The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-09-14
For the Pulaski Citizen.
Thoughts as TheH oeenr-II.


sterner tyrant takes ber throne, while. in
the tender gloom of Indian Summer, she
seems buried in repentant thought. Relent-
! less Winter now closes the scenes and drives
| from the landscape the last lingering bloom,
the last pale, fuuering leaf from the trees.
the last sad. silent bird of passage to a more
genial climate. And man, in his prime
and strength, feels the autumnal frosts of
age stealing upon him. His raven hair
turns, As the grass Withers, pale as the
/ coming desalsfion bis brow is furrowed
and his eye less bright. He feels the storm
approaching, yet the harvest is uugsthered.
Now his flowers are cut down. The trees
his hand had planted, his care had tended,
aud around which the tendrils Of his heart
had twined. are suddenly. with their prom
ise of golden fruit, destroyed. A mother
to them, an angel 10 him now, follows her
children beyond the dark river. as the storm
uproots the giant oak. but spares the bend
ing willow, the strong man bows with hu-
mility even to the earth and is spared. He
gathers the harvest and rests from his la
bors, while in that hour a pensive calm
comes over his tried spirit. as. with those
who are left him he seeks some quiet spot.
the dreams of wild ambition are forgotten,
and in resignation awaits the falling SHOWS
of age.
Life to the aged seems a scene in which
the real and the ideal are blended, as in
distant childhood. The grandmother in
her easy chair forgets the events of yester-
day, but remembers the companions of her
youth. and lives over again, in dreaming
fancies, those years and their burden of
sad and happy hours. The aged man, tot
tering on his staff, sees trifes possessed Of
the same importance as in his untaught
boyhood. The SHOWS of life's winter have
descended upon bis whitened head; his
time has come; and down the dark valley
he pasees unconsciously away.
The air, the earth and sea are filed with
animated existence, and throughout the
whole, in the pursuits of science, trade or
| pleasure, human forms are busy, as notes
that play in the sunshine. Life seeks to
know the great mystery ia which It is
! placed. The aeronaut threads his perilous
way through the pathless air; the diver
gropes for treasure in the depths of track
less waters; and the miner digs deep into
! the earth to extract the valued ore. The
sailor, borne on the waves of the majestic
sea, in calm and in storm, is in the hands
of Providence, and, watching the star that
guides him on his way, learns to trust in
the Power that made the starry heavens and
countless worlds. He who tills the soil has
Nature in her milder aspects ever by his
side, and sees the wonders Of creative wis
dom in every plant that springs from the
seed he has sowD, and as he trusts that all
his care will not be vain, he learns to trust
! 10 Him who is Father alike of the humble
and the proud. The scholar who surveys
the universal system by which the harmo-
nious whole is perfectly controlled, and
reads By the light of science a confirmation
of the grand prophecies of the olden time,
! learns to be humble as the greatest wisdom.
and feels that to the lowly in heart the truth
| shall be revealed. The poet, as he feels the
| tide of inspired thought sweep over his be-
/ ing, hears in every voice of nature tribute
of praise to COP, sees in every tree and
! flower new evidence Of care and love. The
! soldier hears the crash Of musketry, the
roar of cannon and the shrieks of the dying
upon the battlefield, where life meets life as
| the lightning meets midway between the
| clouds. Does he hear in that dread mo-
ment q calm voice, proclaiming peace on
earth, good will to man." when the promis-
ed hour shall comet The murderer hears
the dying grosn and struggle Of his victim.
Does he hear stern voice saying "Ven-
geanee is miue;I will repay?
Life to the sinner is . cheating dream,
for the past has not fulfilled its prophecy.
and in the silent hours Of night conscience
knows that justice will surely oVertAke and
punish. and the sun-bright palace of pleas
ure built by Fancy during the slumber of
| Memory, is overshadowed by the phantom
fear of coming retribution.
Life holds out to all alike cup Of pleasure
and of pain; the cup of pleasure may be
plain to behold, and its contents the purest
wafer, while the priceless Jewel OF content
lies beneath the symbol Of Truth; the cup
of pain, golden one, and filed with rud-
dy wine, while Time turns the gold to ashes.
and the wine to poison in the veins.
The Parent of Life has given to all
guide that will not deceive: they who lis
ten to the voice within will never taste Of
the cup of pain. Sorrow and pain are in
the lot of all, but none need feel Ehat pain
which comes as the penalty of violated law.
Life to the good brings rich and precious
gifts. The good man ever preserves to old
! ags the innocence Of childhood. His heart