The Wilmingtonian., 1885-04-11
AnYERTIsING RATES.
SATURDAY, APRIL II, 1888.
THE RELIGION OF NATURE.
when beechen buds begin to swell,
All ,,,n,,la th 1,I,,. I,fr,ls ,yo,l1., Is,,,,,,.

when beechen buds begin to swell
And woods the blue-brds warble know,
On Easter Sunday last as the city church
es had filled the morning air with loud re-
sonance of the joyous anthems of risen
Christ, so in the afternoon, along the quiet
glades of the Brandywine, amid sunshine
and brightness, Nature was re-echoing the
incoming life with anthems of sweetness
and light.
Spring is here, the blue-birds have come
and are fitting in busy flocks through the
woods. The hill-sides are changing their
gray coats into green, buds are swelling on
the trees, and The warm earth sends up that
indefnable aroma detected in early spring
along the hill-sides and in the woods. By |
the riverside, the large gray boulders, their
rounded sides baked by the hot sun, seem
silently awaiting natures advent. To-day |
the Brandywine is yellow and turbid from
the late rains, but glistenng lines of spark |
ling sunlight flow along accompanied by the
musical bubble and gurgle of the rapid cur
rent, as it rushes over the broad blue back
of huge monolithS half submerged in mid
stream. The dscordant note of solitary
blackbird is heard from the woods OH the
opposite bank. The shadows of the trees
stretch in long lines down the slope. Along
the race walk, professions Of citizens con
tinue in unbroken pilgrimage towards their
Sunday Mecca, the new iron bridge. They
have left their homes to welcome Spring
where they can best celebrate their love of
nature in Brandywine Park. The merry
voices of children laughing and singing
echo through the woods.
1t is an interesting study to mark the va
ried characteristics Of the passels BY See
the heavily treadng, work-worn, pre-occu-
pied mechanic. One hand in pocket and
the other clasping little toddling child
that cannot keep up with its fathers alb
sent minded stride. His stiff bowed form
shows too well the effects of the drilling
routine of his hard six days work. What
lesson of sympathy, humanity and con-
tentmena his telling pleasureless lot should
teach us. He is amid the sunshine, but the
stony vacant stare and uninterested expires.
sion shows what novel thing to him rest Oh
holiday is! Here come prancing along,
hand in hand, two bright little six year-olds,
their faces inspired with the beauties OF
Spring, pink checked and laughing blue
eyes, and tall wauds, last years dead mul
lein stalks waving in their dsengaget
hands. They are the very poetry of tht
Spring of life Nocferously engrosseC
upon those deep matters that fill the pict
ureful minds of youthful humanity, they pa,
careless attention to the sober loOker-cn
their minds are all outside, their laughte
and merriment is with the sunshine and th
singing Of birds, the flashing river and th
CLINT and sparkle of nature. And so
should be. 1t would be criminal to separ
ate their bright youth from nature. N
irown or shadow should come near them
Let them have their holiday now. In year
to come sorrow and shadow is the too sur
accompaniment Of their lives. Let our Cit
Council give Brandywine Park to the chi
dren of Wilmington.
Next come trio of richly dressed bt
pallid factory girls, listlessiy lounging alon
their white faces showing too plainly IL
need of more sunshine and fresh air
AS rule the American boprgeoiSt a
much better dressed than the crowds see
in English public parks on Sunday. TT
younger people affect greater nattine
and expensvcness iu dress. Two prct
maidens, in velvet gainsboroughS, sat she
herdesslike in gracefully stude pose up,
shaded rock. Upon the laps Of each we
open books, and the wind tluttered Il
leaves while their readers galcd With a
parent Interest on the passers by. \ moi
trooped huuidly ly their red and bla
stockinged legs twinkling in hurried dis,
der as they quarrelcd and laughed with il
and Joke in their haste to reach some p
concerted rendezvous in tile woods I'll
intended undoubtedly to have "a 60
time.
The new iron bridge is the locality M
sought by our citizens ON such day as Il
Sunday. Either peak of the ayine "
black with the crowds and numerous kn
Of people dotted the slopes toward the riy
The new structure was the general subj
of conversation and criticism. Tired wU
men lay on all sides, summing themscl
upon lumber piles and alily joined in
general comment oftcu showing the m
critical knowledge upon the mrchani
work of the structure.
What q holiday al the lcn?lr sunday
What splcndcd christian invention,
this hard work -a.day world it Is the g,
est institution, this day of rest, that
present civilization ran cite Truly he y
does not observe sunday is u harl
ian.
Returning along the Iarr.walk- cert