The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1823-02-26


Alarmed by his sentinel the woif
Moves like ghost.
MAcRnTH.
The wind OF November whisilrd sh hn.i sod
cold among The rocky prec,pices that Jnt,ed
over the mountain road from hyiesbu'y 10.
wards Nortbuinbetla IS, at The decline Of
day, two travellers. on horseback, we're cross
ing with weary pace tho long range OF ridges
towards The great elbow of the Susquehanns'
and Notwithstanding that the clouds lay hesyi
" on lhe dark and distant mountaio ,eps, and
The shadows of approaching night gathering
,apid'y, they paused up on The northern ex
t,emity of :he last emInenco, tlismoun,ed, and
appeared 10 be taking . survey OF the country
souod them, country emhodyin. sonc o'
me mos, g,and and sublime scenery m nature.
70 tho north and cast and south, ono vast cx-
zen, Of forest lay outs,Tetcbed, broken and di-
,crsfed by bill. and valley, now dlmly ,ce0,
iui not less interesting in its aspect. In one
ii ec,ioo was 10 be seen seven stvpendous
pyram,dlc piles pushing their pine crowned
snmmi,s through the black clouds, they =, tn
ed f, habitalioRs for the 6eice spirits Of the
restless ole menis, and one could almost fancy
she angels of the iempeG gathering o their
swfui dsell;ngs IN those unvisitch tealns,
universe Of sior my clou6s---wbio IN the ives
peaceful river a,wed away in CALM uDbrok'
ru solitude through IT'S devious course. Such
va, The scene the Jewellers were lett survey
ing when twiligh followed Tho declining sun,
and the drcary night came switt upon ihe
transient gl0oDing,
A long three miles from this, on III IN and
nsr,nw road, was a smal! public house called
in those days the "lDn of the Forest. -
There was a thin settlement from this for
some miles oo, chiefly men Of the rudest casl
in life, ol,en homes, and kind 10 ,.eir way, ou'
who, nevet,heiess, brooked not the control OF
law, snd, living far OF from city and town, en-.
ioyed ,heic game, aud were the mseives the
only umpires Of each others rights aud
wrongs: such as thesc made up the company
thei gathered in the tavern that night, and ss
tho Winds blew louder, and :he weather grew
eolder WITHOUT so did ,heir noise and their
tiolng, and the turbulence OF their sp,rils in-
SIease within.
k,ingI,rc with this tumutuous assembly a.
round the bar.roovn t+e, sno the long card
table stretched OH, before il, WAS now to be
seen the two Strangers they wore wraPped
np IN fur hunune eloaks, and while one OF
Them took part 10 ,h- ooistetous laugh and
played his game AZ the card table, and drank
freely, the other stretched himself TO sleep ~
b corner. The more sociable stranger sooD
ssQuircd the confidence Of his new compsn
ions and az he him.slf proiessed TO bo tav.
eru keeper, he gained the special favor OF the
landlord, black vhisse cd, down cast da'k
looking man, upon whose countensnce the
s,smp of vice was fixed, and who wes tho
loudest and most clsmocoo, IN the circ'e, and
drank, and played, and 6oasIed, and cursed,
with kind of desperate and frenSied in!atna'
zion.
These rio,ings were kept up throog hout
the midnight hOurs; and while the wearied
ord ineb, lated guests. one by one, dropped ~
sleep, and while, without, tho storm sung IN
melancholy and plaintivc sweetDess through
The scared pine trees, tha, single stranger
kept one little circle he had gathered around
him by the &c, In 6xed aud wakeinl sueo.
ton TO narrowing tales OF he'll devised nor
ders, and festiul ssuibutions, end walking
ghosts, and marvellous iacts brought 10 The
iigh, OF day by supernstural sgenc,e,; and
detailed a thonsand inslaoces TO prove that
Nurier, though ii hath no tongue, will spesk
With most miraculous organ.
In vain the host endcavored to turn, OF ev
cry pc, iod, the subject. ln vain he stirred
the dyin, embers, bnd ioyi,ed the guests 10
sIeep. 10 vsio he ueinbied and turned pale !;
tue usvelle, see emed invincible, and at eyey
change, mutder and lis bloody consequence
were sull his theme, and stiR his eye was fix
ed on the disqlis,ed features of the host -
!, was dark and penetrating; and his voice
g,ew hoarse as he bid them heatken to the
iereeching wiud.--It seemed 10 h'm, no ss'o
TO be butdeoed with voice ;--,n the word
Of Macbeth, /" sill IL cried s!een no more
oil the house"
The company started and listened; sonAs
thought they heard the voice, and some ianeied
they Distinguished ihoss very words what