The Litchfield County post., 1828-12-11


 against the coming invader their num- berS were immense, for the rarcness of ! shade and water had gathered them from every quarter of the desert.
 Whle s'o"d clinging to my perilous hold, and fearful of attracting their gaze by the siigh,ess movement, the source of commosion at length appeared, in the shape ofa Romln soldier issuing spear in hand, through ravinc at fhe farther side ! of the valley. He was .paIpably uncon- scious of the formidable place into. which he was entering and the gallant ciamnr of voices through the hills showed that he was followed by others as bold and uncon- scions as himself.
 But his career was soon closed lis horses feet had scarcely touched the turf, when a lion was fixed with fangs and claws on the crea,ure's ioins. The rider uttered a cry of horror, and fer the instant, sat fH!:elnlessly gazing at the open jaws behind h,".. Il saw the lion ga herring up his ffanks for second bound, but tllc soi.i,er, a figure of gigantic strength, grasping the nostrils of the monster with one hand, and, ! with the other shortening his spear, drove the steel, al one resis,less thrust, into the lion's forehead. Horse, lioh, and rider, fell, and continued struggling together.
 In the next momen', q niass of cavalry came laundering down the ravine. They had broken off from their march, through accident of rousing straggling lion, and followed him in the giddy ardor of the ] chase. The sight now before them was c. nough to appal the boldest intrepidity.- 1 The valley was filled with the vast herd retreat was impossible, for the troopers came still pouring inby the only pass, and from the sudden descent uf the glen, horse and rider were rolled head foremost among the lions neither man nor monster could retreat. The conflict was horrible and the heavy spears of the legionaries plum ged through bone and brain. The lions, made more furious by wounds, sprang up- on the powerful horses and tore them to the ground, flew at the troopers throats, and crushed and dragged away curiass and buckler. The valley was a struggling heap of human and savage baule man, lion, and charger, writhing and rolling in ago. nies, till their forms were undstinguisha- ble. The groans and cries of the legiona- ries, the screams of the mangled horses, and the roar and howing of the lions, Ibleeding by the sword and spear, tearing the dead, darting up the sides of the hills in terror, and rushing down again with the flesh thirst of gore, baffied all conception of fury and horror. .. | But man was conqueror at last the sav- ages, scared by the spears and thinned in
 heir number, made rush in one body to- wards the ravine, ,overthrowng every thing | c.o tba waking the desert for many league round with their roar.'
 l The following from the Savannah Mercury, though .'short sermon, is nevertheless very pithy one. The writer of admirable sermonzer: he is very concise and comprehensive. Periaps the subject might have been continued little further with pro prey; but the deficiency can be supplied by the reader with a trfng exertion of thought, until he can with justice apply considerable share of the moral to himself
 | A SHORT SERMON.
 ssAnd the Whale swallowed Jonah.'
 'And Jonah was in the Whales belly three days and three nights"
 | My dear readers the whale which swallowed the recreant prophet of, old. may be likened to the many monsters which swallow up the aberrant sinner Tn our own days. l When an individu l becomes the slave of appetite, and gives himself up to the habits of finiemperance when the mol ming land evening of his days is passed in wan dering from one drinking establishment to ano,her; plying the early julep. the stupi- 1 flying anu-fogma,ic, and the stimulating cocktail, may we not say, the 0h0te h0fh ssooltosced him ap! I When one becomes so lost to all senti- ments of decency, callous to all sense of shame. as 10 drown his faculties in tho in- toxicating bowl; and indulge in habits of drunkenness, tih he becomes a ioatllsonfe and disgusting obJectto his nearest aud dearest friends can we not wuh the an cient writer excEaim, he has been in the whale's belly at least thrse days aid three lnights! 1 When we see a young man hurry ing a. Il long in the pursuit of pleasure following lthe idle phantom through every scene o' Nldissipa.ion; in mirth and revelry m ca {. r.,usaIs and brolhels-n'ay we not say The .l uhaie h0th sU0L0wed him uP!
 | When an individual becomes tue con srant attendant on the gaming table; r'Sks his fortune, and the peace and happiness oi