The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-02-05
Written for the telegraph.


How the word thrills me! There is a magic III
its sound which ever had power to throw a spell
over my heart. When l was a child, / often used
to leave my noisy, mirthfui schoolmates and wan
der away among the wood shadows, and listen to
the birds singing and watch the flowers springing
from the soft, dark mold, with a nam eless dreamy
longing in my heart to do, be or knOw something
more and better.
My thoughts then were SO dim, so underlined and
childlike, | could not analyze them, or tell why
Nature charmed me 30 much moro than my school
mates. had read and heard SO many stories OF
gnomes, elves, sprtes and fairies, that l some
times half expected to see eltin king ofthe forest
with hair like gnarled and twisted roots, eyes
sharp and piercing, face as brown as a nut, dress
ed in garments of sewed leaves, bound with a g,r-
die formed of the golden, parasitic plant | have
found twining about the low weeds. enwrapping
them in n deathly embrace. his feet encased in
little wooden shoes made ofhazel nut shells a reed
like wand in his hand, and on his head an acorn
cup for a cap--this was the appariticn that was to
rise from the solemn shades and order me away.
But the nameless charm which thrilled through
my being, was sufficient to overcome all fears of
such visitations. So l would sit alone for hours,
half wondering, half fearing at the strange. vague
thoughts that seemed to rise from the ground creep
from the shadow of a huge boulder. emanate from
the ancient oaks, dance to me from the sparkling
waters, or float to my ears from the carol of the
bright songsters. There, asI would think over
all my petty vexations.a and trials OF school, | wo'd
speculate upon the chances of my finding enough
berries and nuts to subsist on, should l conclude
to take my books and run away into the woods
When the school bell rang out on the clear air, ]
would leave my seat and go to school; but the
wild thoughts that came to me In the forest or by
the lake, would no tleave me, but wou Id follow me
all the afternoon; and | would find myself in
school dreaming over my book, building air cas-
ties, or thinking of the pretty birds nest l had
found, wondering if anybody would find it anC
rob it.
Nature L almost worshipped. A weed, a shel
or flower, a tree or plant or even a craving worn
was interesting to me, and delighted in watching
and studying them. l found not one among al
my sehoolmates whose tastes in this respect, har
monized with mine thus 1 was at first compelled
to be alone to crafty my "whims," and from liking
it, l soon learned to delight in it | could climl
a tree for a birds nest. or wade a slough for on,
as well as any boy in school.
a. ASAAh u L q sGAICliAuo leu L
|. think OF natures God. But to my childish mind
He was such Il high and lofty being, l could thinl
of him only dimly and afar off, as unapproachabl
to mortals. loved the workmanship of his hand
but Himself l could not see. As l grew Older
and my thoughts grew more distinct and definite
from being merely an amusement to be alone,
has become a necessity of my nature. Now tina
| know d little better what l live for it is more O
g a feast to my moral being to spend an hour wit
nature, with Gods blue canopy above my head
His leafy carpet beneath my feet and the FIRE
breath of heaven about me, than TO sit in churc
beneath the finest utterances of eloquent lips
There is more of the divine element, Love, in tn
sermons | thus read, than in those | hear. | hav
I enjoyed more true, heartfelt corShip in this man
= ner, than any ever spent in church.
Imost like the woods, because the shelterin
leaves allow no human eye to observe me. Their
wherever i turn, l can see naught but His hand
work. can see him in the flowers, the trees an
and everything about me hear Him in in the ru
thing leaves, the surging lake and the hummin
insects. and feel His breath in wind tina. cools m
: brow. love to observe the delicacy Of His wor
in the mosses, aud then l lean kaeel upon the gree
carpet He has made. and thank Him for all thes
beautiful things. In an hour spent like this lie
q When mymoral being is almoss choked and su
focatod, and life seems dark and drear, humanit
all dwarfed and deformed, love q myth, an idl
word, and friendship an empty sound, then / ava
to the woods and gain courage to .ollow Dut,
through the mists and shadows in the work of Iif
yet longer, for though the CLEANS of sunshine O
her path are tewer and the way more rugged, v,
those sunOeams we do catch, are brighter an
more beautiful than these found in any other wa,
Such a ramble is TO me as refreshing as the show
err to the dropping, dying plants of midsummer
, 1t makes life seem fresh and fair again. 1t teach
les me that l should live, not for myself but fl
Others 1t gives me new energy and perseverance
: tokeep trying to do right, and awakens within n
a ~ceaseless longing to be worthy the confidence an
Flove Of mortals. much wiser, nobler and bette
than now am-to see, know, and be allowed
"a mingle with men and women far superior to an
| have ever yet known RUsTIC.