The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-09-29

ny hair seemed a nerve, and my Int
seemed raised or my head Again
the apparliion passed through ano.
ther transmigration. aud now two
dreadful fiery balls glarcd on the -
Cold chills ran over my body, and
ice seemed In creep or To CONCEAL a
long every vein And now dis
NAL noise WAS heard. like u hard and
heavy iusniration of breath in the
desperate struggles Of death.
My whole frame slnddcrcd. AMI
all my philosophy aed from my head.
and mixed With the terrified blood as
it ran from my extremitics. aud
rushed upon my heart, where philo.
sophy and blood together, seemed
instantly To freeze And now, as
the breath thus inspired. was poured
upon the stiffness OF the cchoing
woods. in a hoarsc and hollnw sound.
| was going 10 do, know not what !
But | distinctly rccollcct what | did
do | laughed---and well | might,
for no sooner had fairly heard that
dreadful sound, than Irecognized In
it the lowing III an old white COW,
which had literally contributed To.
wards NY snstcnance and comfort.
Her limbs being black, made her ap.
pear 10 be raised above the ground
Just their length. Her eyes aud my
terrified Imagination formed the balls
OF fire. Her change of position
made all her my sterious transmigra-
tions Of shape. and SO on. So here
cndcth my ghost story only tend
ing to proye the pcrnicious tcndeh-
cIcs oi Il common defect in education !;
the lesson, which, perhaps, all ghost
stories, we'll examined, would equal
ly teach.
From The Lonaon) .Atw MonM. .Mogaxine.
1nE DEATH OF FRIENDS
Death is the tyrant Of the imagi.
nation. Ills reign il in solitude ard
ia darkne@--in tombs and in pri-
sons-over weak hearts and seelhing
brains. lie lives, without shape or
sound, phantasm inaccessible to
sight or toucll---a ghastly and terri
bic apprehension.
The fear OF death is common To
all. There never Was & man OF such
hardillood Of nerve. but he has, nj
one time or other, shrunk from peril.
Death Is IL ccrlatn cvtI. oil lite be
good } Philosophy may welcome it,
aud passion may disregard its ap-
preach; but our instinct, which is
always true, first commands ns tn
fear. Ii is not so much the pain oi
dying, nor even the array Of death,
Though the "pon,pa morris" is sill
cicntly repelling y but it is that ire
mendous thonSht--that vast impcne-
trablo gloom, without depth, or
breadth, on bound-whiCh no reason
can compass and no intellect pry in
to. that alarms. Our fancy is ripe
with wonders, and it fills up the
space between us and heaven.
For my own part, have. ! must
confess, greatly feared death. Some
persons dread annihilaiion. But To
sleep forever without "A drcam--what
is it if you feel il not? Let me not
be understood az 1Oishing for this
state-this negation OF being. on
ly say il cannot generate the same
fears. 1t is desert without life, or
fear, or hope--shadowless. soundlcss
but the grave, in our belief, is po-
pulous ii is haunted by some inter
mediate nature between flesh and
spirit ;---or, If not, what then IL II /?
l throw the question TO thcologians.
The few friends Of my youth are
dead, save only one. She survives !:
hut am reminded often when | am
alone, that she may die---nay, that
she must die soon, and leave the To
younger spirits, (liere is but one
who cares for me ito hopes which
are half lisappointed---to friends
who have forgotten the merry day $
we once spent together, to leserish
and gnawing troubles---and, last, to
infrInity, and old age. and death.
The Progress from infancy To
boyhood is inpcrceptiblc. Ia that
long dawn Of the mind. VIC cake but
little heed. The years pass by rs
one by one, little. distinguishable
from each ether. Bat when the III
tellectual sun bIour life is risen, VIC
take 6ae note Of Joy and Sutton
Oar Gays grow popuIous with events
and throngli oar nights bright
trains OF Thought run, Illuminating
the airy future. and dazzling the