Middletown transcript., 1868-07-18

why snOulQ ErleVe lOr Her Wouiu
rather, much rather, remember her as [
do, bright, joyous and beautiful, than to
have seen Time
"Marking the touch of his withered hand
On her golden locks of hair -
Fading the roses from her cheeks, and fur
rowing her smooth white brow with cares
corroding touch: Sleep on, sweet friend,
1 hope some day to meet you in your bright
home where no sorrow ever can come.
Another, whose dark, bright beauty, mer-
ry sayings and joyous laughter, made her
the queen of all our frolics, and who look
ed forward with bright hopes to happy
future, sleeps in her quiet grave under
dark cedar, after a short and sorrowtul
life. A pure white marble slab bears this
inscription, and marks her last resting
place:
"Alice NJ. aged 10 years."
Another of that merry band, when his
schooldays were ended, crossed the sea in
vain pursuit of the golden angel of wealth,
and found instead, grave in the deep
blue sea, where the mermaids twine their
snowy fingers in the brown curls, that his
mothers hand has often smoothed caress-
ingly, while the waves forever sigh re-
QUEEN over the bright young life SO sud
denly and SO sadly ended. ...-
Two more, who in the first flush ofman
hood shouldercd their muskets, and gave
their lives fully and freely in their coun-
try's defence, are now sleeping in SOL
diers' quiet grave, with the grass and flow
ers growing lovingly over them, but with
not stone to mark their last home, but |
h:nna that the angel of peace has found each
of their lonely graves and has folded her
white wings ever their still hearts They
stood side by side, loving friends in our
old class, in their school-days, but on the
battlefield they met face to face as Roemen,
and when the battle shock was over and the
armies moved on, they were left sleeping,
with hundreds of others, under the sod,
one in blue the other in gray, awaiting the
solemn day Of judgement. All Frank
and Charlie, you little thought when play
ing your boyish sports on the old school
house green, how your lives were to be
ended.
Two or three ambitious ones, closed
their books, and turned their backs on
their quiet country homes, and peaceful
farmers life, and sought in the noise and
turmoil in the far distant cities, to find an
easier mode of earning their living than
digging it out of the soil, but | fear they
did not succeed, for know that now they
are toiling with stout hearts and willing
hands to keep the wolf from the door. Do
they, I wonder, in their busy lives ever
close their eyes on the day-book and ledr
ger shutting out the stern realities Of life,
and the restless scenes around them, and
let their memories run back to the old
school-house and the thousand pleasant
recollections associated with it? Will the
tears dim their eyes, as the hopes and
fears, the joys and sorrows, the ambitions,
the aspirations, and the disappointments OF
their boyhood come thronging back to
their minds, and the familiar scenes of the
now quiet school-room seem passing in re-
view before them Will not sadness
steal over theft hearts as they reflect that
their school-boy days are gone forever, and
have become but memory of the past?
Two more are filing the sacred desk,
and are proclaiming the mercy and good
ness of our Heavenly Father; and few
are following our honored teachers exam
pie and are trying to lead the young minds
entrusted to their care up the thorny path
way of knowledge, as faithfully as he LED
us, in the years agone.
Some of our merry girls, in the bright
ness of their youth, married and settled
down to quiet country life, and though
now demure matrons, they often think Of
the merry games, and misehievous pranks
they played on the school-house green
They think of them with smiles ON then
lips but tears in their eyes, for many who
were their companions in the play, sleel
the solemn sleep that knows no awaken
ing.
Iwondcr if any of them, in their remem
brances of the old school-house ever thinl
of the author of this =? Perhaps they re
member as part of pleasant; dream, thu
little shy, black haired, dark-eyed girl
whose greatest ambition then was, to gair
the head of the class and stand above tn,
"big boys" But l doubt if any of then
would recognize her in the grave woman
whose life, thus far, has been passed il
sorrow; not one of the dreams of my
youth ever came near its fulillment.
"They came and went like shadows,
The blessed dreams of youth,
But left behind no record ...
Or impress of their truth.
| Then the future was all sunshine,
In gorgeous dreams arrayed,
| But ever as I've reached it
The sunshine turned to shade.n
R,1 Gill bova oon,a ,oo,oor;as oe al,
past that I cherish because of their sweet
ness. And among these none / cling Il
so fondly as my school-days. They ar,
mo sweetest but still the saddest memories
of ALL for they make merealize in its full
force the truth of the poets saying;
That our sorrow s crown of sorrows
Is remembering happiest things.
a. n