Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-24
THE TWO GRAVES.

1 In death, the CDiiOfcn OF human kiilui
| YEA stricter and closer than those of life
| IT'S neighborhood that knows no strife,
They are noiselessly gathered-friend and foe
| To the still and dark assemblies below;
Without frown or smile they meet,
Each pale and calm in his winding sheet;
| In that sulen home of peace and gloom,
| Crowded, like guests In banquet-room.
| Yet there are graves in this lonely spot,
| Two humble graves,-but find them not.
/ have seen them,-eighteen years are past
| Since found their place in the brambles last
| The place, where, fifty winters ago,
| An aged man in his locks of snow,
| And an aged matron, wthered with years,
Were solemnly laid, but not with tears;
| For none, who sat by the light of their hearth,
| Beheld their collins covered with earth
| Their kindred were far, and their children dead,
When the funeral prayer was cod!y said.
Two low green hllocks, two small grey stones,
Rose over the place that held their bones;
But the grassy hillocks are leveled again,
And the keenest eye might search in vain
'Mong briars, and ferns, and paths of sheep,
For the spot where the aged couple sleep.
Yet well might they lay, beneath the soil
OF this lonely spot that man of toll,
And trench the strong hard mould with the spade,
Where never before grave was made;
For he hewed the dark old woods away,
And gave the Virgin field to the day.
And the gourd and the bean, beside his door
Bloomed where their flowers ne'cr opened before;
And the maize stood up, and the bearded rye
Bent low in the breath of an unknown sky.
IT'S said, that when iife.is ended here,
The spirit is borne to distant spheres
That It visits it's earthly home more,
Nor looks on the haunts it loved before.
But why should the bodiless soul be sent
Far off, to long, long banshment5
Talk not of the light and the living green!
It will pine for the dear familiar scene;
1t will yearn, that strange bright world, to hehold
The rock and the stream it knew OF old.
IT'S cruel creed, believe it not
Death to the good is milder lot.
They are here they are here,-that harmless pair,
In the yellow sunshine and flowing air,
In the light cloud shadows, that slowly pass,
In the sounds that rise from the murmuring grass.
They sit where their humble cottage stood.
They walk by the waving edge OF the wood,
And list to the long accustomed How
Of the brook that vets the rocks below.
Patient and peaceful and passonlesS,
AS seasons on seasons swiftly press
They watch and wait ard Enger around,
Till the day when their bodies shall leave the ground:
B.
THE CREATION OF THE ISLAND OF NANTUCKET
Among the many amusing traditions OF the
people who preceded us on this continent, that
which describes the eGergence Of the Island Of
Nantucket is not the least singular and interest
ing. 1t was told to me in my boyhood by my
grandfather, to whom it travelled from wor
thy old Indian woman, who had it from the lips
of the hereinafter named goblin himself. De
pend upon it, Mr.. Editor, am an accurate and
veracious reporter of the tale as it has reached
nv day. am inclined to treat it as piece Of
downright history, from r-marking, that the
phenomena OF the islands where the incidents Of
the tale are supposed TO have happened, do ac
tually seem TO imply an uncommon origin
Once, indeed, came near adopting the belief,
that they sprung from the sea during the del
uge of Deucalion, and that the worthy inhabit-
ants were the very stones which Pyrrha and her
consort threw behind them. But my GRANDPA
Their observing me consulting Hyginus and
Psalmanzar upon Inexp Probabilities, and learning
the cause of my perplexity, related to me the
story which, am going TO recount, and which
took away all possibility oftheir classic origin.
I hope The inhabitants of those islands will not
be offended with me; l am but the relater of the
tale. In truth, if they are rufhed with any bo-
dy, it must be with my grandfather and the
old squaw.
At the distance Of thirty miles to the west of
Nantucket, there is an island known by the
name of Martha's Vineyard, and a very fine
place it is for one who loves oysters, and grouse
shooting, and plain christian habits. Before
the revolution, it WIS province otitself, a kind
of St. Marine, with royal governor, house of
commons, and, if mistake not, sub-council
of Indian sagamores. pom the northern side
OF this latter island, and very near its western
end, there dwelt, century or two before its oc-
cupation by the white people, spirit or goblin
of unusual properties, merry, good natured,
CON- ivial old fellow, very fond Of laughter and
good Joke. BY way of reference to TIT. name
ofthe little promontory, or elbow ofand, where
he had his ordinary residence, he was called the
Devil of Cape Higgin. He was by no means SO
bad citizen as his title implied. Faults he
had 1t is true, bu, we learn from the best of all
possible authorities, that no one is without
them. He was something of a libertine, and
withal rather cross to his wife; but then he did
ample penance for the latter foible, by his ex-
treme attentions to the wives of his neighbors.
He drank no ardent spirits, ate usually at a
meal the'moderate quantity of couple of tons
of whale, roasted on the embers, but smoked