The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1841-06-05
A MIDNIGHT IN CANTON.


sence Of misery was betokened by the
stiffness that reigned around. Morpheus
had woven his gentle letters around his
willing votaries. They lay in silence
and in peace. Dreams, pleasant and hap
Ply, may have awoke occasionally their
otherwise pleasant and happy sIumbers
Delightful visions may have fitted
athwart the imaginations of lovely nsjd
ems, and MAJ suPerlatively happy that
existence which abandoned sleep 10
pure blameless hearts had already made
enough so; but naught else existed to
mar the softness and innocence that ho-
vered over our beautiful village. Calm,
soft, angelic Peace was mistress Of the
night. No sound was heard to break up
on the listening darkness, save the low
hum of insects and the distant watch
dogs honest bark, that ever and anon
shot its admonitory sound across the sub
lime stiffness that ruled and reigned.
There! a ark
cloud slides across the moon and the
darkness and the silence are increased.
A sound, sweet, musical, symphonious,
floats along the trees, and almost lights
upon, in worship of the flowers that drooP
around laden with dew. "The nightin-
gales high note is heard" What mu-
sic flute or timbrel can compare to sweet
Philomel's song-and at the dead hour
of night, when it in witching cadence"
seems to bound through the solemn still
ness with such a "dying fall" How
kind in that sweet warbler of hilltop and
grove to come among US at that lone
time, and lull US to siumber with his song,
at sound Of which every waking head is
raised, for hearing, to swiftly drink in the
rich melody Of that sweet voice, as sweet
to him who has not whereon to lay his
love, as that Of maiden in the ear OF him
to whom she has passed her VOW Of eter-
nal truth.
= The cloud blackens; the
night grows quite dark, slight breeze
fans the brow, curls the green foliage,
and slowly passing on its way, all is
smooth and quiet and calm again. The
thousand little fre-fies, those miniature
comets, that darti streaks of fame along
the ground, inhaling the fragrance of ro-
ses and tulips that bloom in profusion-
they too have closed their wings in dark
ness.--All is hushed. What time for
conts mplation of the natural, the moral,
the beautiful. What time to purify
and soften the feeIings-to improve bad
men and make good ones better. The
great earth is spread out like garden
the g stars which are the poetry of hea-
ven," shine out in splendor upon it. A
voice melodious and sweet breaks upon
the solemnity of this scene. Some loving
discontinued fair one whose eyes SLEEP
has fled, is wooing rest and peace for a
beating heart from the blandness and pu
rity that seem to pervade the world
around her.
The heavy tramp of horse at speed
is heard in the distance. The clattel
of hoofs sounds along the ground. The
bounding steed draws nearer. His drip
ping sides and distended nostrils indicate
haste and momentous business. What
can be the matterf The impatient ridel
urges the tired courser around a darl
corner of street. A tremendous Sian
is heard at the door of one Of our mos
respectable merchants. In moment
rafting, almost laundering noise is heart
at another door. "The snoring citizens
are waking. A shout is heard. Curios
ity is standing on tip toe to know tn
cause of this unreasonable alarm. fno
Their shout The usually urbane and &C
commodating merchant is at his door
The stranger wants bits aoorth Of fish
hooks!
The two rival candidates for Governo
in Tennessee, Messrs. Polk and Jones
| h ov;yoo vo,Jo nt.,,ov4, - /, II 900 ~