Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-12-02
For the shenandoah Herald. !
ngsa.A JzS

shadows or phantoms of the mind, but
having, while their influence lasts, living
rea lily. v ho has not felt the power OF
dream, pleasant or otherwise. harmonlzing
or disturbing the current OF his thoughts
during the succeeding day Are they
all alike, and DO they confne themselves
to the scenes and associations Of surround
ing circumstances aud objects By no
means. Vague, IN distinct and of the in-
pfooaDle as they ire. with just enough OF
reality to make them possible with us,
where Fancy reyels in supreme delight
paiatng her realm in all the varying hues
OF light ana life, until IN Imagination at
last, We reach the acme of human bliss, -
OF with folded wings We drop from oul
Aerial palace anO wander atiId fog and
e loom into some dark ,subterrane III cavern,
which closes up behind our lagsard steps,
OF venture on the foamlng torrent with
only sin5te plank 70 save Us from in
pending dvom VIII, has not been sus-
pended III md air by slngle thread,
>nverlnS from, and ureadlug tue lneslta
Die Tail, CROSSED the shattered bridge, and
heard the creahiug OF the tlnbers beneath
MS trembling feet, heard the roar OF the
devourlng hanl6s, an Tet the scorchlng
neat, VITA no possible way OF escape
seen the serpent iii his path, the descend
lug hurricane carrying swift destruction
III It's way, anu all tlc Wild tumultuUuo
s';cnes ami lncidonts, which So disturb
our common race. All these fantastic
tricks, aud many more, does the lmaglaa-
ton play upon the Creamy slanlbeier. IL
We're Idle TO inquire INTO the disturbing
causes Of all ,hl. ln,est Nor will We
dispute tue power OF imagination i'll recall
Ing the almost FOL gotten scenes, and hal
Owed memories Ut our childhood and youth,
the buried hopes OF long ago, the glitter
lug prize almost within OUR reach (wnether
OF love, tame or iUrtuIe) winch then eiuG-
ca our grasp, our priliIant future bullt
ulon yudth sweet dream OF lie, not Yet
moulded by circumstances, not Yet hedged
ABOUT with tuofns, out Dtl5uG as the SUM-
mer's suurlse upon an unclouded SKY,
(wIthout Its calm aud peaceful settlne),
yet III our dream all Is Forgotten save the
realization Of our hops. we have climbed
the plnuacle OF fame, tAe glltterlug heaps
lay at our feet, our youthful hero is king
OF the realm, and when morn breaks III
upon the vanished treasure, we still ex-
claln.
You may break, you may rain the vase if you
Bat the scent o. the roses will hang round it
stan.
Some mock at dreams. others incline to
the S iperstltlous. 10 some they bear the
Character OF WARNINGS, preseutlments, a
type OF the shadows 10 come. We claim
70 affinity with either, for to US the sor-
rows ui he cOma swift aal sudden as the
thunderboit from the sky. First, in our
,lay-dream OF ambition, the goal was
well nigh reached, when the grave closea
suddenly over our hopes Next, the
wreath Of tho co .queror faded in our grasp,
our young neio slept the sleep that Knows
no waking Last Of all, the idol OF oar
heart was sinitten down while the echo OF
his voice yet fingered GA the ear. No
storm, no tempest, no gathering cloud
gave the warning note Of woe. UnIy the
stll small voice Ginning the tempest o.
grief within, saying, BE s5Il aad know
that am God. Like the CLEANING ol
grapes III vintage season they were gather
e to their homes IN peace. Ii may be
we wander FROM the narrow way, and our
Heavenly Guide still brings lis back by
uaciug Observation-Disclosures and another
still nearer the gate OF Heaven. Our
Journey seems a long one, and as If to
al ~ ~,
nightly visi5ants ace shorn Of their gar
ment, OF woe, we gather gold. II sheaves
from the gamers OF the dead, and again
we hear The well remembered voice, Its
mellow tones FALL like sweetest music on
the ear, we clasp the hand, which but yes
terday we thought cold and lifeless III
deatu, now TIE throbbing pulse beats in
unison with our OF n, the sllvery laugh
rings out upon the air. and finds an echo
10 our gladdened heart now Iightened OF
its load Of grief. surely this is the reai
ty,-the grave, the funeral pail the
broken sobs, the last agonized look, all.
all is forgotten is this bliSsfu! dream. if
dream it can be called, 50 vivid, so Iitelike
is the scene, 1t carries the assurance of re
atty with it, and we feel that death had
never entered this world Of ours, and
snatched the loged ones from our midst
Blessed, thrice blessed be such dream,
ever halowed be such memories, angel
visitants to our weary couch, is this long
and dreary night Of sorrow, may they ever
guard our nightly pillow with their cheer
ing presence, until angel voices greet US
in that happier cline. where the wicked
cease from troubling, and where the weary
are at rest" NJ. A G.
It is a mistake to set up our own stand
ard of right and wrong, and judge people
accordingly 1t is q great mistake to
measure the enjoyments Of others BY cur
own to expect uniformity of opinion in
this world to look for Judgment and ex
uor h m pni .-nr kO m Ouil