The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-10-26

Peri, from the far off garden of Paradise.
The green earth and blue waters lay
abroad in their boundlessness, and the
peaceful sky hung over them. The little
creature at my side was in a delirium of
happiness, and her sweet voice came ring
Ing out upon the air as often as she heard
the note of some ffavorite bird or found
Wanderings. The unbrOken and almost
supernatural tranquility of the day lasted
I'LL noon. Then, for the first time, indi-
cations OF an approaching tempest was
manifest. Over the summit of q noun
tain, at a distance of about a mile, the
folds OF large cloud became suddenly
visible, and at the same time a hollow
roar came down on the winds as if it had
been the sound of waves in rocky cav
ern. The clouds rolled on like a banner
unfolded upon the air, but still the at
mOsphere was as calm and the waves as
motionless as before, and there was not
even culver upon the sleeping waters
to tell of the hurricane. The tempest
was inevitable. AS the only resort, we
fled to a mighty oak that stood at the
foot Of the precipicc. Here we remained
and gazed breathlessly upon the clouds
marshalling themselves like bloody gil
ants in the sky. The thunder was not
frequent, but every burst was SO fearful
that the young creature who stood beside
me, shut her eyes c0nvulsively, chung
with desperate strength to my arm,
shrieked as if her heart would break. In
a few minutes the storm was upon u.s.
During the height of it's fury, the little
girl lifted her fingers towards the preci-
pice that toWeredabove u.s. looked and
saw an amethstine peak-.the next mo-
ment the clouds opened and the noun
tain tottered to its foundation; a roar
like the groan of the universe filled the
air, and felt myself blinded and thrown
/ knew not whittier.
How long l remained insensible can
not tell; but when consciousness return
ed, the violence of the tempest was abat-
ing, the roaring of winds was dying ON
the tree-tops, and the deep tones of the
thunder-cloud camein fainting murmurs
from the eastern hills. 1 rose and look
ed tremblingly and almost deliriously
around. She was there, the dear idol Of
my infant love, stretched out on the
earth. After mon ent of irresolutiOn,
| went and looked upon her. The hand
kerchief upon her neck wasslightly rent.
A single red and dark spot upon her
bosom, told where the pathway of death
had been.
At first clasped her to my breast witt,
q cry of agony, and then laid her down
and gazed upon her face with almost
feelings fcalmness. Herbright dishev-
eled ringlets around her brow; the look
of terror had faded from her lips, and
infant smiles pictured there the red rose
tinge upon her cheek was lovely as in
life, and l pressed it to my own; the
fountains OF tears were opened, and /
wept as if my heart was water. + have
but q dim recollection of what followed;
1 know that / remained weeping and
motionless till the coming twilight, and
I was taken tenderly by the hand and
led away where l saw the countenance
Of parents and sisters.
Many years have gone by OH the
wings OF light and shadows, but the
scene l have portrayed still comes over
me with terrible distinctness. The
oak yet stands at the base of the preci-
pice, but its limbs are black and dead,
and the hollow trunk looks upward to
the sky-as If calling to the clouds for
drtnk-as an emblem of decay.
One year ago visited the spot, and
the thoughts of bygOne years came
mournfully to me. / thought of the lit
tie innocent being who fell by my side
like some beautiful tree of spring, rent
up by the whirlwind in the midst of its
blossoming. But / remembered-an
oh! there was joy in the memory-that
she had gone where no lightnings sluIn-
Der In the rainbow cloud, and where the
sunlit waters are broken only by the
stormbreadth Of Omnipotence.
My readers will understand why ]
shrink in terror from thunder. Even
the consciousness of security Is no relief
to me-my fears have assumed the ma
ture of an instinct, and seems indeed
part of my existence.
It is an unfortunate thing for fools that
their pretensions rise in an inverse ratio
with their abilities and for the wise,
that diftidence is generally the compan-
ion Of talent, and doubt the fruit OF in
vestigation.
According to the st. Louis Republican,
Sterling Price, late of the Confederate
army, has gone to Brazil, probably t.
seek q residence there.
James A. Dix DrincinaI editor Of thx.