Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-08-18
For the Gallipolis Journal
Gems from my MEMORY String

Once, twice, thrice! have j closed
nv eyelids since l retired tonight
and tried in vain to- enjoy q mo.
ment's repose from the various talks
and duties of the day, but just as my
drowsy senses were being waited of
in the direction of dreamlaud, was
startled out of the beautiful visions
of slumber by the shrill screams of
our i'll nstured child in an adjoining
room. It's useless trying to sleep
with such discordant music sounding
in my ears, so 1 will get UP and sit
here on this Ottoman under the open
window and try to inhale a few
draughts of the cool night air and
lean out across the sill and gaze at
the beautiful moon and stars which
cast their mellow rays of light over
all creation. All nature is sleeping
profoundly while am deprived OF
ma natural rest by that squeaking in
FAINT. trust it will cease its crying
and give US a long intermission of
silence through which to rest our
ears little. 1 am sure it has been
spanked and dosed with cordial and
carried about the room and its cloth
ing searched for hapless pins, and
it has been scolded, caressed. trot-
ted, rocked, and shook enough to
either sooth or scare it into sleep
yet it won't sleep and is de-
termined that no one else shall
Poor child! if it could see through
the misty vail of the future, faint
glimpse of the rough way of life
if it could have a vague PRESENT.
ment of the struggles, dangers and
disappointments through which il
must pass-of the thorns and tan
gled briars that shall wound its little
dimpled feet as it travels on the
long journey before it-or a fore
taste of the bitter dregs in as cap
methinks it would stop that crying
now and laugh and be happy in the
present and save its tears to bemoau
the calamities of life.
Hark! something over the-way is
singing my favorite song-"Scattel
smiles, bright smiles as You pas:
through the world" &c. How
love that song! / never hear it bu
1 think of the times l first heard i
from the lips of one whom l loved
as sister, the little "school marm'
. as she was called. She has since
passed away, but how clearly this
;; song reminds me of the time l hat
t been vexed beyond endurance will
some failure and went out for can
ter on horseback. 1 remember too
how / jerked myself into the saddle
gave the reins a jerk and went of
t with a jerk and frown on my face
and frowned down on everybody
passed until I came in front Of th'
. village school house and saw th'
teacher and score of urchins whit
j., saw not me, all with the "musica
leaves before them, singing in
clear voice the wnrds-"Scatte
smiles, bright sniles," DC. drew
rein gently, mot with a jerk, ant
listened to the end of the beautiful
] lines which fell On my heart lik'
gentle drops of dew on the thirsty
blades of grass. l saw my ugly
frowning face mirrowed in thost
words and felt deeply rebuked as
thought about the cloudy mood il
which l had been scattering from
instead of smiles on all l hat
, chanced to meet that day.
, l shall always smile when / heal
that song, and think how it scatter
, ed my frowns to the winds and al
, most broke me of the habit of frown
t ing, and to night it has done mor'
: than all the cordial and seoldins
t and coaxing and spanking that cry
ing child has had administered BY
| the hand of its mother, for it ha'
e soothed it to sleep and / will alst
+ retire from this window, the moon
z light and the sound Of that clea
feminine voice over yonder, as re
t luctantly as l arose.
MAGGIE MILES.