Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-04-10
" The Winter is Past"
How happy are they who live to sing tha

How happy are they who live to sing that
pleasant song:
"1he winter il past;
Tho rain Is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds has come;
And the voice of the dove is heard in
our land
Each of the varied seasons as they pass
over us is beyond measure interesting and
beautiful. That peculiar poise of this globe,
as it first issued from the Creators hands.
so that, in its annual revolution around the
central sun, there should result this won
drous variety called seasons, was an arrange
ment that can never be sufficiently admired,
and is one which should draw forth praises
to the great Architect with the voices of all
nations and all generations of men. Sub
lime and glorious are the seasons nor is
winter an exception. We welcome its COM
ing, with all its "snows, and clouds, and
storms" its stern and solemn cold, its short
ened days, its buried landscapes, its leahess
trees, and the sombre hue that overspreads all
nature. Welcome, too, are its cosy fires and
its warm and genial parlors; its prolonged
and social evenings; its pleasant hours of
reading, conversation, song and worship its
long and glorious nights, with their far
reaching SHOWS beneath and gorgeous scenery
above-the beautiful Pleiades in the ascend
ant, and grand Orion with his magnificent
bands aloft, and the great Sirius, the most
glorious star of night, following closely.
Aye, blessed be winter Let it always come
in its turn, and, in the due time, let it retire
again, and make way for the equally blessed
spring.time.
And happy, we repeat, happy are they
hat tt-. 20, h.fl ,tr -
always seemed sad to die in winter; to look
never again upon the howery season to be
sleeping in the cold grave when vernal airs
are kissing the reviving landscape, and the
birds are singing amid the branches, and
the sweet buds are opening, and the wide
world seems waking to new life. And yet
we die in winter; especially is it season
when the aged ones are prone to drop away.
There seems something in winter airs and
winter scenery that strikes deeply to the
heart of age, and under the influence of
which ancient and feeble folk too often
droop and die. Be doubly careful, then, We
whose parents are in the " "sere and yellow
leaf" doubly careful amid this sombre sea
son, for their safety and comfort. Guard
them from the bitterness of the winters
breath Let the fires be warm, the air within
doors be ever pure and balmy and food be
suitable and wholesome and let all pleas
ant sights, and genial words, and fiial
smiles, and joyous songs, within the house
hold, contrast blissfully with the wild scenery
and stormy voices that are holding their
stern sway beyond the doors. Thus help
old age, if God will, to see once more the
delightful spring-time, and let its sweet,
warm breath fan again those whitened
locks, and its bissful melodies regale, per-
chance for the last time, the listening ear
Meanwhile, let all the good rejoice and
worship, and take up the song OF the inn
mortals who, in the first spring-time of earth,
when all was finished aud fresh and bloom
ing, g sang together, and all the sous OF God
shouted for ioy."-Zion's Herdid.