Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-11-28
From the New York Observer
OUTDOOR THOUGHTS.
By REV. FREDERICK q. CLARK, D. D.
THE FAILING LEAVES.

bA REV FHLDkhLCk' V. CLARK, ID. ID
THE FAILING LEAVES.
Autumn is the saddest or the gay
est season of the year, according
to the eyes with which we see it
In a morbid mood, under anxietiel
and depressionsyor ia the shadow
of spent Joys, we may easily SCI
emblems Of our detection in every
trace ofdecaying nature. Oragain
we may find legitimate types Of sad
ness in the. scenery of autumn, W.
all do fade as a leaf. Man comes
forth like the leaf-aits, whirls,
glistens in the sunlight and quiyers
in the storm sighs with the moan.
ing wind, droops, withers, falls, is
drifted out of sight and is forgotten
forever. But the falling leaf has
other lessons; and the season OF
natures decay may be as full Of
cheerfuhess and calm expectation
as even the fresh yerdure Of June.
To me autumn is glorious. I have
waited almost impatiently for this
ripening Of summers beauty and
wealth. The season of changing
leaves is q spiritual festival to me.
| can neYerso accustom myself to
it as not to welcome it with fresh
pleasure and surprise. Such a deli
cions repose' perVades an October
day! the hazy horizon; the won
derful variety and richness Of col
oring the gorgeous robes Of nature;
the lingering stores Of fruit on tree
and feld-all these are sources of
exhaustless pleasure.
What loving plan Of God it is
to lavish such sweetness and beauty
on this season Of the year, which
might SO easily have been all SOM
bre and depressing! aaser
"Who can phint
Like NatureY Can Imagination boast,
Amid its gay creation, hues like hers7
Or can it mix with them that matchless
skill,
And lose them in each other, as appears
In every bud chat blows2, H.,
Thomson may have written these
lines for the month of June. But
what season discloses tiat matchless
skill of c6lorfng Ike this of the fall
ing leaves -
A row of naples adorns our lawn.
! have watched them day by day
with increasing interest. At first
one lcafhere,f and another there,
turned crimson, and hung among
its green companions, prophesying'
Of the glory yet to come Then
more and more the strange process
went on, until one calm Sabbath
morning those naples stood trans
figured in the sunlight, They were
bright and beautiful beyond descrip
ton. Itrwas exciting, even trans
porting to look at them. They
seemed somehow allied.to the spirit
world. They spoke to me of an
other being Of transitions and
which are good, because
ordained by Infinite Goodness
They seemed bursting with a glory |
which was being poured upon them
from an invisible source
There was not an idea, not a sug-
gestion of sadness in this vision.
True, it was the end of summer, and
Tlmew that these leaves were thus
in gorgeous hues only asa
for falling, and as a
pledge Of their decay yet, through
md beyond this, I seemed to read
l prophecy of something yet to
come, richer and more glorious than
aught yet seen. By and by those
caves began to fall-so gently, so
asst, so beautifully, as to recall those
ines of Mrs. Hemans- 10 AIN
lilDO 10, Il were abliss to dioJiO
As dies leat tiny groves among, my noWery
Sicily" "o-J -ilHL
Then rude winds came, and dark
iightandsstofn made an end / and
he morning showed the lawn COW
red with drifting leaves, and the
rees bare of foliage. At first l
this was gloomy. But be-
ore / had time to measure the sad
less of the scene a new glory broke
IN myvision, Through those strip I
,ed and leaaess branches was dis
,losed view of land and water
which was glorious to behold. l {
ound my horizon suddenly extend
d. The fullness ofshade, the lug
riance of verdure, had hidden