Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-11-12
The Spirit Land,

distance, sweet music. L saw atar off innumer-
able hosts OF angels. 1t drew nearer and found
they consisted Of two distinct forms of existence.
Upon being permitted to approach still nearer.
the brighter angels, whose forms T could not
distinguish, retired, and the sweet music OF
their voices died away in the distance. Upon
coming up to the others l found they had the
forms Of females, differing in no wise from those
| had left in the world, except that they ap-
peared to be spiritualized. They were all
beautiful still there was something wanting.-
They moved about in every direction with a
restless air, and seemed not to be happy.
felt that | knew many Of them and was panied
at not being able to recognize one. Through
out the vast assembage the silence of the grave
prevailed. At length, oppressed with it, was
retracing my steps, when [ felt hand gently
laid on my shoulder. [ turned and voice
spoke to me SO sweetly and with such gentle
ness, that the happiness Of whole life equall-
ed not the happiness of that moment The
angel whose voice it was surpassed them all in
beauty and loyellness, wanting nothing. Her
face beamed with benevolence and happiness
My senses became bewildered When began
to recover myself, an indistinct impression was
made On me that had seen that face before
The more [ looked upon her, the more familiar
it became to me. All at once | perceived that
it was her whose image had been ever present
to my mind, but whose self till now had nev-
er seen just then | was adnonished the time
had come when l must leave the spirit land
In the anguish of my soul [ ventured to ask
her to accompany me. To my surprise and
great joy, she consented. As we went on our
way I was charmed with her heavenly oonyersa-
ton. [ asked her what all this meant? who
these angels we're I? and who these brighter
angels whose forms [ had not been able to dis
tingnish, but whose voices [ had heard upon
entering the spirit land. She informed me that
these were guardian angels to watch over the
sons of men, warning them of the approach of
evil that to eacn man on earth is allotted one;
that in her appointed time she comes out os
the spirit land. and, uniting herself to him, as
''a helpmeet." by gentle influence purifies his
heart and elevates bis SOUL until returning with
her, the two become lone spirit" That those
brighter angels were the spirits of those who
had become one. By this time we had reach
ed the border line between the spirit and this
world Of ours as we stepped across it, great
was my surprise and greater still my joy to find
that the angel accompanying me was none 9TH
er than her whom I had long known and es-
teemed above all others.
So great was my joy that awoke; and found
that it was dream. l have, however, faith in
dreams; they are but our more vivid thoughts.
But whether asleep or awake, there is nothing
that does not remind NE of her. walk forth at
night and my attention is at first attracted by
the moon shedding abroad over the face of the
earth its soft and slvery light, reminding me
of the gentle influence her love exerts over nv
heart, and [ find myself repeating the lines
"For moon nev er beams without bringing me
dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee"
H.
they shine with briiancy Of their own, | find
myself adding,
'And the stars never rise, but feel the bright
eyes,
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee"
survey the whole heavens above, and as l
reflect, to whatever part Of the world I might
wander. the same moon and the same stars
would follow me, the happy thought arises, in
like manner her love would accompany me, the
same as it is now. | repose on my pillow and
the stiffness of the midnight hour reminds me
of the tranquility impaired to my mind, By the
consciousness Of being loved by her whom
love- The morning sun dispensing light and
heat, and infusing new life into every living
thing, reminds me of her; for her love has
shed new light upon my mind, impaired warmth
to my heart, and given now life to the man.
But what is this silent, ali pervadipg princi-
pie Of love for who has not felt its influence
| If, as some believe, he material is but type
of the spiritual world, there must be some law
governing the universe analogous to and a type
| of this law Of love. We study the nature OF
| the things ofthis earth and are astonished al
the conflicting elements; did We know as much
of the other planets belonging to our solar sys-
| TEN, we would be amazed; could we ascend
still higher and know as much of all other solar
| systems as Of our own, We would be overwhelm
| ed with awe. Yet amid all this play of forces
and counter-forces, we would still perceive, only
| with more clearness than We do now, the exis-
| tence of a system pervading and ruling the en-
| tire universe-the great law of gravity giving
| beauty to the whole, and preserving harmony
| throughout the regions of space. So with the
| law of love; if allowed to rule supreme In the
heart, it gives peace to the mind and happiness
to the soul. When its supremacy shall nc
longer be contested by the bad passions of men
the millennium on earth will have come and
when its rule shall be established throughout
the spiritual world, there will go forth one un.
| iversal acclaim God is love-"
Mrs. O'LEARY's CoW.-The people of Chi
cago are not ungrateful. Looking at the mag
nifcent buildings erected on the site of the
ashen desert of a year ago, and the countless
improvements which could have never been
made but for the clean sweep of obstructions
by the fire, they turn with grateful hearts to-
wards Mrs U Leary, whose COW and kerosene