The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-10-21

Cno HlmS Cnau contain natures oCcn- |
ings, sketches or finished pictures,
which prove source of inestimable
pleasure as we linger over each detail
of the picture, admiring it's delicacy,
or richness, its grandeur or sublimity.
With memory have often stood on
the broad Atlantics shore when comes
a vapor from the margin blackening
over heath and holt cramming all the
blast before it, in it's breast thunder
bolt" 1 have seen the storm break in
all it's fury from across the wide ex-
high, lashed to foam and fury, rolling
shoreward to break in tumultuous
fury against some rocky barrier to
picturesque bay or quiet harbor. Far
out on the turbulent breast of the
ocean the petrol and gull rest or rise
and swing their airy circles or swiftly
skim the topmost crest of foam, while
DER head, the clouds, rapidly changing
from color to color, scurry before the
blast and rest in line of greenish
blackness upon the horizon. There see
the line of battle formed; the order to
advance given; the color sergeant un-
furls the dread standard of destruction.
Swiftly, resistlessly the charging mass
sweeps forward across the oceans
breast. Day flies before its onslaught;
darkness envelopes the deep. Yet, see.
drawing near, those fierce flashes that
precede natures artillery, as, interval
by interval they send across the field of
strife, the vivid sheets of pale blue,
their curling ribbons of molten fire
anon those fiery chains that seek to
grasp and bind the finite to the in
finite! Hark to the thunder's crash as
its echOing reverberations mingle with
the dull roar of the surf battling
'gainst the rocky shore! Surely Thors
mighty hammer falls with terrific
force upon the great Heimskringla, or
else battle royal is on with JOve, a
celestial duel, and the highest seat in
Valhalla, the Golden throne in Elysium,
the victor's prize. Yet stay! tbs DER!
its fury is spent, its force is broken.
The erstwhile charging phalanx has
lost its cOlOrs; see. it rolls backward,
and from the breakings CLEAN the
starry messengers of eternal life. The
wind ceases it's strife. then dies away,
seemingly the last wailing sigh of
lost soul rising from the depths of an
inferno. The dull looming Of the surf
on the shore is heard through the
Egyptian darkness about you-dying
with the ebbing tide.
In the morning aurora ruddy glow
falls upon the gentle surface swell
that rises and falls seemingly in har-
mony with the music of the spheres,
and when PhGbus, bright glow glistens
athwart their crest, it betrays, as the
only evidence of the elements strife,
the foam flecked jetsam and flotsam
strewing turbid sea.
But see! We have another view.
memory recalls the picture when all
nature was hushed and still, the gen.
tie, tapping ebb and flow of the oceans
tide, little betokening it's passionate
energy, not ripple disturbing it's
mirrored bosom; natures child, it lies
in it's cradle, weary from it's pastimes
in calm and peaceful slumber. The
twinkling light of the stars reflected
in the depths; across its black expanse
of water CLEANS silvery sheen of
Luna's pale light, like precious path
to some unknown land. Then the
softly distant notes of music and song
from some merry boating party, fol-
lowed by the wild discordant cry of a
loon disturbed from slumber as it
rises and wings its flight through the
mellow haze. Then see! The crown
ing beauty of the view as northward
we turn and our eyes look upon earth's
resplendent diadem, now beaming
with the soft translucent light of the
pearl, or cleaning with the hidden
crimson fire of the ruby, the rainbow
hues of the diamond, now changing
and interchanging; now retreating,
| now advancing, now darting across the