Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-11-09


Ieven including little Jean, that could re
press our risible faculties at the comica
expression of Hens features HoweveI
after some persuasion, and a promise 0
| reward, he consented TO accompany US Il
the delapidated bridge before mentioned
This we accordingly soon reached, and
recollect we'll the expression of my
father, sssublimelv beautiful as he cas-
his eyes down the stream which here
seemed almost wholly excluded from the
rays of the sun, the tall trees On either
side INTERVENING their branches above
IN occasionally impenetrable masses O
green foliage.
/ But the bridge at first view appeared
IN such state of decay as to render il Q
matter of question whether it we're pru
dent TO encounter the peril whica il seem
ed, from some ayowed invisible cause
however, awaited the luckIess wight
Deaderick Hutz, when in pursuit of bis
heifer. = On examination, however, il
was found that one side of it had been
recently repaired. and was quite secure.
s.Come, Hendrick,' said my mother,
cheeringly, '.lead the way, unless you
are afraid the bridge will break"
''Goshl Pm not aleard o. that neither"
said Hen; .that ere plank's string
enough for load of flour, | warrar-
if you'd a seed what uncle DeadeFick
seed setting on that ere bridge nee
| you'd"
swell, Hen, no nonsense said my
/ father-''come, if you are assured d its
strength, lead US to where we pro'ose
going; surely you are not afraid be-
cause you have heard some foolish 5to-
ries of this place."
II am not afraid" said /, boMy;
"come, father, let us 90 without hin,
them" taking my fathers hand, while
Hen was about leaving US on his way
back.
Ny mother laughed at him-and so
did my father uttered "for shame 50
stout fellow and such a coward :" len
stopped, turned round-no-he w5lld
not be called coward; and with hi4fa-
vorIte ejaculation Of aGosh!' he sta bed
| past Us and walked briskiy upon lhe
bridge
But, alas! poor Hen-he was too cbn-
fident OF the lrail structure upon shich
he strobe with so much assumed bold
ness-had It moi been for that mis1laced
confidence he would have perceived that
he avoided the part that was evhently
strong and secure, and chose that which
was as evidently weak and DANGEROUS
| Before my father had time TO aution
him of his error, he made the faal step
upon plank decayed To rottennss, and
down he went souse up TO his chm in the
water beneath, which here VIZ much
narrower aud Of course deepefAhaR a.
other parts of dhe stream but. among
his other qualifications, being a excel
lent swimmer, he soon regaind terra
| firma, when, with an inprecatIn upon
US all of ''Gosh yel'' he retreatety Al full
speed, homeward, and was 500 out of
view.
All hopes of his further guidalce hav-
ing been by this untoward accitnt lost,
it was determined to continue ar walk
Notwithstanding, on the oppose side of
the stream: the bridge was asily pas
sed in perfect safety, and f. minutes
brought US to a part of ting romantic
stream, the recollection of flich even
now brings with it feeling'f supersti-
tious awe, like that which FELL remem-
Der experiencing as, gras.ng my ia
theirs hand, looked on scene be
fore and around US.
We had crossed over, va some little
difficulty, rock that, prgeting into the
creek, had kept wholly. ON our view
the curtained and exteL ke bower into
which we had entered, Beneath we
trod en- carpet of gree verdure that
seemed newly spread, 1t were, by
some fairy hands for Il approaching
reyel: above US was an npervious cell
ing of the richest foliag, that extended,
as before observed, ovt and across the
stream, the opposite bank of which,
elevated considerably above that on
which toe were, gave Re appearance of
an inaccessible wall, 3the foot of which
he rivulet passed, Hhout murmur,
along. All above, be,w. and around US.
the eye met nothinglut the deep green
of shaded verdure, tthout a single raw
of the blessed sun enliven that deep
solitude And allMas silent as the
tomb!
"My love! is it r growing late2''
"Four O'Clock, aH we are not more
than a mile from bne," answered my
father, as we resuEd our walk.
sTheadore, tire are some fine
grapes, said my Ather, pointing 10 the
right. where thetrowth of shrubbery
and underwood f ned an apparent bar
rier on that side | this secluded spot.
Forgetting foI moment the feelings
10 which the sch had given rise. | t.asi
tened followed h little Jean, to gather
the purple frns HAT hung SO invitlngEy
n the dark reel before me- In my at
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