Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-02-19
A STAR PAPER.
The following is from a late Independent:
,.., COMING. AND CoINe.


issiasss' A STAR PAPER.
The following is from late Independent:
- s,'s, COMING AND GOING.
Sunshine and shadow come and 90 al
ternately, Cor with mingled influences
checker the scenes of life. The first COM
ing Of. child into a household is more
than the advent of an angel. A divine
messenger might more surprise us might
play more upon our wonder and fear, or
give food for reflection by his message.
But a child comes from as mysterious
and strange land as the unknown sky.-
Every day the little thing fills us with
questions of wonder and thought One
child is a whole population. What is it |?
what viii it become how shall we rear
it what is it doing to us, and within us |?
These thoughts come and go, in light and
shadow, in hope and fear, in gladness or
sorrow, with footballs as numerous as if a
whole host, and not one little babe, were
the subject of them, But of the, coming
of these little ones, poets and parents have
written abundantly.s .Tr.rr --,E,r~,r
What about their going 2 When they
60 out to return no more, we believe that
the door of the Fathers house has opened,
and they are safely at home. We weep.
But it is not that they are gone--but that
we are left. We yeep-not because they
are inside the Gate-but because we are
on the outside, and the Door is shut.
But there are other goings besides tL.,oso
upward and heavenly ones, cL;1J-o~
grow up. Nothing on ec.,srtb grows 50 fast
as ennaren- Ii vas but yesterday, and
Ina. iao "Ss playing with tops, buoyant
Wv He is man, and gone now! His
foot is in the field, his hand upon the
sword. There is no more childhood for
him or for us. Life has claimed him
When beginning is made it is like raw
cling stocking, stitch by stich gives way,
till all are gone. The house has not a
child in it There is no more noise in the
hall-boys rushing in pell-mell-it is very
orderly now. There are no more skates
or sleds, bats, balls, or strings left scattered
about Things are neat enough now.
There is no delay of breakfast for sleepy
folks; there is no longer any task before
you be down, of looking after any body,
and tucking up the bed clothes. There
are no disputes to settle, nobody to get off
to school, no complaints, no opportunities
for impossible things, no rips to mend, no
fingers to tie up, no faces to be washed, or
collars to be arranged! There was never
such peace IN the house! 1t would sound
like music to have some feet clatter down
the front stairs Oh, for some children's
noise = ~ Efs tftl u
What used to all us, that we were hush
ing their loud laugh-checking their noisy
frolic-and reproving their slammering
and banging the doors? We wish our
neighbors would only lend us an urchin or
two to make little noise in these premis-
es. A house without children? 1t is like
lantern and no candle; garden and no
flowers; avine and no grapes; brook
with no water gurgling and rushing in its
channel. We want to be tried, to be vex-
ed, to be run over, to hear child-life at
work with all its varieties.
During the secular days, this is enough
marked. But it is Sunday that puts an
. American home to proof That is the
Christian family-day. The intervals of
public worship are long spaces of peace
The family seems made up on that day.
The children are at home. You can lay
your hands on their heads. They seem
to recognize the greater and the lesser love
to God and to friends. The house is
peaceful but not still. There is a low and
melodious trill of children in it. But Sun
day comes too still now. There is silence
that aches In the ear. There is too much
room at the table, too much at the hearth
The bedrooms are a world too orderly
There is too much leisure and too little
care.
Alas what mean these things is some-
body growing old /! are these signs and to-
kenss Is life waning? aSrSEsolg1
All summer long the great full-breasted
tree has covered its branches by number
less leaves, and whirled them in the wind
for music, and covered the little birds
from sight that sung or blilded within
1t was green, and strong, and musical.-I
AT length a single leaf hangs on the tree
with brilliant color. You look at # and
sigh. "lt is the first that have seen this
summer; there viii now be more sncb p
Tomorrow it falls. Others ripen and fol-
low. Ere long the tree grows thin. Eve
ry day there is less sound in the tree: eve
ryday more of rustling leaves along the
fences, AT length, after rain, and win
dy bufeting, the tree holds out its barren
arms, and there are nowhere leaves uinon
them Wait, o treel There are buds and
leaves yet. Only between thee and them
is sleep-burial-reslreetion. Winter Is
come, but 50 also is spring coming,
$50 II safniaiaa1 s.-te