Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1910-07-14
A SUNSET REvER|E
"reminiscences OF A Trip Across
The Bay From COLCHESTER
ONE TOUCH OF NATURE
Makes The Whole World Akin''-The
Cloud Tints Bring Inspiration Of The
Communicated }

After a pleasant day at Colchester.
on the Eastern shore of the Ches a
peake, we took the boat for home
with our faces toward the setting sun.
A low bank of dull clouds, leaden
gray, lay over the East, and gradually
changing they became more and more
luminous. Then above them the
clouds that seemed solid became more
white and feathery, taking on fan
tastic forms until we could almost see
angelic figures soaring above US.
Then they divided into long bars, show
ing bright tints of color, till, at last,
they glowed red, thus streaking the
sky like our own dear Flag, brings in
mind the inspiration of Francis Scott
Key, as he steamed up the bay with
eyes and heart on fire with enthu-
siasm at the first glimpse of the
stars and stripes-the inspiration
that gave to us that immortal song
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
During the interval the bars had
changed into peacock tints, the heav-
ems took on lovely sight, shading
into the gray dome above. The sun
was sinking below the horizon until it
seemed globe of fire on the surface
of the water, then gradually diminish.
ing, until it became small crescent,
then fading away seemed to disap-
pear beneath the waves of dear old
Chesapeake.
/ wished that other friends could
have been there to participate in
those feelings of mine, so like those
excited by music, which find no
expressions in terms of the diction-
ary.
Then evening threw her silvery
mantle over US, the deep color had
faded with the departure of the sun,
the clouds became still whittier and
fairy-like, giving color to the blue
spots around, when Venus in all her
majestic modesty, peeped out from
behind filmy cloud and stood there,
keeping vigil over US until the sill
very moon appeared from behind a
cloud and enthroned herself upon a
white peak, took her position as
queen of night and mother of the
stars.
Bryant in his Thanatopsis. tells
US ito go forth unto the open sky and
list to natures teaching, while from
all around, earth and her waters and
the depths of air, comes still voice."
Yes, it is in silence He speaks to US,
but with million voices, if we will
but stop and listen.
There were human voices all around
us and nearby were some sweet voices
humming those words "Face to face
in all His glory, / shall see Him by
and by And do we not see Him
now, His power and strength in the
watery deep beneath us, His beauty
and majesty in the sky above US with
its myriad of stars shining out like
beacon lights to guide US through
the darkness of the night, shining in
all the dark corners, above all and
over all, for are we not all His chill
dren-one family-and the sky is the
roof that covers all, and does not Zone
touch of nature make the whole
world akin?"
Although there was a goodly num-
ber on board, seemed alone with
God and the universe. Nature had
made no sound to disturb me, but the
lights of Annapolis reminded me that
l was at my journeys end. Ny rev.
erie was thing of the past, and yet
think it will come back to me in my
lonely hours, perhaps in my dying
moments | shall think of the Resur-
rection of that buried sun 'as it sank
down behind those waves to give its
light to another dark world, that, too,
after brief rest in the bosom of
Mother Earth, shall rise again to
greet the Eternal Day.
CLARA MANNAKEE.