Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-03-29
wRoUeuF Is sILENcE

wEOJSaET Is SILENCE
With what admiration and ave dc
men gaze upon the face Of Nature, swept
by the terrible storm wind, or eonvuIz-
? ed with inward fires.
What power and majesty in the
/ workings Of these agencies, whose state
iy steppin2s make the earth az well as
! the hearts Of men, TO trembIe, heralding
] their work of desolation with the thun-
f der's roar, the lightning's lurid flash.
, the Tumbling tones Of q mighty and re
lentless cOnqueror. How they sport
with tile works Of men, regardless Of
the proudest monuments Of genius! Al
their approach, the trees Of the forest
bend their lofty heads, and even the
giant-oak, which has survived the fight
of centuries, is uprooted; oceans waves
are lashed into fury, and woe to the
/ traveller on the traokless deep; earth's
bosom heaves, and, opening, swallows
up cities with their tide fife.
Sound is not an accompaniment of all
of Natures works, not even Of the
( greatest. Note for q moment, the many
places Whereon We ind mysterious
traces Of her silent footsteps. Look al
the frost-work on the window pane
/ What beautiful picture!-fying birds
and sWarning bees; palaces and tenn
I pies, rearing their lofty domes and tow
/ eTs III the rising sun; stately trees, drap-
/ ed III garlands, and flowers, scattered
with lavish hand-a picture far surpass-
/ ing the workmanship Of art, and yet
how silently performed.
/ The dewdrop, refreshing blade aud
flower, the tinting Of the lily and the
rainbow, the growth Of vegetation, the
changing seasons, the motion of our
earth itself, and its companion worlds.
+ the benefeent and sublime processes Of
, nature are carried on,
"Noiselessly as the spring time
( Her crown Of verdure weaves,
7 Aud all the trees, on all Tie hills.
/ Open their thousand leaves:
Eoisslezsly as the daylight
Comes when the night is done,
And the crimson streak on ocean S cheek
Grows into the great sun
a.! Silently minute animals in mid-ocean
have added to this part and to that Of
their beautiful coral groves, out-spread-
/ ing branches, which, in clear water.
may be seen moving backward and for
ward, like the bright-hued flowers in q
garden, waving in the breeze-ever 81
lently they build these their works.
which, in coming years, may form the
foundation of an island home ofman.
The silent footsteps Of Time leave
their impress everywhere. Men rear
lofty palaces, and adorn them with aU
the productions of nature and art-rare
paintings and cold marble statuarv.
conservatories filled with luxurious veo-
citation; sparkling fountains flash from
among the trees and vines. and aIIis
beautiful as man can make it.
Although no footsteps echo through
the marble halls and no hands pluck
theroses from the green terraces. vet
the presence of Time, unheard, is there.
and the palace decays, therare PAINTINGS
become black with age, the statuary
broken, and all this, the work Of manv
hands, crumblesin in the dust, and there
remains nothing but fallen ruins.
where once was the grand and Jeautf-
ful
Time deals with the hearts Of men as
well as with their works. It's influence
almost imperceptibly TO Us, heals the
deepest wounds which sorrow can in
hict, cools loves ardor, and anger's-pas-
sion, separating friends and reeonciIing
those long estanged.
We Americans know that it Is grad
uaIIy healing the breach between the
North and the South. y short time
since, our brave boys marched to the
sunny Southland, answering their eoun-
tTy's call. The earth, that re-eehoed
the sound OF their footsteps, viii give
it back no more, for they are sleeping
their last sleep.
Some, in the dark, green woods, where
the hoot Of the night bird wakes the
and the south wind wanders
through the cypress over their graves.
Others lie on the hillside with many of
heir comrades, while, in their far-away
homes, the freside circle is broken, and
owed ones are still weeping and mourn
ng for the sons and fathers, who perish
ID in the strife. Bitter was the hatred
If the opposing parties, but now that
he struggle is ended, time is silently,
'ut efectually, removing the enmity
md restoring friendship and brotherly
owe. Side by side now sleep the Blue
nd the Gray, and the same loving
lands deck with choice garlands their