Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-08-01


the air. At that moment not a cloud nor
a single breath Of air was to be seen OF
felt; but 10 few minutes the cattle began
TO move about as if mad, or possessed by
some invisible spirit, shutting the air with
most violent eagerness, aud gathering
closer and closer 10 each other; and be-
fore re could form any rational conjecture
as to what UAuId occasibl their simultane-
GUS motion, The most Tremendous storm
came on of thunder, ligkfniDg, and rain,
! ever witnessed in my life The rain
fell 10 perpendicular streams as If all the
fountains of heaven were suddenly broke
loose; so that, in the space of very few
minutes. torrents Of gatessselled a.a.:asa! ::s,
and the cattle easily drssk their fill at the
spot on which they stood n-Lit. Gas.
-
The following touching andtender tale, we ex-
tract from BIaskwood's Hdinburgh Magazine
for March q work which bids fair to rival any
10 Great-Britain. We arg gratiied in having it
IN our power to present I'd our readers so rich a
repast. II represents onesof the most interest
ing scenes, and is described in skTpsmost lively
impossible for those who hsve khown The affec-
ton Of parept or the endaarnlents Of eonnubial
happiness, to read it witheat emotion.
Com. .2du.
THE ELDERS DEATH BED.
1t was % a fierce and bowling winter
day that was crossing The dreary Moor
of Apehindown, emmy way 10 the Manse
of that parish, a solitary pedestrian. The
SNOW which had been necessarily falling
for week past, was drifted into beautiful
but dangerous wreaths, far and wide over
HE melancholy expanse; and the scene
kept visibly shifting before me, as the
strong wind that blew from every point Of
the compass struck the sazzling masses,
and beayed them up and down in endless
transformation. There was something in
spring in The labor with which in the
bdoyant strength Of yassih, | forced my
way through the stofFe, aud i could not
PIT enjoy those gleanpes of sunlight that
eyseaaasan burst tbkough some unex-
pecsedS p4ning 10 tkS sky, and gave a
cheerfuInes and even warmth
tosfhe sides Of the SUBMITS of the stricken
hills. Sometimes the wind stopt of a
saddep, and theu theAair was as silent as
The Sd0w; not uurnlhr to be heard from
spfTpg or strean., noWSaIl frozen up over
those high msor land SlAs the nlomentary
sessationssof iIe; sharp drift allowed my
IVES ina1ook onward A around. + saw
here and there by the lite opening vaiIIes,
cottages just visible beneath the black
stems of their snow covered ciumps of
Tees, or beside some small spot of green
PASTURE Kept open for the sheep. These
limitations Of life and happiness Game de-
ight61liy to me 10 the midst Of desolation,
and tie barking of dog, attending some
10. bis quest on the hill, put
fresh. vigor into my limbs, telling me. that
lonely as seemed tobe ! was surrounded
by cheerful tho unseen company, and that
was not the only wauderer over the
SHOWS.
AS / walked along, my mind was in
sensibly filed withh crowd Of pleasant
images of rural 1inler life, that helped
me gladly EDWARDS over many miles Of
moor. Thought Of The severe but cheer
full labours Of the barn--the mending OF
farm gear BY the fire side--the wheel
turned by the foot Of old age, less for
gain than as thrifty paslime---the skiltul
mother making g auld claes look amaist as
weeP the new"-ihe ballad unconsciously
listened to by the family all busy at their
own tasks round the singing maiden--the
old Evolutionary tale told by some way
farer Hospitality housed till the storm
should blow blythe unexpected visit OF
neighbors on need or friendship--or the
footstep Of lover undeterred by snow
drifts that have buried up his fIocks IS
but above all, thought of those hours 81
religious worship that have not yet esca-
ped from the domestic life Of the peasan-
try Of Scotland--of the sound Of psalms
that the depth of snow cannot deaden to
the ear OF Him to whom they are chanied
land Of that sublime Sabbath keeping
which, on days too tempestuous for The
kirk, changes the cattage Of the shepherd
into the temple Of God.
With such glad and peaceful images 10
my heart, l travelled along that dreary
moor, with the cutting wind in my face,
and my feet sinking IN the snow, or sliding
on the hard blue ice beneath it--as cheer.
fully as / ever walked 10 The dewy
warmth Of q summer morning, through
fields Of fragrance and Of flowers. And
now | could discern, within half an hours
walk before me, the spire of the church
close TO which stood the Msnse ofmy aged
friend and benefactor. My heart burned
within me as sudden CLEAN Of stormy
sunlight tipt it with fire--and ] felt, atthaI
moment, an inexpressible sense Of the
sublimity of the character Of that grey.
headed Shepherd who had, for forty
years, abode 10 the wilderness. keeping
together his own happy little flock.