New-York tribune., 1867-05-15
-" Vailed in shower
or shade wing roses"


-" Vailed in shower
or shade wing roses"
has at last des cended on our plains That
etheral mildness of which poets have pped
since the beginning of days has its message
not only for those who gaze upon Gods face IN
the beauty of the woods and fields, but for
the feyerish swarms who crowd the great
cities and PANT for the breath of the
yiOet-laden South iehind dingy windows
and dalksome brick walls. The sweet new
season delayed so long dips down at
last upon our Northern shore with
an influence douby Potent from delay; and
the warmed blood COURSES with unw0ntcd
speed through veins long chilled by the frost
bound Winter. Town and country feel 1t
alike. 1t calls the farmer to his sweetest
labors, the townsman to his most honest
amusements. The noise OF the spade and the
plowshare keeps time with the thump of balls
and bats. The tramp of the yOked steers is
echoed by the thunder of the racers hoofs
The faImer who has sluddcred for his spIOut-
ing seeds. and dreamed of blasted fruit-trccs
and frost-nippcd buds, casts Off anxiety, ana
bends himself to hopeful toll The city clerk
and artisan, the merchant and the stock
broker forget for while the jar
gon and chicancry of trade, aud lend
themselves to athletic sports and to
amusemcnts in the fresh air of heaven.
Young men don gay uniforms, and hurry to
the crickct-feld. The daily papers are crowded
with the record of ball matches, and tho
telegraph wires tremble with the story of the
great victory of the T. Pluribus Unum Nine, or
the Peterborough Eleven, as they trembled so
short a while ago with bulletins of battle and
massacre The city beauX, whose only talk
last Winter was of the masquerade, and the
German, the latest hop, and the latest new waltz.
now thinks of nothing but bowling, long stops,
runs, fielding, and the other mysteries OF the
national game" Yale and Harvard sneer at
Eurpdes and Euclid, forsake llelicOn for Quln-
sigamond and bow before the str0ke-oar with
rather more respect than before the President
of the College. The contests OF the turf have
fairly opened. The great racing grounds,
aroused from their periodical torpor, are put
ting on their busy aspect. Their stables are
fast filling with beautiful and noble animals,
and the purlieus fast becoming infested with
those human curses of the course whom to
know is neither to honor nor to praise. Fast
trotting and fast betting have broken out in
enters the Spring campaign with a vigorous
enthusiasm. The rather arlstocIatc Jockey
Club at Fordham publishes a glowing list of
entries for the Spring and Summer stakes; and
NIL the world of New-YOrk, and good
deal of the world from other parts of
the Union, is getting ready TO wit
ness the running. There we may see
sober Responsibility, who would not look at
race anywhere else; generals and Judges; doc
tors and fine ladies; Anonyma in her gorgeous
silks and jewels the pretty young girl just out
of school; the actress who moved the house
last night to tears or laughter the famous
author with whose name the literary world is
ringing; the plain farmer, bewildered by the
crowd and the uproar; perhaps, If one looks
sharply, the clergyman who preached last Sun
dav; and very likely the editor who must go
back from that brilliant scene to dusty Office
and pen Il fierce political leader while hls BRAN
is whirling with the excitement of the equine
contest
And while the men are mad with the rage for
manly sports. the women. too, have given way
to little mental turmoil melted by the season
Who has not heard of the exciting scenes OF
milliners' "Opening day ~ and what is that crit
ical event but harbnger of the budding year,
the season when earth opens her boarded
stores. and casts off her Somber garments, ana
puts on the beauty and gayety OF resurrection
The daisies glitter in ladies' bonnetS long be-
fore they peep from the grass of the fields, and
6efoYo the shows have quite vanished from
sheltered banlisides and shady hooks there Is
simmer of pretty flowers, an oGOr of coming
Spring, in the crowded streets oi the
sweetest attire to celebrate the season. Young
girls now are forgetting their dances and pre-
pairing for ont oi-dOOr life. ChaIades ana
tableaux are giving place to riding; the Acad-
cmv of Music is yielding to the Central Park
Crouct-charmingest 5 of lsamcs, once more
lifts IFS head. Balls and malets are drawn
forth from their Winters rcposc; and slender
fingers are busy decorating the coquettlSh little
hats and cmbrOdcrng thcIncat pelucoatS
which. as everybody knows, make an I'M
nortont pmt-and, 10 tell the truth, not the
least agreeable onc--of this popular amuse-
mcnt.
So the reign of sunshine and smiles opens
with its accustomed hum of activity. Ana
this year, more than for many years before, II
opens for us with promise of abundant pros
perity and happiness. With peace at home
and no prospect of present war abroad; with
the record OF vast progress this past twelve
months in the march of human rights all over
the world to encourage us for the future with
every sign of plentiful harvests forthcoming
and with bright political horizon, we shall
be faint hearted and unerateful if we do not
enter upon this season OF activity with re-
doubled confidence and light-heartedness