Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 October 1874 — Communicated [ARTICLE]

Communicated

DzlaWabb, Ohio, Sept. 25, 1874. Mb Editor.—Win you please permit the essay of a achool girl to appear in the columns of your paper? If you give me an affirm*'ive answer, allow me to return many thanks. “Fair Luna’’ waa casting and mingling her golden rays in the somber and graceful folds of night’s lovely curtains; the dewdrops were stooping to kiss the face of “Flora’4” fair daughters, when I by some incentive *as induced to leave my room and seek a i esort in *the garden. This garden seemed to me a paradise and I seemed to have entered an atmosphere, the constituents of which varied greatly from those of the one I had just breathed. A fairy wand flourished by the hand of Imagination possessed such power over me, that soon I regarded my seif as one of her children.— After a short period, my attention was called to a little boy who reclined peacefully in the armes of “Morpheus,” and whose sleepy lids reminded me, as Moore says, “of snow resting upon violets blue.” The tiny white bands folded so beautifully upon his bosom; the half parted lips that wore a rosy blue, and the smiles that seemed to be playing* game of “tide and seek,” upon his face all caused me to seek the source of the happiness of which I knew this child to be the recipient. I beheld an angel bearings crown of immortal flowers, wh eh she would give to the child if he would bear the cross; an angel Innocence was watching over that young heart, which upon examination, I found to consist of an inner casing co nrosed of the elements, love, truth, beauty, unselfishness an 1 sympathy, each -held in close contact with th« otherby golden cords; very near the child - I observed a large key, bearing the following inscription: “Ad mit” the bearer into the “City of Light!” a shudder past over my frame when a voice whisoered. “perhaps he will lose that key.” Years, seemed to have been dropped from the rings of time; and another scene fer less fascinating than the first was presented to me; instead of the fair form I beheld a haggard one, the eye-lids no longer reminded me of “snow resting upon violets blue,” the lips had dismissed their rosy hue, the hands were large and seemed to clutch every sinful object near, smiles h«d discontinued their games of “hide and seek,” “misery” was depicted upon every feature. I looked but beheld not the angel who bore the wreath. I saw in the distance a few sprays of the flo wets; I looked for ••Innocence,” hut saw only a slight glimmer of her wings. I observed that the golden cords lost a portion of their b ightness and united not so firmly the elements they once did. As I turned my eves in, the direction where I once beheld the great key, I said it is almost gone ; t»>en 1 looked upward and saw a dark form with sin imprinted upon every feature; the wings of this horrible monster seemed to have been dipped in the river “Lethe”which flowwnear the region of Pluto. I beard the c anking of chains, and saw that they were stained with blood ; a look of t iumph passed over the face of this monsteras he approehed the man whose face seemed to-ay “T am fighting a battle and I shall win. I will wear the crown, for I shall hear the cross.” The scene changed, the angel with the cross returned, the cords cast off their corrosive matter, the great key crept from its hiding place, a shriek of triumph was heard, the dark form receded and that soul received its crown and was wafted on wings of love to a higher home. This is but an example given by Imagination, but Reality has power to give stronger and more fearfill ones than this.— She can tell you of souls “almost but lost.” To you who are wandering in the labarvnth formed by the followers of sin, permit me to say, in the words of another, “Almost cannot avail ; Almost is but to f il; Sad, sad, th ■ bitter wail; Almost but lost,” Ryma. Tne Christian At Work (New York) ranks with the best of the religious weeklies. Dr. Talmage is its active «ditor, and his sermons are published exclusively in its columns. The term, $3 25 per annum, covering everything, including postage and delivery of the new premium, a “Portfolio of Twelve Gems,” or a copy of Landseer’s “Twins.” Agents will find this a success.