled heroes have been waited to
their eternal abodes? Grays elegy production that
for more than hundred years has maintained promi
L 1.4-
flow of holy feelings and simplicity. The Stoke Pogis
poem is which we never tire Of its haffor-
gotten strains often come over souls in their calmes
hoest hours, like the notes
THAT wild harp whose magic tone
Is wakened by the winds above"
Now let US glance back through the long vista Of the
past the sunny when nature was arrayed in her
England there vas a country church of peculiar and
romantic beauty it might have been there for years,
know not it is there yet Like eastern monarch the
slowly retiring in all his proud magnifcence tc
his Piowy beds of purple and gold His last rays were
Pickering through the hich interviewer branches of the
old ems like half caught glances Of farys wing. All
nature sinking to repoSe, yet you might have
reclining the rude steps before tie church door
He seemed lost to all external objects looking though
his soul had left him to reve in the elysan fields of
fancy He might have been weaving bright hopes for
the future for he had not yet reached that time when
men absorbed in the present that all of future
joys are lost to iancys eye" He might have been
thinking Of the past the before him surely
rife with objects well calculated to fill the mind with
their gnarled limbs Enthusiastically wreathed by the capri
cious hand CT Time and the slender Yews all in glow
with their food OF departing glory waivng to and fro
like the futerng of guardian angels wings that
have hoVered DER that cCnSeeated spot and then
the graves where the rude orefatheFs of the hamlet
Sleep decorated to be by marble slab whose
rich device had tried the slillfu artists hand, but
crowned by dearer monument than aught that wealth
or fame give, for loving ones had placed the
green there and nourished by the purest tears aec
tons eye can eer impearl This was q scene vel
adapted TO place before the Imaginative eye throngs of
those who had long since left thissage of action
did hero to be uninspired for if his eye and
soul engaged his pencil was notices. Evera and
anon he gaze5 forth the lovely scene before him as
if to catch inspiration from natures self His eyes are
bright gvHt enthusiastic light though they had
capght i vs. of the sun and held them sparkling
there leil still traces the mystic lines till the
last Of glory has disappeared beneath the western
horizon and fair Luna approaches followed By her spark
ing train, clothing everything in silver veil And this
is Gray on the steps of Stoke Pogis throwing off the
first draft Of that elegy that destined to bind q
brighter and enduring laurel round his brow than
The conquests Of Alexander or the feats Of Habal have
ever given the Macedonian Or Carthagenian Perhaps
here are but few who know that the soul of Gray found
mournful echo in his elegrI yes ""o'ncloly marked
aim for her own" .--.-
But few we're the strains uttered 81 ''.s 10 ,ng
bird Of inspiration are mingled with r trays
nome was unpleasant and he unl, apr q, Each do
nestle lar thrilled the sensitive poets hta With anguish
True, mothers kindly hand often shielded him from
he storm fathers wrath provoked, but Il mothers
tenderness can not all atone for fathers unkindness.
Gray unhappy and he poured his soul forth in his
ad elegy; but how few their hearts sed
story in the charm Of song:
'If single breath, echoipg chord
To every hidden paug were given;
What endless melodies were poured,
As sad earth sweet az heaven" -
And yet the muse is no mysterious being whose abode
on the mountains lofty peak the inaccessible
sesses Of mysterious She is the goddess OF
nature and of natures truth forever stewHg paths
Else so drear with gems and pearls and sprinkg her
,adient beauties over everv spot in es desert waste
She is heauder of heaven and the oracle of the heart
Her sweetness burdens every breeze with joy her voice
thrills every hill with music; her beauty fills every vale
with light Under the influence Of her charms we for
set the dunes the deafness and the sadness OF earth
and revel in the gores and the radiance Of heaven.
The muse is universal favorite, her charm has been
felt and her power acknowledged in every in every
and Not only those who ansEer to her rhapeodies
above her but; aas the voicess they to whom nature
has denied the sweet luxury Of song dwell with JOY their
ALTERING tongues can never tell upon the glad music Of
her voice; veal the vocee whose hearts though full pf
music are never known or loved
eve count the broken Tyres that rest
Where the sweet waing singers slumber,
But DER their silent sisters breast;
The wild flowers, who will stoop to number
a few can touch the magic string;
And noisy fame is proud to win them:
Alasl for those that never sing,
But die with all their music in them "
The ancients built temples Of magnificent grandeur,
md dedicated them to the worship of the muse; they
,laeed offerings on her alters, and bowed in humble
doration her fame The christian has ever delighted
worship his maker in the aaorng breath of song The
muse presides creation; her voice is not
ned to earth does it cheer the fra children of
mortality above no. the tall bright angels hear it in
heir high abodes and love its melody there
LEILA LESTRELL
The vrtuous and well spent life is ike bright little
loud that Goats upon the so hreezes of the morning;
t noondav its accumulated youme pours Quits treas
red blessings upon the sunparehed earth it pass
th on, the blended hUes of the rainbow encrces lis
,row and when at cFenings close it quietly nestles be
eath the surrounding hills it sends back from its tin
elcd borders farewell smile to the bright flowers
Which It has nourished into life.
LIFE IN New YoRK.-The New York Ledger speaks
# late mysterious oecurreiice IN that city. An old
Gentleman found lying upon the Sidewalk Of one OF
he streets in the upper part Of the city wth wound
D his breast. A lady in CLOAK by his side, who
ppeared desirous of avoiding she woue.
man was carried TO mis- hoae but at the request OF