Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-04-23
Original gketfh.
WRITTEN For THE SENTINEL
FOREST SHADOWS.
BY REVERE.

FOREST SHADOWS.
by REVERE.
"'They come as the stars come out in the sky
That simmer wherever the shadows may
sweep;
And their steps are as soft as the sound of {
And | welcome them all while | YEARLY
weep.
"There is not heart that is not haunted So
Though far we may stray from the scenes o
the past,
It's memories follow wherever we go,
And the days that were first sway the days
that were last"
the stars sang together and started on thell
eternal rounds.
The morning broke bright and balmy
There was such calm resting upon al
things, such an impress of repose upon ma
ture, such cheerful quiet and serenity all
around me that could scarcely refrain
from rejoicing aloud in the beauty and th(
glory of the hour Autumn had fitted care
essly over the shady forest, touching with
more gorgeous hue yerdure and loliage-tht
scarlet Of the maple beside the deep greer
of the pine, the deeper crimson Of the sumaC
contrasting with the emerald sward, the vel
low of the elm and birch and the light brown
of the walnut, all mingled in rich masses
such as the painter in vain attempts to im
tate, And over all, resting like the muir
murs Of music. was the soft sunlight of d
mild, clear day of the Indian summer
Such beauty ever tempts us forth TO gaze
and to receive the gentle influences tina
steal through the eye and ear into the heart
Upon such morning as | have described
was standing beside u favorite rose busl
at the old homestead, one over which had
dreamed many hours in the beautiful lons
ago, and was engaged in puckng its buds
toying with them, pulling them to piece.
just to watch the tiny leaves fall upon thu
ground, and repeating these lines
"Gather the rose buds while you may,
Old time is still flying;
And the same flower which blooms to day
Tomorrow shall be dying"
Turning suddenly from such cruel sport
concluded would spend the day in tn,
woods, climbing over the hills, saunter along
tho mylnes, and if the opportunity presented
itself, would indulge for II few hours IL
fishing. Yes, wanted 10 spend such day
where nature passes through her change
only 10 return to us each in its immediate
succession, where the oak attains its growth
in Il century and generations reposc under il
shades, where mans works are accessory onl,
10 the works Of God, where the benign SUI
shines eyer the same on foliage, blossom anC
fruit, and tlo mysterious voices aye whisper
ing eyer the heart may, should, must be
come more steady and anchangng,--iaithfn
still TO the memories Of the lost, which ar,
not chased away by empty SUCCESSOR.
My resolve was Il sudden one, but | acted
upon it. Throwing my satcho over my
shoulder, which contained few slices o
bread and bain, Il fishing line, and an old tabl'
knife, which mado mt think NJ the day
when the COWS came hanie, with which d
cut rod. I was soon where could lister
10 the music OF the woods when the morn
ing was young,
II cannot be denied that we are the letter
morally speaking, for leaving occasionally
our daily haunts, "wheFo w spr naly human
things, and hear only Of the triumph Of hu
man craft, the excitement Of human passions
the lttleness and vanity Of even the noblest
human daring" There is AN image Of God
greatness impressed upon the face Of nature
which gWakens and sustains the most health,
and pleasant IefeGtlons, Thefe We poetic anl
the ideal are associated, where man forget
his cares, rises above tho baseF passions o
his nature and looks upon the grand fca
lures and secluded scenes Of the physIca
world, (which irresistibly speak 10 the in
ner sense Of divinity, wisdom and omnipo
| tgnoG"
There Is an intellectual luxury aud res
midst the deep seclusion Of the forest
where alone with nature in her eioquen
simplicity, away from the barbarsms 50 Il
speak, Of civilization, where you eau nc
and talk ~ . naturql aGd nos IA stilioia
man, where you are free from the weight a
that armOr which the conyentlonalities o
life, the captious espionage Of the worlc
compels US 10 wear interrupted by tn
thousand "enticements which society ever
where presents to lure vs. into unrest" =
where as that unhappy poet Byron, wh'
wrote from the black depths Of his own tor
mented spirit, thus describes II in his "Child
Harold
10 sit on rocks, TO muse DER food and fell
10 slowly trace tho forests shady scene
Where things that own not mans dominion
dwell,
And mortal foot hath ne'er or rarely been
To climb the trackless mountain all unseen
With the wild flock that never heeds fold
Alone DER sleeps and foaming falls 10 lean
This IL not sOlitude It's but 10 hold
Converse with natures charms and see hei
aIoFes nnrqllpd"
How, or in what way, do not now 70
member, but towards the hour Of noon
found myself within an Isolated spot upon
the banks Of the Potomac--it was where th'
terrible, the rugged, weired and wild, tho
beautiful and the sublime n natural scenery
were strangely ana magnincently blended
faint emblems Of Omnpotenoe =
Shaped by His hand--the shadow Of Hi'
light
The veil in which He wraps His majesty,
Aud through whose mantling folds, liz
deigns Ia show