Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-05-21
MrSCELLANY.
THE MIDNIGHT REVEL.

n Alesbury towards Northumberland, as
n at the decline Of day two travellers on
/. horseback, were crossing with weary
pace, the long range Of ridges towards
: the great elbow Of the Susquehannah
: aud Notwithstanding that The clouds lay
, heavy on the dark and distant mountain
. tops, and the shadows Of approaching
, nigh gathering rapidly, they paused
upon the northern extremity of the last
omInence, dismountcd, and appeared to
be taking survey - the country around
them, II country embodying some Of the
finest scenery IN nature. To the north
and south, one vast extent Of forest lay
outstretched, broken and diversified by
hill and valley, now dimly seen. but not
} less interesting in its aspect. In one
direction was to be seen seven stupen-
dous pyramidrc piles; pushing their pine
crowned submits through the black
clouds, they seemed fit habitations for
tho fierce spirits of the restless elements,
and one could almost fancy the angels
Of the tempest gathering to their awful
dwellings in those unvisited realms, a
universe Of stormy clouds; while in the
west a peaceful river flowed away in
calm and unbroken solitude through its
devious course. Such was the scene
the travellers were left surveying, when
twilight followed tho declining sun, and
the dreary night was swift upon the tran
sient glooming.
A long three miles from this, on dim
and narrow road, was a small public
house, called in those days, the "lnn Of
the Forest" There was a thin settle
ment from this somo miles on, chiefly Of
men Of the rudest cast in life, often hon
est and kind in their way, nevertheless
brooked not I'll, control Of law, and liv-
ing far off from city and town, enjoyed
their game, and were themselves the on
ly umpires Of each others rights and
wrongs: such as these were made up the
company that gathered in the taver: that
night, and as the winds blew louder, and
the weather grew colder, so did their
noise and rioting, and the turbulence Of
their spirits increase within.
Mingiing with this tumultuous assem-
bly, around tne bar-room fire, and the
long card-iable stretched out before it,
were now to be seen tho two strangers;
they were wrapped up in fur hunting
cloaks, and while one Of them took part
in the boisterous laugh and played his
game at the card table, and drank free
| ly, the other stretched himself to sleep
in corner The more sociable stran-
ger soon acquired the confidence of his
now companions; and US he himself pro-
fcssed to DO a tavern keeper, he gained
the especial favor of the landlord, a
black whlskered, downcast, dark looking
man, upon whose countenance the stamp
of vice was fixed, and VINO was tho loud
est and most clamorods IN the circle,
and drank. and played, and bsastcd, and
cursed .g.l kind Of frenzied infatua-
.ou
Their rioting was kept up throughout
the midnight hours, and while the wea
RED and iuebriateG guests, one by one,
dropped asleep, and while without the
storm sung in melancholy and plaintive
sweetness through scared pine trees,
that single stranger kept the little circle
he had gathered round him in fixed and
wakclul attention by narrowing tales of
hei-devised murders, and fearful retri-
buttons, and walking ghosts, and dis.
coveries brought to the light of day by
supernatural agencies: and detailed a
thousand instances to prove that
"Murder, tho it hath no tongue, wrl speak
With mtst miraculous organ"
In vain the host endeavoured to turn
at every period. In vain he stirred the
dying embers, and invited the guest to
sleep. In vain he trembled and turned
pale {; tho traveller seemed invincible,
and at every change murder and its
bloody consequences were still his theme,
and still his eye was fixed on the dlsqui-
eted features Of the host. 1t was dark
and penetrating and his voice grew
hoarse as he bid them hearken to the
screeching wood. 1t seemed to him he
said, to be burdened with voice. In
the words of Macbeth "still it cried
sleep no more to all the house." The
company started and listened, some
thou ght they heard voice, and some
thought they distinguished those very
words what can it mean was the in
quiry that went round shark" said the
stranger, "heard you not that ! listen
ROLAND, ROLAND, mother and sir inno-
cent children, murdered BY your hand,
summon you 10 the grace ,eith Htem.'
| A heavy charge, said he, who started
at the awful import Of the words, rose in
wild agitation, and clenching his fist,
hallooed as to the voice-"If l slew
you it was at the iustgnation of anoth-
or, and the money | got for it, buried
in the rapids of the Susquehannah y
"Yet for that crime," said the other
stranger, who had now lay silent and
apparently asleep, "by virtue of states