The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1877-04-05
First Love.

heaven r9tufneth." lhe eaVtn PL-
CRIME, when they reach nearly the
end, of the journey of life, look back
with the assurance that to mortals is
left this element of primal Eden's
bliss: whilst the Creator meted out
sure punishment for disobedience
and sin, his benevolent mercy per-
mitted love to remain as reinem-
brance of the joy that once dwelt in
the Garden Of Paradise. .
We can scarcely estimate the price
less value of this inestimable blessing
this gracious gift Of Divine Provi-.
dence, that crowns humanity with it's.
beautiful flowers, its fadeless wreaths.
1t is all that can be enjoyed without
the faint of sordiness or of avarice,
the blights of fickle fortune Or the
miseries Of adversely. 1t holds hearts
together in the closest bonds; anye
thing else would speedily separate
them and divide them in sunder. If
it is pure and holy, it is everlasting
in duration. AS Southey wrote,-
s.They sin who tell US love can die,
With life all other passions fly.
All else are but vanity"
We have an indubitable faith in
indestructible first love--we mean
the nnalloyed emotion. We have al>
80 firm belief that never is forgot
ten loves first dream. Around this
one memory the heart strings often
play with by gone days and live over
again many bright scene. Why
should il not be thus, when the affec-
tions have grown tired with the Oft
repeated tests and trials of sincerity
and worth2 Almost unconsciously
there comes a thought of the cherish>
ed adorer or sweetheart who first
awoke in lover or maiden's bosom the
rapture of loving and being loved.-
There are very few cold, indifferen,
natures that can forget or bury in the
graves these fond memories, thus
close them up from To emsclves, never
permit them to leave their 6s, or
allow thought of this past hal piness
to intrude on their seclusion. or med
itations. All! there are many who
are married who wear secretely
around their necks the invisible por~
trait of lost love, which commen-
ced the first chapter of the history OF
a heart. In quiet moments, when
alone, with retrospection's mirror be
fore their eyes, the glass refec 8
back dear face.
Parted, and how2 1t may have
been by thoughtless words; it MAY
have boen foolish jealousy, perhaps
it was destiny; it may have been
death, nevertheless, it was the love
that opened the bud for blossom
We all claim that the rosebud seems
fairer in promise, fresler in beauty,
than the full blown rose, at least the
one contains tie hopes, the latter the
fullfillment, This love is simple,
guilelees and unworthy, it is the pur.
est and most poetical in nature. 1t
may indure; if 80, it is fortunate, if,
in all Terrestrial chances and changes,
it meets with no deception, no Wills
ering blight.
1t is natural for the matron to
think of the vanished love Of her in-
cipient womanhood; she stands once
more beside her first love, she hears
the promised VOWS uttered, The soft
language OF endearment; she lstene
again TO loves message, she finds a
quick responce in her throbbing
Eeart. Who can blame her? Who
can censure her if these dreams of
JOY should linger in all their wealth
of memorys Do you suppose tha,
men who have little reputation for
regard or remembrance of past ha-
leon days of croffered love to q LADY,
do not sometin es turn back the leaf
in memory's book to give careless
thought to the maid they first