Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-08-23

THE TOWER OF BABEL.-The mag
| nitude and grandeur of this Oriental
capitol of twenty-five centuries ago
stagger all belief. Any account of them,
even the most sombre, is like a fairy
story or tale of Arabian romance. It
was fifteen miles square and was en-
tirely inclosed by walls 100 feet thick
| and 800 feet high. The walls were fur
ther remounted with 250 towers, 75 feet
higher THAN tEamssives. There were
$500 miles of street in the city. In it
| was built the marvellous hanging gar
dens. These were q kind of artificial
garden, lifted into the air upon immense
piles of masonry. 1t was a stupendous
work, and was the work Of gallantry
King Acknowledgement constructed
them that his Queen, who came from a
mountainous country, EcbataDa, might
have the delight of a mountain garden.
There were trees here from fifty to sew
enty-f five feet in height and four feet in
diameter. The Tower of Babel was
partly temple and partly mausoleum.
1t was built of sun-dried bricks, and IL
eight enormous stories, each Of differ
ent color. That land of Shinar, be-
tween the Tigris and the Euphrates. is
rich alluvial plane, devoid of stone,
yet nature has compensated its inhabi.
tants by making the soil peculiar mix
ture Of clay and sand, which, mixed
with water ard haked in the sun, pro-
duces brick more durable than any
thing W. are acquainted with. The
biiumeu, which flows out of the ground,
forms q cement so solid that the bricks
are held Lorether as one immense mass.
HeNce the marvellous durability and
preservation OF thtse ancient ruins.
The sau NIT of the tower was crown
ed with a shrine, ard within 1t mighty
image CT Belus, the Chaldean Jove,
forty feet high, and of solid gold, was
placed, ILe terrible denuD Citations of
the ickeu, ctieminate and cruel city,
y hich are contained in the Hebrew
prophe have been strikingiy and lit
! cons dwelling piacs for owls, and so
the voice of history speaks with loud
suG 7.a9jiirg emphasis to our genera
| tioI, seSuzing us that the wrath of God
rests upon the workers of iniquity, and
that IL will sooner or later surely over
take them.
BEAUTY OF AGE.-Old age has Its
beauty as we'll as youth. See that love-
ly OLD lady. silver haired, with some of
the fire of youth still shining in her
dark eyes, and harmoniZing rather than
contrasting with the dignity of age.
| She leans on the ann of manly young
| fellow, tall, sunburnt, with frank,
kindly face, and together they form a
striking picture. 1t is only middle age
that is hopelessly unpicturesque. Mid
dle-aged men, as a rule (there are some
pleasant exceptions), have an aspect
that repeis romance. They look of the
earth, earthly. They appear to have lost
the faculty of enjoyment. Youth is be-
hind them, and the calm and leisure of
age unreached. It is q sad and pitiful
sight to see 8 woman clinging to her
lost youth by such sorry devices as false
"fToDts," and youthful gowns, and kit
tenish ways. How useless it is! How
much better to realize honestly and
frankly that yOuth-that glorious, hap.
py, fieeting gift Of the gods-has gone
forever, and to turn firmly from 1t and
look for the beautiful things that are
left in life. Here is one who has done
so, and in her calm eyes and gentle
mien there is nothing that is unlcvely,
though, perhaps, little that is sad.
Her old age viii be beautiful indeed.
Ia these days of rivalry between moth
er and daughter, in the race for beauty~
prize, it Is refreshing to watch her de.
light in the lovelinass Of a graceful girl
with q sweet face, alternate leaf and
acorn ball, in wreath about her head, "
and with a fresh, gay voice expressing
girlish enjoyment IL every tone.