Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1821-11-10


and cnstoms, remained fixed, while the
great torrent OF emigration and i'm.
provement, which is mskiug such i'm.
cessant changes in other parts OF this
restless country, sweeps by them unob-
served. They are like those little
hooks OF still water, which border a
rapid stream, where we may see the
straw and the bubble riding quietly ut
anchor, or slowly revolving in their
mimic harbor, undisturbed by the
rushing ofthe passing current. Though
many years have elapsed since l trod
the drOwsy shade. of Sleepy Hollow,
yet question whether should not
still find the same trees and the same
, families vesitating in its sheltered boz
som.
In this by. place or nature there a.
bode, in q remote period of American
history, that is to say, some thirty
years since, worthy wight of the
name of lehabod Crane, who sojourued,
or, as he expressed 1t, 'tarried,' in
Sleepy Hollow, for-the purpose of H.
structing the children Of the vicinity.
He was native of Connecticut, state
which supplies the Union with pioneers
for the miod as well as the forest, and
sends forth yearly it's legions of from
tier woodmen and country school mas
ters. Tie cognumeh Of Crane was not
inapp'icab'e to his person. He was
tall, bnt exceedingly lank, with mar
row shoulders, long arms and legs,
hands that dengled mile out Of his
sleeves, feet that might have served
, for shove's, and his whole frame most
loosely hung together. HIS head was
small end fat at top, with huge ears,
large greco CLASSY eyes, and u long
snipe nose, 80 that it might have Geen
mistaken for a weathefcock perehed
upon his spindle neck, to tell which
way the wind blew. To see him stri.
ding along the profile Of hill on a
windy day, with his clothes bagging
and gathering about him, one might
have mistaken him for the genius of
famine descending upon the earth, or
some scarecruw elopei from q corn
/ Held.
His school. house was low building
OF one large room, rudeiy constructed
OF legs; the windows partly glazed,
and partly patched will, leaves Of old
, copy books. 1t was most ingeniousIy
secured at vacant hours, by withe
| twisted in the handle OF the door, anu
stakes Sc, against the window shut
tiers; so that though u thief might get
IN with perfect ease, he would find
some embarrassment in getting ont; an
dea probably barruwedby he architect,
fnst Van Houten. from the mystery of
an eelpot. The sehool-house stood in
rather lonely but pleasant situation,
just ut the foot of u woody hill, with d
brook running close by, and formida.
| bic bircbtree growing at one end of it.
| From hence the low murmur of his
/ pupils yoices, coming over their les
sons, might he heard eta drowsy sum
mer's day, like the hum of beehive;
interrupted now and :hen by the au.
thoritative voice of the master. giving
| menace or command, or, peradven-
ture. the appalling sound of the birch,
as he urged some tardy loiterer along
the fiowery path acknowledge. Truth
! to say, he was u conscientious man,
that ever bore in mind The golden AK
i'm, spare the rod and spoil the child
lchabod Cranes scholars certainly
were not spoiled.
would not have IT imagined, how
ever, that he was one of those eruel
poientates of the school, who Joy in the
smart Of their subjects; on the contrary,
he administered justice with diserimi-
nation rather than severity; taxing the
burden off the backs of the weak, and
laying on those Of the strong. Your
mere puuy STRIPPING, that WINGED at
the least flourish Of the rod, was pas
sed by with indulgence; but the claims
of justice were satisfied, by giving
double portion 20 scme little, tough,
wrong. headed, broad-skirted Dutch
urchin, who sulked and sweiied and
grew dngsed and su'ien beneath Tie
birch. All this he called doing his
duty by their parents;' and he never
inflicted chastisement without fol.
lowing it by Che assurance so cunsola.
tory to the smartiog urchin, that be
would remember it and thank him for
IT the longest day he had to live.
When school honrs were over, he
was even the companion and playmate
J OF his larger boys; and would convoy
some Of The smaller ones home of a
holiday, who happened to have pretty
sisters, or good housewives for moth
ers, noted for the comforts Of the cup
board. Indeed. it behooved him to
keep on good terms with his pupils