Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-04-23

have no doleiul picture 10 uraw, no sor-
rowful demand to make G upon his sympa-
thies. Ii has been the lot Of many a
wanderer, returning after shorter lapse
of years, to find the scenes Of his youth
gone to ruin and decay. Ii ! had any
thing 10 deplore, it was the improvement Mt
of my home. 1t had outgrown my re-
collection from its very prosperity, and
strangers had crowded into it from every
cline, to participate in its overflowing a
bundance. a little was sufficient to re-
conciIe me to change, the result of
prosperity. My friends, too, once cus-
tered in neighboring contiguty in mod
crate community, now scattered widely
asunder, over a splendid metropolis,
soon gathered together to welcome me;
and never did wanderer, after such an
absence, experience such a greeting -
Then it was that every doubt vanished d
from my mind. Then il was that felt
| was indeed at homeland that it was
a home Of the heart! | thanked my
stars that ] had been born among such
friends; thanked my stars, that had
conducted me back to dwell among them,
while l had yet the capacity to enjoy
their fellowship.
1t is the very reception | met with that
has drawn from me these confessions.
Had | experienced GOODNESS or distrust
had l been treated as an alien from
the sympalhes of ny countrymcn, !
should have buried my wounded feel
ings in my bosom, and remained silent.
But they have welcomed me home with
their indulgence; they have shown that,
notwithstanding my long absence, and
the doubts and suggestions to which it
had given rise, they still believe and
trust in me. And now, let them feel
assured, that am heart and soul among
them.
l make no boast Of patriotism; | can
only say that as far as il goes, it is no
blind attachment. l have solourned in
various countries; have been treated in
them above my desevts; and the remem-
brance of them is grateful and pleasant
to me. l have seen what is brightest
and best in foreign lands, and have found
in every nation, enough to love and hon
or; yet, with all these recollections liv-
ing in my Imagination and kindling in
my heart, look round with delightful
.exultation upon my native land, and feel
that, after all my rambling about the
world, can be happiest at home.
And now word or two with respect
to the volume here presented to the read
er. Having, since my return to the u
nited States, made wide and varied
tour, for the qualification Of my curiosi-
ty, it has been supposed that did it for
the purpose Of writing book; and it has
more than once been intimated in the
papers that such a work was actually in
the press, containing scenes and sketch
es OF the Far West.
These announcements, gratuitously
made for me, before ! had put pen 10
paper, or even contemplated any thing
of the kind, have embarrassed me ex-
IceedingIy. have been like poor ac
tor, who finds himself announced for a
part he had no thought of playing, and
is expected on the stage before he has
committed line to memory.
| have always had repugnance, n
mounting, almost to disability, to write
in the face Of expectation, and, in the
present instance, | was expected to write
about region fruitful of wonders and
adventures, and which had already been
made the theme of spifit-sirring nara
tives from able pens; yet about which |
had nothing wonderful or adventurous to
offer.
Since such, however, seems to be the
desire Of the public, and that they take
sufficient interest in my wanderings to
deem them worthy of recital, l have has
tened, as promptly as possible, to meet
in some degree, the expectation which
others have excited.-For This purpose,
have, as it were, plucked a few leaves
out Of my memorandum book, containing
months loray beyond the ouiposts of
human habtation, into the wilderness oi
the Far West. 1t forms, indeed, but a
small portion Of an extensive tour; but
it is an episode, complete as far as II
goes. AS such | offer it to the public,
with great diffidence. II is a simple
narrative Of every day occurrences;
such as happens to every one who trav-
els the prares. l have no wonders to
describe, nor any moving accidents by
flood or field to narrate; and as to those
who look for marvellous or adventu-
rous story at my hands, can only re-
ply in the words of the weary knife
grinder: "Story! God bless you, | have
none TO tell, sir" 4
ELEGANT EXTRACT.