The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1839-10-05

Mount me into the sky.
am sick, must die
Lord have mercy on US
"Beshrew me but thy song hath moved
me-" turned from the window through
which l was gazing, unperceived, & left
him repeating fragment upon fragment.
My uncle was accustomed 10 rise with
the sun, and continued his habit to the last.
But he no longer enjoyed the songs of the
birds, the babling of the waterfall, nor the
fresh breeze of morning laden with frag-
rance-their influence had departed from
them; still he adhered 10 his custom, and
would wander from his green meadows to
the maple grove, and from the grove to the
river, as ifin pursuit Of something-he knew
not what. On his return, his usual remark
was. "Is it no! strange thar the flowers
should have lost their fragance, and the lit
tie birds their skill in singing!" In happi
er days how he would praise the flowers
and the birds.
AS term-time approached, his malady
even insreased. His morning meal would
scarcely be over when he would adjust his
dress, and call for his hat and cane, and on
being asked wither he was going, he would
Invariably reply, "To the village to see
my friends OF late they have ceased TO
come hear, aud it is right that l should see
them
He would for hours walk from one end
Of the village to the other, ard bow TO al
who accosted him, yet pause to converse
with none. And on his return, when my
good aunt would inquire whether he had
seen his friends the constant reply was,
"No; have fallen in with none Of them"
Alas my poor uncle, how thy brain must
have been shattered to imagine that man
in adversely can ever find his friends!
AT length the dreaded day arrived-his
cause was marked for trial, and in few
hours the result would be known, The
matter in dispute was not of such great mo-
ment, but he had brooded over it until his
fears had magnifed it to vital importance
His opponent was coarse and brutal man
and in their protracted contest the abruptness
of his demenaor had awakened whatever la.
tent asperity had found a hiding place in my
uncIe's bosom. He looked upon that cause
tr filing as it was, as the most important
matter of his life. His daily thoughts and
ilritated feelings had magnifed it. Even
the little ant by constant application can,
create monnd altogether disproportionate
to its own size, and there is not column
so beautiful that may not be delaced by the
rail of Shiny snail. My poor uncle feared
the ant hill and recoiled the filth Of the
worm.
The morn his case was to be tried, he
dressed himself with unusual care, and my
aunt, knowing the bent of his mind, eXerci-
sed all her appliances to encourage him.
He went to the court house, and took his
seat, detected man. lie looked around
as if in search Of some ore TO sit beside him
to aid and sustain him, but none such were
present, and he sat alone.
The cause was called, the jury empanol
led, and the investigation proceeded. Eve
ry question that arose in its progress,
wrought up my uncle's mind to painful in
tenseness. In the ord er Of his feelings he
at times interrupted the proceedings, and he
was rudely ordered by the court to sit down
and be silent. He obeyed, while ever fibre
of his frame shook with passion, and often
ded pride. His opponent smiled in ri-
umph as he beheld bis confusion my uncle
sat alone no one approached to sympathize
with him, and he felt as if deserted by all.
In consequence of the distracted state of his
mind, his defence though, a just one, had
been imperiecty made out Facts had es-
capped his memory papers were missing