The Van Buren press., 1876-02-15
MISCELLANY.
For the Van Bwea Prs..
The Lessons of the Beloved Swan.
nena to her Lover Bernardo.


/.
Sad bereavement has dismembered my
family. and left me in childhood to wealth
er the tempest of life alone Ispent sev
en- years in getting rudimentary educa
ton as best l could the inconvenience.
Of poverty lent many distractions to my
progress.
Afte- several years of absence, sa
out 10 visit my far off home BY boat,
and cars, had reached in one days wall
of my destination. At early dawn ben
my steps on the way, full OF gladness
with the hope that evening would. find m,
in the society of her lo9e. She woult
be expecting me, and l must not pain he
by disappointment. As the day passet
on. ! forgot myself in many thoughts
and my feet had carried 2Ge well On mj
journey. AS / stopped to rest and wip,
the perspiration from my brow, begar
to gather troubled thoughts--to feel tina
disappointment might be in wait ior me
Tho her precious letters had been my
stay aud comfort for many years, assur
ing me of her constancy; yet, / reflected
upon the time that had passed since haf
seen her, and ofmy poverty, and her com
Portable abundance; of the full opportu
mites she enjoys for culture, while mins
have been very meagre indeed. She ha.
had the advantages OF good society, and
the attentions of many youths. who have
not known cross to their advancement
Then, again, tho may not have devel
opcd qualities distasteful to her; feal
would come upon me that her parents
would not be favorable to our wishes
Oppressed with such thoughts, / was al
most ready to hide myself in despair
resumed my steps, but. burdened with
increasing fears, scarcely took heed oi
time-evening found me in the vacinity
of her loved home. Ipassed the old home
of my departed family it was falling into
decay, As the sun was near the western
horizon, | stopped again. What should
| do! Reflection ran back the stream OF
life, to survey anew the field over which
l have passed. As one would look over
and estimate his available means before
undertaking a costly enterprise, looked
back through the treasures of memory to
estimate what had to sustain me in my
fond anticipations. To the school days
where our infant voices first mingled in
precious accents of mutual attachment
my thoughts reverted. The log school
house, surrounded by forest of tall
oaks, hickories, and poplars, on the sum
II of a h IN that ola mad uaptlv 1ouu tf
the banks Of srrair Ur,aEa moving rlv
er, where the school was refresed by ,
clear, gurgling fountain that boiled from
its banks On the river, jnst above the
spring, arose hill covered with brown
and ebony colored, irony rocks, Of many
shapes like seoria that had fallen from
some giant forge. Near the spring, il
the edge Of the rivers stream, stood
large rock of this kind, Of globuIar form
followed out, into which opened an aper
ture like window. This we called oul
dairy which served in warm weather, tt
keep our milk cool and refreshing, wher
we took our MONDAY meals. just belo W
was bluff of calcareous rock, which jut.
out over the stream, the summit is cover
ed with cedars whose bows are thickl,
interwoven.- A remarkable feature o
this cliff is, that on its face are written
in logihle characters, the record Of ages
Learned men come here to dccipher tn,
characters, and learn of the lessons her,
impressed on the enduring stones.
Ofta. noon, in balmy days, the schoo
gathered around the spring to eat thei
dinncr--seated on the green sward tha
mantled the shore, they, all in merry
mood, filled the air with accents of de
light There was one!! yes! there wa,
one whose voice was far more musica
than than that Of any Of her companions
Her lips moved with sweetness tina
spoke of the precious soul within. Tho
observed when still and silent, her eve,
CLEANED with unmistcable intelligence
Tho mingling in the prancing throng o
school children, her graceful movements
distinguished her from every other ore
Between this precious MODEL OF pEL1GH,
and myself, even in infancy, grew attach
ments that never knew diminution. Whel
| CLEANED attractive pebbles from tn,
sands of the stream, or culled wild flow
ers from the woods, or gathered Autumn
tinted leaves, was filed with gladness
not hncansa of my taso for than: but, be
cause OF the delight knew it would af
ford her. AS would present my offer
ings, she would hold her little apron t,
receive them, evlncing an appreciation
which afforded me priceless pay that tim,
has never wasted. When dismissed from
school at evening, often l tripped will
her on her homeward path space, anc
then parting, with.many loving farewell
| would hasten across to regain my owl
way home. AS she grew, and all he
powers were embelished, as they were ri
pening towards maturity, found her, a,
ever, constant. Tho have been sever
al years from her presence, she has sought
me often by letter; and there ever has
been constancy in the holy flame tha,
admits of no donbting its purity. so
liloquised-how can | be uneasy. when
in her very last letter, she babe me do
her the pleasure to hasten home to enjo Y
her society! When l meet her, if there
should be any disappointment, it will be,
| am sure, from defect in myself, for no
error can attach to her.
While there dwelt undecided, ! found
that dark was fast upon me, so | called
in at an humble dwelling, and concluded
to pass the night there, and trust to an
other day, to bring me solution of my
difficulties. When | retired to rest, hea-
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