Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1873-09-25
Going Away.

OF bidding adieu to home and all its sur.
reundings; Of going far away out Of
sight of all the we'll known places, and
out Of hearing Of the loving words and
tones which we are wont to hear. We
are haunted by thoughts Of what may oc,
cur while we are gone. Changes come so
often, and so quickly, too, that we may
be certain all will not be exactly un,
changed when next we meet. Will the
hearts that now love us be still true du.
ring our absenceH Shall we not pass out
of sight and out Of mind. simultaneously +?
Will any miss US or think kindly of us,
and long for our returnY VIII our TO.
ing cause more than the merest ripple
upon the tide of daily household life {?
Will the hours pass any slower because
am absent1 Who will water the plants.
feed the birds, cut fresh flowers for the
vases, and see the dust does not col.
lcct in every out Of the.way nook?
Some such train of reflection passed
through my brain while packing our box,
preparatory to setting forth on recent
pleasure trip; nevertheless, we packed
steadily until the trunk capacious enough
to contNia all one would put IN 1T? In
the present instance, we sat on the lid of
ours-not, we must confess a perfect ldc
Similc Of "Patience on a monument :"
we jerked and twitched, we tore our fn>
gers and lost our temper, before the lid
would come to terms, and agree to behave
and allow the key to be turned.
We were going away, but it would
never do to scntimentalize and yet ones
eyes red with weeping at such time, if
we would leave behind US coed impress
sion. We have hidden good>bye to all
our old haunts I'VE have said our farewell
to thousand inanimate things; We
have given lingering glance about the
dear old rooms and though We try TO be
brave, our cou'sge rests on tremulous
foundation, and we answer questions
singly at random. AT last the adieus arc
over, and we are off,
We do not realize much beyond this
fact for while but ere long new feels
ing Of independence asserts itself, and we
feel, now that we are to take care of our
selves, it behoves us to look alive. At
the end OF the first hour VIC have so far
succeeded in arousing ourselves as to take
an interest in what is going on around
us. Scanning the faces of our fellow
travellers, we try to imagine the business
AMI general characteristics of each, as
portrayed or revealed in his or her dress,
department, or speech, Tired of this, we
look at the scenery through which we
pass; and this failing to interest, we be-
take ourselves to book or paper, and
finally fall asleep and jolt on over mile
after mile, in blissful unconsciousness that
our hat is awry, and the fastidious gen.
tleman in the next seat is obseryant of
the fact.
Travelling alone may be a very indo-
pendent mode of getting about the
world but it certainly is not as gay and
festive way Of disposing of time as many
other methods we could mention. So
you are right glad to fall in with a gems
manly individual, whose pleasant face
indicates, as far as you can Judge, q con-
science void of offence toward any one,
Elc is inclined to converse; and, if you
are sensible, you will not discourage his
kind attempt to beguile your weariness
with little chat. We hsyo known in
stances where people have refused to re-
ply to civil remark, and sat silent and
rigid, as if the very heavens aud earth
would come together, sooner than they
would open their lips to address strrn-
ger who had spoken civilly, and was at
least entitled to be treated as gentle.
man. But We will hope you are not
made of such material; that you have
dignity sufficient to repel familiarity, cons
sequcntly need not fear insult when none
is intended.