The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-06-07

city with its hundreds OF
engines and factories, adjacent are
broad fields of waving grain reckoning
the reaper; orchards groaning beneath
their loads of fruit; steamers heavily
freighted with the product of field and
factories pillow their way through the
waters of river and lake, while long
trains of moving cars are hasting away
to commercial centres. The sky is
clear and calm, the scene is beautiful
beyond description. But see! In the
south west yonder-a portentious cloud
arises; it moves hither and thither as
if impelled by hidden engines of power;
you note its approach, you watch it's
changes until it becomes a boiling
seething mass, pouring out it's fury as |
it dashes along with tremendous veloc- |
ity. Quicker than it can be told, be- |
fore your very sight, all that beautiful |
scene On which you have been looking
is changed: A little later the cloud |
has passed-the storm has spent it's |
force-but O! what desolation! The
beautiful city is a mass of ruins; pal
aces, factories and Industries, which I!
only few moments before were throb- |
,bing with life and activity, have be-
come hideous sepulchers, entombing
the mangled forms of these who were
wont to pursue their avocations there;
the remaining ones, able for duty, are
trying to render assistance to the less
fortunate. The steamers are dashed
in pieces upon the rocks, and parts are
being ever and anon lifted high upon
the pillows which are still flashing
themselves into foam, and those who
were on board have, many of them at
least, been buried lin the deep that
coucheth beneath The fields of
beauty on which you looked, still partly
covered with water, wear a sorrowful
appearance, with only here and there
a stalk of grain bowling in it's sadness
for the desolations that have come.
Orchards with trees uprooted and limbs
broken, stripped Of fruit and foliage,
present a sadH@speetacle; the heavy
trains that were moving to commercial
centres lie submerged in the swollen
stream, which had washed away the
abuttrnents or piersof the bridge which
Espaaned. it,. Was ersdesolation more
complete? !, :. r. .-s~.<H - -
The former part of the picture is a
miniature picture of the whole country
before the storm of civil war came
upon it; the latter part represents the
appearance of it after the terrific war
storm had swept over it; where were
once lovely plantations and fourishing
cities are now masses of blackened
ruins, tall chmneys alone marking the
place where stood beautiful palaces;
but we cannot picture the scene com
plete, without pointing to the hun
dreds and thousands of homes where
the expressions of bereavement are
plainly visible. Husbands, fathers,
| and sons are numbered with those who
will assemble no more in. the home cir
Gle. The pages of history recite but
few of the facts connected with the
real occurrences. There are statistics
of mastering and organizing of forces;
the records of battles fought and vic
tories won; estimates of cost of the war
in billions of dollars; the number of
killed and wounded and missing, &C.,
but no estimate can b. made of suffer-
| ings, sorrows, sadnesses, losses and
tears by those at home as we'll as those
on the field. A new method of compu-
tation must be discovered before all
this can be told or estimated.
! Patriotism was never more fully
demonstrated than when tyranny, OPP
preston and rebellion drew the sword
] to sever this nation. When the south
took the first steps in secession, the
north offered them anything if they
would return, but she was determined,
and believing they had all necessary
advantages, they would not compro-
mise. They opened fire on that flag
that embodied the most precious hopes
of humanity. Then was witnessed the
grandest scene of history. The hostile
parties of the north flowed together,
and -
Pouring like the tide into breach,
With ample and brinfulness of it's FORCE"
sprang the volunteers soldiers of Anne
lea, offering to die, if need be, for their
country. Then the world saw the very
pathos of patriotism.
Sitting in my study one day desir-
ing a little respite from theological
pressure I fell to thinking over these
national experiences, and jotted down
my thought in rhyme, thus
sat in my chair and was dreaming;
I dreamed of the long ago
When was just entering manhood,
i And wondered where should go
Wondered what trade should follow
What line or profession pursue;
And thought that the life of the farmer,
4 Merchant, doctor or lawyer would do.