Title:

Facing pages [26-27]

Date:

18640126-18640127

Another beautiful day feel a little better today than usual received two letters one from my dear mother and another from Mrs. (…) both (…) [looked] (…) [letters] and very welcome, nothing of [interest] [has] occured today. <Out at the Window. By A.B. Nettleton. Out at the window--Daylight sleeps Behind a vail of crimson light; The lashes of her golden eye Droop o'er the ebon cheeks of Night. A quaint, wild glory lights the sky--Strange clouds are floating in the west, That seem to me like phantom ships Upon the shoreless ocean's breast; I see the giant spars and booms, Their parting ropes and airy shrouds; I gaze and think of other ships--Of other castles built in clouds. Out at the window--'cross the way The moon shines on a cottage home, And pours along the graveled walk A waving sea of airy foam. From out the vine-hung portals there, Fond words are wafted up to me, And charm me as the wave-song charms The wand'ring petrel of the sea. I lean far out into the night To learn the tale their music tells, But mingled murmurs only come Like sounds of far cathedral bells. But in the vine-hung portal stand A manly and a maiden form, And now I know what tale was told, And understand its power to charm. Out at the window--up the east A red flam streaks the morning's gray, A bonfire in the fields of space To celebrate the birth of day. The chanticleer his not has sung, The night-bird slinks away to rest, And sun-dogs chase the ghostly shades Back to their palace in the west.> Another beautiful day all of the works of nature seem to be joyful and why should [not] we join in the [illegible], felt like nature and [illegible] the glorious views from the mountains the Blue Ridge in the distance covered with snow and [to] silvery [illegible] an [flowing] of [our] [illegible]. All seened like a dream untill [looking] along the [illegible] of the River the [illegible] the [foe] to our Country can be seen, and all [illegible] over. wrote to aunt [Mary] and to Prof. [N.] recieved a paper from home Dr. Munson [illegible] her leave of absence today. <A Review of Life. By C.P. Flandes. The old man sat where a landscape lay Outspread before his eyes, On the afternoon of a sunny day, In the latter part of the month of May, When rich is nature's guise. How beautiful did the fresh, green trees And the bright-eyed flowers appear! And the melody of birds and bees, As it floated on the perfumed breeze, Fell sweetly on the ear. But no heed gave these the good old man Histhoughts were in the past; And while his memory backward ran to the time when life he first began, His tears descended fast. Again in his boyhood he sported wild, And a being young and fair Kissed his smooth, white brow, and wept, and smiled, And called him her own beloved child, And gave him her every care. She taught him how sweet it is to pray, And led his steps aright; But she was too pure on earth to stay, And soon to a glorious land away Her spirit took its flight. Now many a year had passed away, And seated by her side, He heard a beautiful maiden say, As her head upon his breast she lay, That she would be his bride. And in after years, when the storms of life Beat fiercely on his head, And every moment with care was rife, She proved in his need more than a wife; But she long since was dead. He now had stood with the first of those Who life's dread conflicts face; He had felt affliction's severest blows, And knew full well how to ity the woes Of all the human race. And henceforth he resolved that his life should be To a glorious cause devoted; He would visit the home of misery, He would aid the erring from vice to flee, And cheer on the trembling-hearted. In a cheerless abode, decayed and old, Through which the winter's breath Found many a passage, bleack and cold, A widow, suffering pangs untold, Lay at the point of death. By her side her children weeping stood; With anguish her bosom swayed; O who would there be to give them food, Or offer them counsel, wise and good, When she in the grave was laid! He entered and clasped her babes to his breast, And silenced all her fears; He pointed her to a mansion of rest, Far far away in the land of the blest, Where joy excludes all tears. Thus scene after scene before him passed, And gladdened his aged sight; And when from his view had faded the last, His spirit away its trammels cast, And heavenward took its flight.>

English

Collection:

Henry O. Nightingale diaries