Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-11-17
Others view them with horror and dis.


most composure on the point of a rock
and viewed the shifting of the clouds
through perspective, beckoned Armine
to, approach. He oDeyed.G IL per%
ceive, said che philosopher, Shy your.
countenance that you have lately
gained the summit of the mountain"
Anime assepted. SWELL" continued
the sage, "you will remain here while.
| have, for my part, been many years
resident on this plain, and must
speedily descend on the other side Of
the hill. | observed you. just now,
looking back on the valley of Child.
hood, Have you any objection to take,
a view of the opposite descenti% Ar
mine was silent. Tie philosophert took
him by the hand and led him to the
brow of the HILL "The declivity,"
said he, "as you will perceive, is much
greater on this side than on the other
it IL called the Decline Of Life. IL has
but dreary appearance. The descent
is rapid into the valley Of Old Age,
and 10 that valley rolls the black, slug.
gish bnttomless River ofQDeath." HAYS
ing thus spoken, he sighed and imme.
diateIy began To descend. Armme
called after hime with a loud voice,
saying. us the river without shore ?
Are there no green fields on the other
side, where weary traveller may find
lasting repose?" The philosopher turned
round and looked upnn Armine. There
WAS an expression Of sadness upon his
countenance. "No traveller has ever
returned" said he, "to give us intelli-
gence. There is, without doubt a
country on the other side OF the water;
| have had glimpse of it myself, but
those who are swallowed up By the
River of5Death, are, in all probability,
carried by the rapidity of5the current
into the Dead Sea of eternal oblivion"
Having thus said, hecPursued his way
down the mountain. Armine observed
him for some time in his descent, and
took notice that, having proceeded a
little way, he found a green place on
the side of the;hill where there was a
spring of water. Having refreshed
himself he sat down to rest, and ssim.
mediately began to examine the nature
IF the grass, which was the production
Of so sterile "a soil. He continued this
employment for some time, and then
took out his pocket perspective and OBJ
served the movement of the clouds
with as much composure as he had for
merly done on the summit of the noun.
tain. Wonderful elasticity Of, thehu.
man mind, which causes it to yield to
the pressure of circumstances (which
enables it to support with tranquility
the greatest possible misfortupes !" .ex'
claimed Armine as heturned from the
contemplation of the Decline of Life.
4 Care now became the constant com
panion of Armine, though he was still
accompanied by Hope. Hope hadilost
"A great part Of her magical power, but
still was able to soften the influence o.
Care, and calm the occasional perturba
tions of his mind. He adopted various
schemes for passing the time of his con
tinuance on theshount, but the-issue o
every one was the same--dlsappoint
ment. Sometimes he joined the vota
ries of pleasure, and sometimes thu
\ 'lovers of wisdom. Pleasure ended il
: moke, and knowledge was the paren
of despair. Sometimes he employee
himself in gathering together the gilt
tering stones that may be found on tn
summit of the mountain; but the ex
) ertion necessary IN this contemptibl
: pursuit was painful in the extreme. II
t then endeavored to derive amuseman
. from dispensing abroad what he ha
4 collected together, and the issue of tn
whole. was ''Yanity and vexation c
t spirit" : % K IS. Y
r The Temple of Fame stood on a rue
}, ged promontoryof themOuntain, whic
was suspended over the black and pit
{ trid waters of Infamy. The buildin
was magnificent beyond description
+ its summit was hid in the clouds. I'll
s voice Of the goddess was heard froI
F. 4Lo top,y,loi -, y;tino tho annYoac haS ,