The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-07-26
The Hungarian Plains.

AT iirst, the plains softly undulating
are dimpled here and there with shady
hollows; while like golden islands in an
ocean of vivid green lie long stretches
of yellow COLA and ripening corn. On
the gently rising upland yonder dark
round spcck appears against the sunlit
sky; gardually it elongates, and we hear
q voice singing in quiyering treble
some national idyl. 1t is husband
man emerging from the hollow and
trudging homeward along the crest OF
the undulation. Then all is silence and
solitude once more, till coming to
standstill at one Of the primitive wells
by the roadside, we hear the distant
rumble OF wagon rs its wheels grind
heavily along, the driver of it singing,
as il goes, a melancholy ditty in the mi
nor key. Then one by one the villages
and solitary farms lying on the horizon
die away, and we enter the boundless
plains. How lonely we feel, and what
tiny atoms of creation, with no objects
to measure ourselves by save birds Of
prey, and the white clouds sailing far
up in the great, blue, glorious sky! Our
carriage, though imposing only in the
matter of size, proved very comfortable,
its ponderous hood shielding us from the
heat of the sun, save where, taking
mean advantage of weak places in its
constitution, it shot fiery arrows in up
on us, scarcely less piercing than those
that pour down upon the head OF the
traveller in the desert. The sun reflects
itself in the white and dusty road.
Above the soil on either side there is
ilickering motion of the air like the haze
from n lme-kiln. Everything is hot and
dusty; not an insect is seen lowering
about the low bushes which now
and then SKIRT our pathway. All
nature is taking its siesta in the dreamy
noontide, and nothing is awake but the
scarlet pimpernel that with widc-open,
unbinking eye looks straight up at the
blazing sun. We now come to marshy
district, where lonely heron is con
tcmplating its lovely image in a small
still pool. and then away we 90 again
out into the broad purble patches Of
newly upturncd soil, bands of emerald
corn, and speckled streaks of tobacco,
with its large red and green leaves, and
on through cool labyrinths OF maize,
till VIC come to vast tracts ofuncultivated
land, where wild horses with flying
names 20 scampcdng across its surface
with the natural grace OF untamed
things. As day advances and the
shadows of the clouds begin to olengther
across the plains, abrceze springs up ant
plays about us softly, rustling the larg'
white, surplice-like sleeves of the driver
garment, but not sufficiently strong t
Stir his black and flowing locks, which
weighted with some unctuous matter
rest calmly on his shoulders. Ou
nearest town is Veszprim, but at tn
pace we are at present going we ar
scarcely likely TO reach it before night
fall if then. But what does it matter
when we have the whole of tomorrow
and the next day, and the day after tina
aye, aud our whole lives, to do tn
distance in ii necessary How deligh
full to enjoy for once the true feeling
rest in this world of hur"y-scurry. whe
we are but too often compelled to li'
at high pressure! Let, oh! let us f'
once take life easily under the bros
and peaceful canopy of heaven, and +
ducc the dolce far niente to a science.
From 'lfagyarLand.'