The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-04-22
The Big Woods.
WRITTEN FOR THE REPUBLICAN. ]

WRITTEN FOR THE REPUBLICAN,.
Just for to-day, I'm a. child again,
Whose years havo numbered, not yet ton
| Roaming wild, and roaming free,
Through the big woods, my friends AM
| me.
The big woods! how tcnderly the word
linger on my lips. They are to rne tn
"Open Sesama' to a thousand childish de
| lights. Think you there was ever great
er storchouse of treasures for tho childreI
than il the depths Of the wildwo woodp l wo
not
10 mo tho woods have ever been mys.
terry, wonder and delight. Evon now
stand as child again, and the old rap
feeling OF mystery and awe steals ov0r mt
as watch tho greatsun sink to rest be-
hind the big woods.
Again, watch the giant trees toss theil
arms skyward, as slowly the night creep
on. Or listen in silence to the moaning o
the wind, as darkness falls and walls even
tho woods from view.
Night aftsr night the words seemed TO
tall US of gnblins and ghosts, and we used
to wonder. how the poor owl ever staid
there in the sileG 70 and darkness.
lie scanned 10 be calling night after night,
For some one to carry him out to tho ight;
For did va not hear him cry, out, out, out!
And we wondered what the people were
about,
That they did not como and bear him
away,
Out of the darkness, into the day.
With the morning light all our childish
fears vanished and the big woods became
again our bosom friend. Like Little Red
Riding Hood we used to enter Que end Of
the wood and linger long and lovingly,
plucbing the wild flowers that grew In
such abundance; and waited oh so patient
ly, for the wolf, but he never came.
Sometimes We peeped behind the
giant trees but We never found him; In
stead we startled the littlo squirrel as he
leaped from tree to tree, or scared the rab.
bit from her burrow, or the little bird from
her nest--but we never touched her young.
Again we wakened echo from her slumber
by calling, hollon! and she would answer,
oh At last we would emerge from the
wood merry troop into the sunlight on
the other side. Dear children.
One Of the sweetest songs, both rich and
cloar.
That ever fel, on a listening ear,
Is the song OF the woods on summer
night,
When Diana, shedding her rays Of light
Athwart the green boughs of the leafy
glade,
Mingles her brightness with tho sombre
shade.
Hark tis tho songster o! the woodland
glen;
They lift up their voices, and then, and
then.
One listens spell-bound to the wondr GUS
sound
OF the winged insects in the woods around
While the scent of flowers mingled with
these,
Is borne on the breath Of tho rum NOR
breeze,
Thus the wi:chery rare OF the woodland
fair,
Seems to enrold me and hold ne there.
And oh the autumn days! How fraught
with pleasure and delight. Mothinks the
dear little children, hid away in the courts
and alleys of our large cities, who havo
never known the joys of q nutting season
have missed half of their ohiid life.
Then it was that we ran races with the
squirrels! We could climb trees but VIC
could not leap from limb to limb. Whom
the nptting season came We would work
early and lato to keep Mistress Squirrel
from gathering moro nuts than we. Many
o time they would sit and watch us from
their elevated perche. In the tree tops and
curl their bushy tails, while we would
laugh as we bore away our treasures. What
cared we for the pricltIy chestnut burr, the
walnut stain on our hands or the long
trudge boIneward.
All, / see the chestnutl are browningl
A they did in tne days iyore;
SOC the squirrels are trowning,
From tho leafy tops once moro.
see troop of children,
With voices glad and gay;
hear their merry laughter
A they bear the nuts away.
Our first school hou:e stood OF tho edge
of a woods and one noon hour veritable
Pied Piper, came into the yard and pipsd
every child oil into the woods. Hatless we
followed him, the school bell rang but 1t
had lost its charms. On the piper went
and on we followed oblivious to all earth
ly things except the fiddler and his music.
Sunset found US still in the woods, and
for from school and home . We never
cannot refrain a smile, as think::of that
troop Of charmed children.
The next day the teacher said nothing,
but whom twelve o'clock came the school
bell rang not, the hours were spent In
study and with the exception of my elder
sister and self. 1--WE We're the babies of the
schooD no one played that day. We were
excused on the plea that we were too
young TO understand.
At that period of our lives our library
Of the Bible. Pilgrims Progress,
lotla Temple, Lila Hart, and Mysie's Work,
together with our Sunday books, and pa.
pers. II we needed Information further
than they contained, mother always sent
rs to Grandpap and his library. From her
own lips she taught us the Mother Goose
Melodies, and many beautiful rhymes.
Perchance it was the lack Of books that
made us love the big woods, and find ''ser.
mons in stones.'
And day by day, aud hour by hour,
Study leaf, and tree, and dower
We read true stories from the brooks,
But never a line from the fairy books;
Birds and bees and flowers and trees,
All. living things to Us, were thesa,
And loving them SO we'll, you see
They whispered many o song to NO.
Wild sweet fancies, they used tell,
And havo kept their secret well.
They told sweet stories 60 the little girl,
But never hint Of the great big world;
Ah YES metnnks one summer day, |
They spoke of Ellsworth far away;
They told Of Lincoln, good and true,
nd all the great things he could do.
low Mcclellan, brave and gay,
1ounted and rode to the war away.
}ut no other breath of he cruel war
Ever came near US to blight or mar.
I know We teheade1 many johnny.
amp up, while they represented our arm
rs. ] know we used 10 mount our hillside |
nd HurrGh FIR Abe Lincoln! while our
title neigGh0r. would climb their hillside
cross the valley aud, Hurrah for MCClcl.
40! but tho why or wherefore of it we
new not. ! remember two mounted
oraeInen came one day and asked for
athrr, but no vas rOS at home. Much OK
ltement prevailed when it was rumorei
hat no and uncle were drafted, but
hey did not go to war.
Perchance our teacher told US Of the
reat war, while we aat an the high wood
II benches In the little brick school house
our second shool) mile away. but If she
i'd we did not retain it, but 1 welt re.
,ember how the busy day ended; she
rould call to order, and close with song;
gain in memory l honr the ch!dlon's
oices:
Many are tho hearts that are weary to.
night
Wishing for tha war 10 Cease.
lany are the hearts looking for the right
To see the dawn of peace,
entlng tonight, tcnt!ug Tonight,
I'enting on the old CuInp-yround
As the echo Of the suug dies away, /
,aliza that svcn as l write, tho war clouds
70 gathering over 1ur land, while the
cart Of the nation is full Of unrest. God
rant that the children Of to-day may be
Die to look backward, and rome.ubcr how
ar was ayerted.
ANNE L. MiCrENER.