The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1864-11-30
=, pood to Bachelors Island.

'iat Journey which all arc destined to
OH .'''' in this world and whose goal is hap.
p ... IN the distance, as he passed along.
p'" w. off that his inexperienced vision gould
5" ,, ' .,,cb glimpse Of its great beauty he:
""s VII, what appeared the Valley Of NalrIm0Hr,
81" uo ~ with milk and honey, and covered
Al. "'" .ns, beautiful flowers; but as the road
"'' harpncss, upon which he was $, travelling
to n"' my 80 p,ss directly through this beau:i.
&c '.,.y he was content to enjoy the pleas
III '' ',.,,irh already surrounded him and male
. ''ch J,y Of his journey seem 50 short ~
u,1 he examined the road he was travelling
r '', more closely, he would have found
',,. ' !, ran for some distance along the banks
Of a stream which he had not "0''ec'' all"
,rhi.h separated him from what was really
W. ,.,,,ni Of Matrimony,- that ut last the
Wv ,r;r;,cJ one finger Of the g'Ide.boanl
' '"; across this stream by what was
,",,n rs the llymcncal Bridge, which cOull
"" w.. ", crossed in company with some fair
I ,',;,,h,,r Of Evc,-ano,lcr road lead to tho
rr"s;rm Of Old Mails,-whilc the third road
nnnnd down the stream, still in sight Of the
w. or N,,r;mony till it finally crossed an.
o,hcr bridge into Bachelors Island. .'.'
' Pr, he had not travelled far on his journey
~ hc s,w all this, and he began to consider
81. r,,d he should take. lie could now:
anJ ,hcr catch casual glimpse Of seemingly
happy faces on the other side Of tho stream ;,
or ,Iw many beauties Of the island possessed
500, fascination to his cnrapturcd vision.
-. s.l, sure thu, through this beauteous and
seemingly Happy island must lie the most d!.
rn,, ro,I t., the object Of his jonrncyy--happi'
moss lie Ind got casual glimpse Of Bach
. .vors I,;and but everything there looked
gloomy and uninyi,ing. It seemed to him to
~. ,ro,,,cI with morosc and unhappy men,
md the demon Melancholy WAS only kept Off
,v continuous cloud Of smoke which as
c,ndcd from the island
He Iour,l to cross the lIymcneal Bridge,
, ,,u, the stern keeper would not let him pass
| unless he should be accompanied bya fair
la!v, lor to woinan'S presence and influence
were attributed ;hc beauties and pleasures Of
u the i>lauG: ami il WAS necessary that y silken
knot should be- tied, on the bridge, which
I should ION the two together for the rest Of
: the Journey Of life as one person. So he must
0 needs find fair partner bciorr7 nc could cross
{ the bridge on what he halalStcrnincd WAS
{ the direct roa! to happiness.
Accordingly lie looked about him among
# the fair coinpanionsin whose society the Jour.
: ncv had thus far been 50 pleasant, to select
:. omc who would hc willing TO cross the bridge
:. with him; and rs the remainder Of the jour-
= ncv or litc-who>c object was happiness
t mus, he made in her company, he was ann
;. iou> 20 find :, cnr:cnial coGlani"n-onc who
=; would make him happv-"nc whom he could
. make happy. He apprnaclcda lcau,i!ul bellc,
:, but she WAS too bllSily engaged in chasing the
I butterfly Of fashion To listen to his story for
e a moment and would no, give up the chase.
Another G,ir attracted his attention, but he
u soon found that her heart was wrlpt up in
u Irritation. and she was jus, thea Spurning Il
= poor heart which Sic hal cn,ralprd with her
Il beauty, and which waS pleading for mercy
Her sister WAS at the same time engaged in
r ambitious schcmcs to entap ! wealthy fellow.
J. Traveller Of his, and lead him captive over tho
" lIymcncal Iridgc. He WAS ut first surprised
d at this, bu; Oh looking more closely about
i him he perceived many similar SHARES for the
= "nwary, and found that he himself had only
II 10y chance escaped very dangerous one.
~ There was one who frankly offered to 20 with
X him ii he would take her" but he knew
l. that they could not hc happy together. Hc
= asked another To 60 but Sllo thought him no,
,c good enough, for her, and seemed busy fishing
r. for another man. lie begged another to max,
;" HIM happy li, pride, or >clliShncsS, or III,
=, often fatal spell Of Cupid's mysterious dart
,c caused her To refuse him. At last he becam,
n, dishcartcnc,l, and hc said within himself.
Of must have miSta ken the way; surely happi
y. !! ness cannot be found in the Island of Matr;
If mony, with all tho beautiful flowers and tree,
lc and shrubs, where love is not, and whcr
men and women arc lead across the stream
10 l'y such hcartless motives.
at 30 he came to PITY those Of his brethren
in whom he saw crossing the Ilymcncal BRIDGE
"a lor he could see for them but life Of unl,ar.
u- pneSs when they should awaken to the TINT,
in OIL Their deception. And he turned back onl