The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1825-07-13

Pr t"ANH iu nv saildSC1 tbC Niiifdi CD
were all gone TO bed, and save that a
small group of merry girls aud boys,
whose license, according to village rule,
extended TO The hour of nine, OCCASION
ally made the air echo with "a whoopI
andcall, F" scarce whisper broke in up
on The solemn Stiffness around, TO dis
turbthe weary who had sunk with the
sun 10 rest.
The season had been dry and warm,
and freading the desolations of fire should
it break out in the woods among 4he
thick pines, hunting had been prohib-
tied for some weeks. and a constant
watch had been kept by those who liv-
ed most contiguous, or who had prop
erty a, stake-for most of The inhabit-
ants remembered the conHagration which
SONG years before burst from the forest
upon the village, and almost laid il in
ruins; scorching with deluge of flame
whole fields Of vegetation, and destroy
ing the fences in every quarter. 1t
CHANGED at this very hour that some ill
boding fancy led two honest Dutchmen
10 the summit of the hill, that rose be-
bind the village, that before their last
pipe went out they might look over the
vast world of woods beyond it, towards
the ford. and see that all was WE'LL
They reached the summit, but what a
shock distinct as could be, a small bright
flame cleaned as if on the very top of a
tall Pine on the southern border of the
forest They raised each a hand stimuli
taneously, pointed to the spectacle and
exclaimed as in the same breath-Look
dere !-the sound echoed in the valley.
Its tone was not to be mistaken. Twenty
voices repeated il; all fastened TO the
spot; the alarm spread; the beds were
deserted ; the children screamed, the
girls and boys ran TO and fro. Those
who were older hurried to rouse the
neighborhood around, and for fifteen
minutes alarm was at its height.
As other places, however, the village
had its idlers. who looked on with too
much complacency TO beentire!y credu-
lous. and, also, entirely innocent Some
half a dozen sat themselves down on the
hill top, and very attentiveiy watched
the burning nine: and averred that the
fame grew no larger, and that me tree
did not consume, even while those be-
low. cried out that the smoke was blind
ing. and the heat already scorching
them, and that all the southern heavens
were red with the mighty blaze, and
they reasoned with their neighbors. and
succeeded, after half an hour had ex-
pred, in allaying the tumuIt TO certain
extent. The blazing pine looked like
distant beacon, rising above the deep
shade, and it shone so bright and clear
that, though scarcely larger than a star,
it attracted every eye the moment il
was cast in that direction.
A deep strong current of new fears
and feelings now began TO set in. 1t
was not fame that spread and burned,
but one fixed in mystery aloft, shining as
an omen of some fearful destiny thai i'm
pended over the country. The women
first caught the idea, and wept and kis
sed their weeping children. The young
men stood aIoof eager 10 catch the
opinion of the more mature-and the old
men collected in group, and speculafed
with all the wisdom of the village, and
recited instances enough of similar won
ders to fill large book, It was an aw-
ful time--and no eye had closed that
night in Aylesbury, had not the burning
pine suddenly put away its unnatural
flame and taken up its wonted nightly
shade; The light vanished before ten,
and at twelve all was quiet and at rest.
For considerable time this nameless
phenomenon spread an alarm, far and
wide through the country; for still it
often re-appeared in the darkest nights;
and still its appearance remained unac-
counted for-untii some were about to
remove from the country, aud others set
on foot subscription to build church
and few who had beenindifferent NOR
alists, reformed and read their bibles
The price of land fell twenty per cent.
andthe neighbors were ia be seen gath
ering themselves together, and shaking
their heads, and looking ruefully at each
other, instead of being engaged about
their usual occupations.
In fine, there is no calculating the evil
that might have resulted. but for sim
gulsr discovery which at last was made.
A young adventurous New -Englandmau,
who taught the school, and settledup all
the account books in the village, was re-
marked always to absent himself, when
that light appendicitis led TO the dis
coyery, that he was paying his addresses
TO the daughter of rich old German,
who lived on the river. side, ard whose
hostility rendered this signal from the
daughter to herlover necessary, TO make
known to him the seasons when he
might visit her in safety. Ii was sim