Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-02-22
From the Geauga Republican.
ONLY A DREAM.
Only a dream of love,

OF heart inclined to heart
As clouds that in the blue Of heaven meet.
As white clouds cling and part"
Anonymous.
The moons silvery light fell soft
ly down upon a scene of tranquil
beauty; dew-drops glistened on leaf
and flower, as its pale rays crept
through the deep rich foliage of an
orange grove, whose boughs freight
ed with fruit and blossom, quivered
when stirred by the night breeze,
ever and anon scattering the cream
tinted buds, into the marble basin,
at the foot of a tinkling fountain.
The trickling water-drops caught
the ear of an old man, who, weary,
worn, foot-sore and disheartened,
leaned upon the chiseled Cupid that,
with many darts, cast a feathery
mist far beyond where its waters
were playing.
Soothed by its musical lullaby,
and wooOd by the Goddess of Sleep,
a drowslness steals over his senses,
and he is soon in the Fairyland of
dreams. Far away in the distance,
he hears the lowing of cattle, and
then the song of a shepard calling
his flock is waited to his ear, speak
ing in meIodious tones of a home
where rural pastures, green and fra
grant, had oft been the scenes of
his boyish sports.
Following the reesding sound,
that grows fainter and fainter with
each advancing step, he finds that
he is near the margin of q deep
rolling river. With the Quick
transition of a dream, the sweet.
Turing sounds are forgotten. At
his feet are flowers, brilliant-hued
and varied. STOPPING to gather
some of the gorgeous blossoms,
just as his hand was extended to
grasp the flowers, a pure white dai-
sy, unnoticed before, lifted it's tiny
head, and in accents soft and low,
said, stake me-" The night winds
echoed its request; and the deep,
dark waters. on whose bosom not q
ripple could be seen, murmured.
''Take the mountain flower, and
let it be a talisman in your heart
from evil" A voice, seemingly
from heaven, said, "Take the
PEARL" and, though no hand deliv.
ering it was visible, the fragile flow
er found its way to his heart, and
nestled there in sweet contsnt.
Again, voice from the clouds said,
"Guard you well the jewel entrust-
ed to your keeping; let no glitter
ing phantom blight its purity"
There was a rustling as of many
wings, and seraphic tones mingled
harmoniously with strains of Rolian
harps, floating heavenward.
The moon shone out in all its
splendor. Its beams fell upon the
dark river lighting up with vivid
brightness it's treacherous depths,
giving it the semblance of sea of
molten gold. Fascinated by this
mirage of untold wealth, and dis
mayed at poverty's squalid want,
and the bsggary of its tolls, he,
with the folly of youth, gave one
mad leap, plunging into the rivers
bed, and elutching at the moon
beams, found-alas, too late-that
bis hands had grasped nothing but
shadows! Washed away by the
darkling waters, and swiftly gliding
down life's stream, Daisy his Pearl.
passes from view. Then, following
fast in the rushing waters, he drifts
out to sea, dashed hither and thith-
er, guided for a moment by the fee
BILE wall of an infant, then losing
the sound in the harsh roar OF
waves. Now his vision is quick
ened, and with strained gaze, he
descries on the bleak brarsn rocks
OF despair a creature of dishevelsd
locks, and clothed in povsrty's
garb. Not a vestigs of the sweet
waysidS flower remains; but. with
the intuition of love, he know,
tits Daisy, his Pearl.
'she lived on aims, and carried in her hand
Some wlthered stalks she gathered in III,
spring; '''
When asked the cause, she smiled and said
They were her sisters, and would come ant
| watch
Her grave when she was dead"