Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-09-25
miscellaneous.
for the waterman.
FROM SERENA'S PORTFOLIO.
WINoosKI VALLEY. 1863

WINoosKI VALLEY, 1868.
SERENA DBAR:-To none but your own
dear self could write tonight. 10 you
more than to all other human beings have
opened my heart; you understand its many
vagaries, you know the storms that have stir
red its depths, and You never misunderstood
my dreamy letters as another would and be-
sides you know that you have offered your
heart as a receptacle for the joys aud sorrows
OF mine, and need some escape valve for the
etfervescence of my spirits, that the surface
OF my every day lite ma be calm and unruf-
fed.
have been thinking, in dreamy way, of
life and of ourselves, with strange mixture
of earthly and heavenly visions, which mem
DRY and imagination paint for me. How sub
stantial Earth seems to us; it is past, present
and future in it rest our thoughts, and too
often our hearts and our whole souls True,
we have heard of Eternity and the future life
from very childhood; yet generally -unless
accident or sickness brings US face to face
with death--it seems vague and unreal, like
some strange vision. At least, so it is with
me. But there are times when Eternity seems
solemn reality, when TO my vision Earth
fades away, away, away, and in the dim dis
lance seems but as nothing, so worthless,
while Heaven brightens into glorious real
ity. oh that blissful home. Home! how
sweet the word sounds, how sweet it is to
think that there viii be no more partngs, no
wanderings in sin and darkness, no hidngs
OF Gods face.
"oh, sing TO Of Heaven when I am called 70 die.
Sing songs Of holy ecsiacy TO watt my soul on high "
My Imaginative powers are strong within
me now. Call me Eighty and extravagant if
you will, thank God for my vivid magma
ton. can shut my eyes in tue midst of
darkness aud desolaton and see Paradise
aud know that when | dream Of Heaven,
the brightest most glorious pictures that my
fancy in its widest flights ever painted, will
fall far short Of the reality--for
Ear hath not heard and eve hath not seen
Their swelling songs and their ohangeless sheen"
/ have been called very romantic for no
other reason than my strong love for scenery.
beautiful, wild or rough. II amounts to
passion with me. do not simply like it,
Love it; yea tits more than this, It's almost
alteration. for see and feel God in it ALL
And yet Ills not il that worship, the crea-
ture look at all these beautiful things,
but through, beyond, above, see God the
Creator. Him worship.
Tonight ] am living over again in imagin-
alton that lovely night | spent upon the waters
OF Memphremsgog The high winds that are
almost incessant had died down. The exub-
erance of spirit that we had felt during the
day had mellowed into that camer but deeper
happiness that one ever feels on a beautiful
night. We sat upon the upper deck of the
little steamer Maid of the Mountain the
mountains were fading away in the dark ness,
and we looked back upon them as on the
vanished years Of childhood above, the
heavens gemmed with stars, looking down so
calmly, and other heavens beneath the trees
upon either shore showing dmly. family. in
the pale starlight, those deep dark shadows
along the shore, and we in our little boat
passing onward, onward. Madelines voice
broke the stiffness. " Let US sing. Ina" In
solemn beautiful strains rose the Hymn to the
Virgin.
Ave sAnctissma we In souls to Thee
Ora pro nobis. It's nghtfAll on the sea.
watch us while shadows lie
Far DER the waters spread
Hear the hearts lonely sigh,
Thine too, hath bled"
/ saw all that was lovely around. but an
other vision arose beyond. | saw humble
fame; within were many worshippers kneel-
ing the light fell dmly on them through
the dark pnes surrounding the chapel.
heard the deep solemn tones OF the organ,
blending With the " Ave Sanetissims," filing
the soul with deep emotion, till the listener
forgot that the hymn was not addressed to
God, and the spirit rose rose on the heavenly
tone. in love, praise and alteration TO the
triuue God.