Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-12-03

81 would not praise the pageant high,
Aud miss the dedication"
The great arch of the sky is as blue as
the heart of sapphire, the rich, mild
sunshine touches the brown earth in Il
carcss so soft and warm-so strangely
tender, so solemnly beautiful-that the
meadows, the wild stubble fields the ma
jcstic stretches of forest-blazing with
their autumn livery hushcd and
breathless, as if hardening the whispered
benediction Of their Creator
The woods are magnilicent-mostf fit
ting cathedral for the worship of Him
who dwelleth not in temples made with
hands" The one long arched aisles are
one mass Of brilliant color. Naples
wear their scarlet drapery proudly as the
robes of cardinal chestnuts are rich
with ruddy gold heeches faunt in impe-
rial purple; sober browns stand here and
there and the sombre pines rear tht ir
columns of eternal green as back
ground.
Through the long, bright aisles
wander slowly. My feet press noiseless-
ly carpet of velvety moss above me
rises the vast gorgeous roof of interlaced
boughs, through which the mellow sun
shine-the rich, rare wine of the Octo-
Der days-streams royalty, and lies in
long rays of molten gold about my feet
Occasionally dead leafhuttcrs slowly
past me, and rustles down among the
army of its fallen comrades crow
caws loudly from an old oak tree
squirrel bounded across my pathway
just now.
] stroll on and still on--dccper and
deeper into the heart of the solemn woods
for it is solemn, and inexpressibly sad =
this vast picture of brilliant but inevita-
bic decay.
At last, I seat myself softly, fearing
to break the deep hush, at the root Of
gigantic chestnut. | lean hack against
the rough, scared trunk, and look up at
the sky. What sky it is What an
inlinity of calm is there-wbnt an i'm
mensity Of rest and peace The colos-
sal blue arch bends over me--bends over
all the rapt world--like vast, voicelcss
prayer-a prayer, and yet an eternal
benediction. 1t is not starnge we should
look up wistfully at such sky as that.
and call it-heaven. Heaven-how
near mellow very ncar--it seems to-
day That tender blue seems but the
thinnest veil that shuts it from my view.
close my eyes and fancy--is it only
fancy THAT ! catch faint strain Of
solemnly beautiful music far, far away,
inexpressibly far, like the prolonged
echo of distant voices over silent mid
night sea. yet ravishing with more than
earthly sweetness.
As | hearken to that spirit-song a
blessed rest steals over me. The griefs
and disappointments Of earth its
harassing cares and wasting sorrows-
its pomps and vanities-its petty rival
ries and hollow ambitions-seem for
while to lift their shadows from my
soul, and | am suddenly elevated into a
purer atmosphere.
sit quietly, and dream Of that true
home of the soul that lies somewhere
beyond that veil Of blue, waiting for the
faithful unto death" | picture it as
it is to-day, with the eternal sunshine
oh, fairer far than this royal light Of
earth's most royal time, about me-rest-
ing on its jewelled walls. its cleaning
gates, its streets of shining gold pic
ture the green pastures and ''still
waters" beside which the Good Shepherd
is leading those weary ones who have
passed up from the stormy conflicts Of