Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-02-19

not near them. The stars, those dial-points
Of Heaven, now warned the adventures to
close their eyes on the blazing logs, and open
them, in dreams, 10 tho glow Of the Great
Carbuncle.
The young married couple had taken their
lodgings in the furthest corner of the wig
wan, and were separated from the rest Of
the party by curtain of curiously woven
twgs, such as might have hung, in deep fes-
toons around the bridal bower Of Eve. The
modest little wife had wrought this piece Of
tapestry, while the other guests were talking.
She and her husband fell asleep with hands
tenderly clasped. and awoke, from visions Of
uncar,hly radiance, 20 meet the more blessed
light of one another's eyes. They awoke
at the same instant, and with one happy
smile bcaming over their two faces, which
grew brighter, with their consciousness of the
reality of life and love. But no sooner did
she reccolect where they were, than the
bride peepcd through the interstices of the
the hut was deserted.
"Up, dear Matthew !" cried she, in haste.
1.-THE strange folks are all gone Up, this very
minute, or we shall lose the Great Carbun-
Gle !"
In truth, so little did these poor young
people deserve the mighty prize which lau
lured them thither, that they had slept peace
fully all night, and till the SUBMITS Of the
hills were gli,tering with sunshine while the
other adventures had tossed their limbs in
fevcrish wakefulness, or dreamed of climb
,ol ~ ra,1;oo Sl,sr
dreams with the earliest peep of dawn. But
Matthew and Hannah, after their calm rest,
were as light as two young deer, and merely
stopped to say their prayrs. and wash them
selves in cold pool Of the Amonoosuck,
and then to taste morsel Of food, ere they
turned their faces to the mountain side. 1t
was swee, emblem Of conjugal affection, as
they toiled up the difficult ascent, gathering
strength from the mutual aid which they
al1ol ded. After several little accidents, such
as torn robe, los, shoe, and the cntangle-
ment Of Hannah's hair in bougl, they
reached the upper verge of the forest, and
were now to pursue more adventurous
course. The innumcrable trunks and heavy
foliage of the trees had hithertoo shut in
their thoughts, which now shrunk afirigh,ed
from the region of wind, and cloud, and
naked rocks, and dcsolatc sunshine, that rose
UNNECESSARILY above them. They gazcd
back at the obscure wilderness which they
had traverscd, and Il nged to be buried again
in its depths, rather than trust themselves
to so vast and visible solitude.
"Shall we 90 on?" said Matthew, throwing
his arm round Hannah,s waist, both to pro-
tect her, and 10 comfort his heart by drawing
her close to IT..
But the little bride, simple rs she was, had
woman's love ofjewels, and could no, foregc
the hope OF possessing the very brightest in
the world, in spite Of the perils with which i,
must be won.
"Let us climb little higher" whispered
she yet TREMENDOUSLY, as she turned her face
upward TO the lonely sky.
"Comc them" said Matthew, mastering
his manly courage, and drawing her along
with him for she became timid again, the
moment that he grew bold.
And upward, accordingly, went the pill.
grims ofthe Great Carbuncle, now treadne
upon the tops and ,hickly interviewer bran.
ches of dwarf pines, which, by the growth o
centuries, though messy with age, had barely
reached three feet in altitude. Next, the,
came to masses and fragments of naked rock
heaped confusedly together, like cairI
reared by giants, IN memory ola giant chief
In this bleak realm Of upper AR, nothing
brea,hcd, nothing grew; there was no lii'
but what was concentrated in thcirtwo hearts
they had climbed so high, that nature herscl
seemed no longer to keep them company
| E,-nr,I III, than, ,pit1,,, the,
of the forest trees, and sent farewell glance
after her children, as they strayed where he
own green footprints had been. But sool
they were to be hidden from her eye
Densely and dark, mists began to gathe
below, casting black spots Of shadow on tn,
vast landscape, and sailing heavily to on
centre, as if the loftlcst mountain peak hat
summoned council Of Its kindred clouds
Finally, the vapors welded themselves, as
were, into mass, presenting the appearance
of a pavement over which the wandercr
nigh, have ,rodd"n, but where they wonl'
vanly have sought an avenue to the bltssc,
earth which they had lost. And the lover
yearned to behold that green earth again
more intensely, alas than beneath cloud
ed sky, they had ever desired glimpse o
Heaven. They even felt it relief to thci
dcsolaton, when the mists, creeping gradu
ally up the mountain, concealed its loncl
peak, and thus annihila,cd, at least for then
the whole region of visible space. But the,
drew closer together, with fond and melan
choly gaze, dreading lest the universal clou'
should snatch, them from each others sight.
Still, perhaps, they would have been rcso
Lutte to climb as far and as high, between cart,
and heaven, as they could find foot-hold,
+ IIannah's strength had not begun to fail, an
with that, her courage also. Her brcat
grew short. She refused to burthen her hus
band with her weight, but often tottcrc
against his side, and recovered herself cac
time by feebler effort. At last, she sam
down on one of the rocky steps Of the acIivit,
awe are lost, dear Matthew" said she
mournfuly. ave shall never find our wa
to the earth again. And, oh, how happy W
nigh, have been in our cottage!'
"Dear heart we will yet he happ
there" answered Matthew. "Look! i
this direction, the sunshine pene,rates tn