Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-14
SUNDAY APPEAL.
An EVENING CONVERSATION.
[Eor BEFORE PUBLISHED.

Around me the broad trees kept watch an.
ward,
ssinging their foreheads slowly In the air.
Gr,en islets in an eddying overflow
or amber light Among the emerald leaves,
The broken waves rom that sLiOldlng sea
Struggled TO reach the young birds In thei
nests,
As Truth strives earnestly TO reach the heart,
Often repuIse1, yet stIIl endeavoring.
one strip OF light lay on the level g ass,
Like thin drift OF pesrl-snow, tlnged viii
rose.
There had lain since noon, stretched out a
ease,
Reading by turns. in this and that old book,
Fuller, Moutaigne, and good Sir ThOms
Browne,
Feltham aud Herbert. Mngling with the Light
As IN a song mingle two girls sweet voices,
The song OF many a mad bird foated up.
Dazzling my ears. to the high empyrean.
Breaking upon the blue sky westsrl beach,
Flung upward from the thro5blng sea below,
The waves Of light and c,oud foamed up IL
spray,
Stained by the sun with sll his richest eolorS.
Sapphire and sarJonyx; floating forth, per
fumes
From rose and jasmine wandered wide abroad
Into the mead )ws, and along the creek,
That dances jOyfully along its bed
or silver sand and pebbles, through the glade,
And like child frightened at sudden dusk,
Stops, still IS death, under yOn dark gray crsg
or thuuder-scsrred and over-hsnging rock,
Where In deep holes turks the suspicious trout
The locust trees with honey dropping blooms.
Tempted the bees, that, darting TO and fro,
Grew rich apaee with their abundant sp IL:
Ff5p
Within large circle loaded all the air.
Ny children played around me on the grass
sad rogues, that interrupted much my thought
And did perplex my readlng,-one In chief,
A little chatterirg gil with bright brown eyes
Scarce taught 10 speak distinctly, bat my pet,
As she well knew, and OF 1t took advantage.
While thus / lay, reading in idle mood
/ heard a sep along the shaded walk,
Where the clematls AMI the imblng rose,
The honeysuckle and the jasmine turned
Their bright eyes 20 the sun.-an emerald arch,
with golden flowers embroidered. Looking up
saw approaching, with his kindly smile,
Aud outstIetched hand, the dearest OF my
friends
Who played with me in childhood on the sands,
And on the sounding rocks that fringed the sea,
And on ihe green banks OF the Merrlmac;
Grew up with me to manhood, with me len
Our ancient home, and many q weary month,
Fast by my side, ST Il tolled and Travelled on,
Through des srt. forest, danger, over mountains,
Amid wild storms, deep snows,-bore much
fatigue,
Hunger and thiIst, brave'y and Ike man.
After warm welcome kindly interchanged,
fly we stretched ourselves upon the swsrd,
And lightl, talked OF half a hundred things,
Each with a little head upon his arm,
Whose bright eyes looked as grsvely into ours,
As though they understood our large discourse /:
Tntl, st length. Il Glanced that Luther said,
Responding TO come sslf-congratuistion,
That dubbed from the fountsin OF my heart,
AT thinking Of my humsle, happy life:-
"a We are all mariners on this sea of life;
And they who climb above US u the shrouds,
Have only, in their over-;opping place,
Gained q more dangerous station, and foOthold
More insecure. The wind, that paSselh over,
And hsrmeth not the humble crew below,
Whis,leth amid The shroudE, and shsketh down
These overweenIr g climbers OF the ocean.
Into the seething waters Of the sas-
The humble traveller securely walks
Along green valleys, walled with rocky crags,
De p-burled wales, in Alps o. Apennine,
BY TItans sentlneied, yet rich with flowers,
And gushing with cool spTings;-a cloudless
sun
Lighting his pathway while the venturcus
fool,
Who climbed the neIghboring mountains, sees,
sghsst,
The purple drifts Of thunder-shaken cl.ud
Roll foaming over the blue, icy crags,
On which his feet sip,--feeis the heavy spray
Dash. roaring like sea, against his side,
And bitterly repents he climbed so high.
dusk
Far down below him, hOwls the exulting
win5,-
The thunder crashes round his dizzy head
And smitten by the earthquakes mailed hand,
The Jut wherein he stands gives way, like
Power,
And down a thouf and fsthoms headloDg falls
The ambitious climber. a bruised, bloody mess,
Before the peaceful traveller below.
Better a quiet life amid our books.
Than, like mad swimmers Ia a stormy ocean.
To breast the roar and tumult OF the world"
II think so too and avn well content
To lead q peaceful. quiet humble life,
Among my children aud my patient books.
Disgrace and danger, like tive hungry hounds,
Run ever on the ira Of those who do
Good service 10 their country, or achieve
Distinction and a name above their fellows
Aud SANDER is an eyer-cuTrent coin,
Easy OF utterance as pure gold, deep stamped
With the Kings image. in the mint Of Truth.
What service 20 his country can one 90,
In the wild warfare OF the present age
TO gain SUCCESS, the ma, ses must be Ewayed -
To sway the masses, one must be well skilled
And dextrous with the weapons Of the trade.
Who fights the gladiator without skin,
Fights without arms Why, he must lie, and
cheat
By false pretenees. double and turn at viii,
Profess whatever doctrine suits the time,
JugRle and I'll tx with words, In everything
Be base counterfeit, and fawn and crouch
Upon the level OF the baser sort.
love the truth, because Il Is the Tmth,
And care not whether Il be profitable,
or II the common palate relish g.
or all things most hate the Plausible:
An open Knave 5 an open enemy;
But sleek P-etencs with she stiletto stab7,
At dusky corners, OF a starless night
The True and Popular are deadly foes,
Ever at dagger point, In endless feud.
II one could serve LIS country by success,
OE strengthen her defences, he might well
Endure abuse and bitter eOntumely,
= ander and persecution but TO fling
Ones self down headiong from the vessels
prov,
IutO the angry chasms OF the deep,
Without hope 70 stay the ships mad course,
l. Ne profoundest folly OF the time
= ,,,oio Now nObly sets the Imperial sun
., . ,,o,t.,, -lOTles OF his mellow rays
nm re en- M. ~dow level fall Rslaut;
on either SIDE the G. -ests OF snowy cloud,
y.y,,t, or,,,so,, ,,,er-,s,, ~trated shrink
And yield him room; no du.> Ky par obscure
The broad msgnihcet &c OF his y Iue eye Be-
Though farther south, dark as a cstaSact
OF laundering waters great cloud les ~ In
Its curtain 20 the blue horizons edge;
While, here and there. q wing OF snowy Jos. Il
Upon It's front, Blints like the shining sail PIKE
OF some aedal shallop, fleeing swift tse
Along the suIflcs OF the tranquil deep. Gle
Wi4Truth at any lime shine DFcaily for Co
Even As the sun Shines with no cloud OF , -
To Interrupt a single glorious rsy9" m'
truth is omnipOtent, and viii prevail
And Public Justice certain"
LAY, my friend
A great man said so. It's a noble thought
Mob y expressed; itself creed complete.
Bot In what sen e Is Truth omnipOtent,
Aud al Whist time is Public justice certain