Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a PoliticianHolley, Marietta
Religion
Sweet Cicely — or Josiah Allen as a Politician
Holley, Marietta
Methodist Church (U.S.) -- Fiction; Temperance and religion -- Fiction; Women -- Suffrage -- Fiction
“There is memories of pleasant evenin' hours, with the tea-table drawed
up in front of the south door, and the sweet southern wind a comin' in
over the roses, and the tender light of the sunset, and the waverin'
shadows of the honeysuckles and mornin'-glorys, fallin' on us, wrappin'
us all round, and wrappin' all of the rest of the world out.”
Mebby the young chap said sunthin' here, but it was entirely unbeknown
to me; though I thought I heard the murmur of his voice makin' a sort
of a tinklin' accompinment to my thoughts, sunthin' like the babble of a
brook a runnin' along under forest boughs, when the wind with its mighty
melody is sweepin' through 'em. Great emotions was sweepin' along with
power, and couldn't be stayed. And I went right on, not sensin' a thing
round me,--
“There is memories of sabbath drives, in fair June mornin's, through the
old lane alder and willow fringed, with the brook runnin' along on one
side of it; where the speckled trout broke the Sunday quiet by dancin'
up through the brown and gold shadows of the cool water, and the odor of
the pine woods jest beyend comin' fresh and sweet to us.
[Illustration: “GOIN' TO THE REVIVAL MEETING.”]
“Memories of how that road and that face looked in the week-day dusk, as
we sot out for the revival meetin', when the sun had let down his long
bars of gold and crimson and yellow, and had got over 'em, and sunk
down behind 'em out of sight. And we could ketch glimpses through the
willow-sprays of them shinin' bars a layin' down on the gray twilight
field. And fur away over the green hills and woods of the east, the moon
was a risin', big and calm and silvery. And we could hear the plaintive
evenin' song of the thrush, and the crickets' happy chirp, till we got
nearer the schoolhouse, when they sort o' blended in with 'There is a
fountain filled with blood,' and 'Come, ye disconsolate.'
“And the moonlight, and sister Bobbet's and sister Minkly's candles,
shone down and out, on that dear old bald head as his hat fell off, as
he helped me out of the wagon.
“Memories of how I have seen it a bendin' over the Word, in hours of
peace and happiness, and hours of anxiety and trouble, a readin' every
time about the eternal hills, and the shadow of the Rock, and the
Everlastin' Arms that was a holdin' us both up, me and Josiah, and the
Everlastin' Love that was wrappin' us round, helpin' us onward by these
very joys, these very sorrows.
“Memories of the midnight lamp lightin' it up in the chamber of the
sick, in the long, lonesome hours before day-dawn.
“Memories of its bendin' over the sick ones in happier mornin's, as he
carried 'em down-stairs in his arms, and sot 'em in their old places at
the table.
“Memories of how it looked in the glare of the tempest, and under the
rainbow when the storm had passed. It stands out from a background of
winter snows and summer sunshine, and has all the shadows and brightness
of them seasons a hangin' over it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account