The native American., 1838-04-14
THE STORY.

It is night--the weary wind pants around my
windows-the fire gows in the hearth, and every
now and then, small cloud of smoke pufs down
the chimney, driven out by the blast. 1t IS sad
night, and the world is hushed, and the deep 81
lence is only broken by the baying of the mastff
chained with double chain to the portal.
How mysterious and awful are these gigantic
walls--those dark recesses-and that old and rus
ted armor hanging upon iron nails, how it fills me
with ideas Of the glorious past.
am now an old man-the silver is about my
head, and am not what used to be, when
bounded along the livelest Of all the proud ones,
that have sunk away forever.
But why should ! pause upon the Threshold Of
that which promised you would relate! Often
and often have put you off with promises, and
now as feel the cold shiver Of old age, think it
high time to crafty your curiosity. In this brief
record, you will find ample materials for wonder
and admiration, and when shall have been gath
cred 10 my fathers, read it to your children, a
singular event in the life Of one Of their ancestors.
II is dreary task to 60 back to the days Of our
youth--almost sinful in age to chill the sunshine
Of such memory, with his breath iced and fee
BILE; but yet for your sake, my beloved. will go
back upon the dreary travel, and conjure up once
more the emotions of my youth, and stir the smoul
lering cinders in my heart.
II was your mother of whom shall speak
sHer character was gentle, pure and credulous.
She had no guile, and when wooed her, she did
not shun me, but met my advances as nature
prompted. which was modesty and truth to her.
She was to me elife-soul-divinity. sighed for
the morning, that it might bring ME to her pres
ence--for the night, that might worship her in
all that glorious impregnation OF mystery incident
to my country.
When won her it was in the spring, and re-
member it SO well, SO wonderfully well. see
again the moon and stars shining down upon the
short crisp grass, and svering every blade with a
rich and fretted scabbard. see once more the
leaves trembling in the gentle breeze, the dark old
trees beneath which we used to sit and count the
throbbings of our hearts, one against the other.
She was guileless she was beautiful; she To-
we'd and was beloved; there was a tacit under
standing between our hearts-they had met in
the yearning confidence Of their strength, and
whispered calmly aud thoughtfuly to each other,
there was nothing unexplained. Truth was the
sun; the several and many thoughts common be-
tween us, the stars to our little world. We mo-
we'd together but not apart from the rest-we loved
the world, and had our friends--we danced and
we sung and whirled along the giddy mazes Of
society, but we had our world-one single step
and we were in it, and it was paradise.
In those DAYS wild theory had been started
Dy some Ol our HldHy ulcdiuCiS, anu dH NoiHlahy
had been tortured by the cruel and hideous doc
trine. Crowds followed its professors through
the streets, and mystery and majesty and dread.
full awe hung upon their actions and their words
The science was one that had never before been
heard Oft broke suddenly over the heads of oul
learned men like thunderbolt, and swept onward
into every avenue Of the public curiosity.
shared the common wonder, and in my ardent
spirit, there was awakened most painful desire
to master its secrets.
In this state Of mind, the city in which lived
was visited by one of these strange beings-these
teachers Of the dark and weird lore, and has
tened to his presence l stood upon the thresh
hold of his rOom--he rose at my appearance.
could not move-for his eyes, large, dark and
brilliant, were riveted upon me. There
fascination in them like snake's-so SURPRISING
lv beautiful were they. His forehead was high
white. and without the trace of wrinkle, ant
his dark rnglets fell back upon his shoulders, ant
added to the wildness of his CONFERENCE.-THE
vet he was gentle in every look--a languor-;
softness. almost an effeminacy, which soothed The
abrupt and startling effect of first view OF him
He smoke to me, and his voice was melodious az
the softest musc---sO low--so gentle. became
acquainted with him, and found HIM melancholJ
but not morose--but he looked as we fancy TN
poets looks-those priests of nature. saw hin
perform his magnetic wonders on multitudes, ant
he seemed to sway them as god They breath
ed low and softly when he spoke--their limb
quivered when his large eyes were fixed upo
them, and when he moved about the room thei