The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-06-30
BEAUTY.
LONELINESS of tho Ever-Changing Aspect
of the Sky.


LONELINESS Of tho Ever-Changing Aspect
of the Sky.
The impressiveness of lofty noun
tains, the grandeur of the boundless
sea, few of US fail in some degree to APP
preciate. We travel in search of them:
we pause in our work or our pleasure
to behold and admire. But there are
many persons who do not live within
view of either mountain or ocean, and
who can not travel. How many OF
these observe, enjoy and appreciate
that other even greater glory of nature,
which is with them and with all Of us
everywhere and every day? How many
of us study and love the sky?
In a recent article on John Ruskin
at Home" in McClure's Magazine, the
writer states that Ruskin has for MANY
years kept account of the weather i'm
his diary, not merely by records of the
thermometer and mention of drought
or tempest, snow or sunshine, but by
notes with accompanying color sketches
of the more striking, beautiful or un-
usual aspects of the sky.
'In his beautiful home. Brentwood,
on the banks of Coniston Water i'm the
lovely lake region of England, Ruskin's
first remark to a guest in the morning,
often eagerly delivered at the moment
of an early knock at the bedroom door,
is commonly:
'"Are you looking out?'
Indeed, the scene is worth looking out
upon, and it il no wonder that the hos
pitable and artistic soul of such n host
should shrink from allowing a friend
to miss the early beauties of dewy lawn
and woodland, shadowy mountains and
morning skies reflected in SO fair lake.
mot less than the English Ruskin
did the observant and poetic American,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, love the sky.
He could not depict it's exquisite varie-
ties with pencil and brush, but in his
verse he speaks of it always with rare
accuracy as well as charm.
1T was his wise and graceful cus
tom, too, to make it a part of the daily
enjoyment of his children, as it was a
part of his own. He taught them to
notice clouds, mists and rainbows; and
when discord or fretfulness threatened
their play within doors, he would often,
instead of reproving or furnishing,
quietly send the child most grieved or
angry out to the garden gate, ito look
at the sky" and bring him word
whether 1t was fair or c~louding over,
and which way the wind blew. The
child did not understand why he was
sent, but never failed to return after a
few moments contemplation of the
heavens with q calmer spirit, as well
as with an accurate report"
Even q little sky-a strip of blue
holds an infinity of changeful beauty
for those whom city walls shut away
from the spectacle of the wide firma-
ment, unmarried by impertinent chin
ney-pOts and the towering intrusive
ness of ten and ffteen-storied build
ings.
Sometimes, indeed, even ugliness will
turn to beauty for those who have
cheerful eyes to see. The tall, circular
chimney of a mill erected against her
skyline quite spoiled the view, one
woman thought, until she learned to
look toward 1t in the early morning,
when the machinery was first started.
It was toward the east, and as the
black smoke poured forth, and n more
delicate plume of white steam floated
beside it, the sun, rising behind the
contrasted wreaths of black and silver,
luWo1e them to veritable trailing
GIEAkQye the sooty sum-
small thine 70 40 -{4E@