Burke's weekly for boys and girls. (Macon, Ga.) 1867-1870, November 16, 1867, Page 154, Image 2

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154 and nestling in the hollows, were comfor table farms, with clustering fruit trees; and now, as the shadows lengthened in the evening, the tinkling of the cowbells, as the herds leisurely wound their way homeward, and the sound of the wood cutter’s axe, came with a musical cadence to the listeners above; curling up, the light smoke wreath marked the hidden cottages, and, further off, the cross upon the spire pointed out the village church. It was indeed a picture for the heart as well as for the eye, even ot a child ; and Alice clapped her hands in ecstacy as she exclaimed: “My home! my world ! Oh! Charlie, see!” Just then a flock of pigeons, taking their evening flight, whirled around her, then descended into the valley, and were out of sight. “As doves to their Avindows,” she continued, look ing eagerly after them, “I, too, Avould dAvell in the valley—my Avorld, Charlie, is there; where is yours? ” “My world?” exclaimed Charlie, “not there, Alice. I like yours, but I would not live in it always ; I should tire there. Far, far aAvay is mine—but I Avould come back sometimes to yours. Listen ! ” he exclaimed, with kindling eye, “you shall hear of mine,” and he pointed as he spoke to where, high, high above them, a huge eagle soared aloft, then slowly sinking, came down at last Avith a rush and a SAA r oop, that made little Alice shiver and shrink as he circled around them. “Eagle, grand eagle, yours be my flight, yours be my aim ! ” and as the huge bird rose again into the air, pointing after him he continued, “ I Avill tell you Avhat he says, Alice: “ 1 1 go over the seas and over the mountains; great cities, with their lofty towers and heaven-pointing sjDires, are nothing to me. From the battle-fields of life, where men struggle and die; from the Avorld, Avith its glory, I turn away to soar aloft with a higher aim. Where the mountains pierce the clouds and the huge cliffs beetle over the mighty ocean, where foot of man hath never trod, I build my nest; and when the storm-king is abroad, Avhen the Avaves ride mountain high, and dash and break against the rocks, when the huge trees of the forest, which, from my lofty eyry, seem like reeds beneath me, break and snap in the blast, then do I exult in my sense of power, then do I feel strong. I battle Avith the storm and defy it; and, rising with the blast, higher and higher, I seek above the storm and clouds the ever shining sun, basking in his warmth, and gazing upon his glories with unquailing eye.’ BURKE’S WEEKLY. « Such, Alice, be my flight, such be my aim.” As he spoke, the eagle rose, rose, rose; then, suddenly, Avith a loud shriek, fell—down, down, down—almost to his feet, pierced with a shaft from an uneri ing marksman. Sadh 7 the children gazed. “Is he dead?” exclaimed Alice, with a shudder, “Dead?” repeated Charlie, “dead? the noble bird ! Yes ; but he has lived ! They turned to go home. The sun had set beyond-the Western hills; but its glory remained, and the clouds of pur ple and gold which veiled his pavilion were heaped in fantastic shapes, and shewed like castles and palaces and streets, which stretched out and looked like pure gold, with gates of pearl; and above and around, stretching further than eye could reach, a sea as of light or of crystal. The children stood for a moment en tranced, then stretching out their arms, exclaimed: “Our home! our home ! be yond the setting sun.” And Alice said, “ Let that be our aim, to reach it.” “Yes,” said Charlie, gravely, “Avhere Death cannot enter. Our home! our home ! ” Then they turned, and, holding each other’s hands, Avent home in silence. Upon her face a smile of calm delight, on his, a flashing look of thought. Borne , Ga. Gather Them In. Gather them in the fold, 0 Lord, The merry and young and gay ; Leave them not in their thoughtlessness, Choosing the broadened way. Gather them in—the wandering ones, Safe from the storm of cold; Gentle Shepherd, who lovest them, Gather them in Thy fold. Many voices are in their hearts, And false are the songs they hear; But little they know how the syren lures On to regret and fear, Whisper to them in the still, small voice Thy wonderful word of love, Till they turn away from the insincere, Finding the true above. Let them not pass to the sinful way; Are they not lambs of Thine ?, Have they not walked in the pleasant path, Seeing Thy promise shine? Have they not whispered Thy holy name In their early childish prayer? Take them, Father, for weal or woo, Into Thy loving care. Gather them into Thy fold, 0 Lord, In their beautiful youthful days; Sons and daughters of all Thy saints, Ihej should tread in their fathers’ ways. Let them not wander alone and sad, And though they love Thee not, Soften their spirits and make them wise, lo ask for Thy children’s lot. Marianne Farningham. ♦♦♦ - God often permits bis people to be on the very verge of the precipice, to re mind them of their own weakness; but never further than the verge. Written for Burke’s Weekly JACK DOBELL; Or, A Boy’s Adventures in Texas, A STORY FOR BOYS. CHAPTER XIII. ABUNDANCE OF GAME —MEXICANS AND IN DIANS —PURSUED BY BLOODHOUNDS RUSE —THE GAME FOILED CROSSING THE PRAIRIE AT NIGHT TRYING TO CAPTURE A GUN FAILURE AND NARROW ESCAPE-- WILD TURKEYS LODGINGS WITHOUT BOARD. OOX as it was fairly light, and after cooking and HP packed up what meal and meat I had left, to take along with me, and set out across the large prairie lying between the La Yaca and Xavidad rivers. The game upon this prairie was more abundant than I had seen it else where. I am confident that, on many occasions, there were a thousand deer at one time within the scope of my vision. Here, too, I first observed the grouse, or prairie hen. At first, I mistook the call of the cock for the distant lowing of wild cattle, numbers of which were grazing upon the prairie. Wild turkies, also, were numerous, and so tame that they permit ted me at times to approach within a few paces of them. During the day I saw one or two par ties of mounted Indians or Mexicans, but they were at so great a distance I could only distinguish that they were men on horseback. About 3 o’clock in the even ing, I came to the timber skirting the Xavidad river, where I stopped to rest awhile, and to take a snack of the provis ions I had brought along with me. I then proceeded on my course through the bottom, and after going about a mile 1 came to the Xavidad river, at that place perhaps forty or fifty yards in width. It was not fordable, so I had to swim it, which I easily did, by stripping off my clothes and tying them upon a piece of dry wood, which I pushed along ahead of me as I swam. As soon as I reached the opposite bank, I dressed myself and con tinued my course. When I had gone I suppose something near two miles, my attention was attract ed by the barking of a dog, apparentl} proceeding from the direction in which I had come. At first I thought it was some stray dog that had been left behind h) some settler when he had fled before the Mexicans ; but after a while I began to suspect that he was trailing me, toi j although I was walking at a pretty rapid