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

chanted lake. For the simple pair had
reached that lake of mystery, and found the
long sought shrine of the Great Carbuncle!
They threw their arms around each other,
and trembled at their own success; for as
the legends of this wondrous gem rushed
thick upon their memory, they felt themselves
marked out by fatc-and the consciousness
was fearful. Often, fiom childhood upward,
they had seen it shining like distant star.
And now that star was throwing its intense
lustre on their hearts. They seemed chang
cd to one anothcr's eyes, in the red hrilliancy
that famed upon their cheeks, while it lent
the same fire to the lake, the rocks, and sky,
and to the mis,s Which had rolled back before
its power. But, will, the iext glance, they
behold an object that drew their attention
even from the mighty stone. Al the base OF
the cliff, directly beneath the Great Carbuncic
appeared the figure of man, with his arms
extended in the act of climbing, and his face
turned upward, as if to drink the full gish OF
splcndor. But he stirred not, no more than
il changed to marble.
alt is the Seeker" whispered Hannah,
convulsvely grasping her husbands arm.
/" Matthew, lie is dead ~
"Thc Joy of success has killed him." re-
piled Matthew, trembling violently. "Or
perhaps the very light Of the Grea, Carbun-
Gle was death !"
"The Great Carbuncle," cried peevsh
voice behind them. "Thc Grea, Ilumbug!
If you have found it, prithee point it out to
me-"
They turned their heads, and there was
the Cynic, with his prodigious spectacles set
carefully on his nose. staring now at the lake,
now at the rocks, now al the distant masses
ofvapor, now right at the Great Carbuncle
itself, yes seemingly as unconscious of its
light, as if all the scattered clouds we're con-
densed about his person. Though its radi-
ance actually threw the shadow of the unbe-
lever a, his own feet, as he turned his back
upon the glorious jewel, he would not be
convinced that there was the least glimmer
there.
"Whcre is your Great Humbug?" be re.
peated. ~ challenge you to make me see
it"
"There," said Matthew, ncepsed at such
pervcrse blindness. and turning the Cynic
round towards the illuminated cliff. "Take
off those abomnahle spectacles, aud you
cannot he p seeing i, !"
Now these colored spectacles probably
darkened the Cynic's sight, in at least as
great degree as the smoked glasses through
which people gaze at an eclipse, With res
olute bravado, however, lie snatched them
from his nose, and fixed bold stare full
upon the ruddy blaze of the Grea, Carbuncle
But, scarcely had he encountered it, when
with deep, shuddering groan, he dropt hi,
head, and pressed both hands across his mis-.
cradle eyes. Thcnceforth there was, il
very truth, no light of the Great Carbuncc
nor any other light on earth, nor light O
Heaven itself, for the poor Cynic. So long
accustomed to view all objects through {
medium tina, deprived them of every glimpse
Of brightness,a single flash of so glorious
phenomenon, striking upon his naked vision
had blinded him forever.
Matthew" said Hannah, clinging to him
"let us 60 hence !"
Matthew saw that she was faint, ant
knceling down, supported her in his arms
while he threw some Of the thrllingl ~ colo
water of the enchanted lake upon her fac,
and bosom. 1t revived her, but could no
renovate her courage.
eyes, dearest !" cried Matthew, pressing
her trcmulous form to his brcast,-"we viii
f go hence, and return TO our humble cottage
The blessed sunshine, and the quiet moon
light, come though orr window. We vii
kindle the cheerful glow of our hearth, a
eventlde, and be happy in its light. Blu
never again will we desire more light thai
all the world may share with u.s.
: "No," said his BRIDE" "for how could W,
) live by day, or sleep by night, IN this awfi'
} blaze of the Great Carbnncle!'
Out of the hollow of their hands, the dranl
each draught from the lake, which present
ed them its waters uncontaminatcd by al
earthly lip. Then, lending their gudanc
to the blinded Cynic, who uttered not
word, and even s,iiled his groans in his ow
most wrc,chcd heart, they began to dcsccn'
the mountain. Yet, as they left the shore
; TIL then untrodden, on the Spirits lake, the
threw farewell gla &C towards the cliff, AM
brhcld the vapcrs gathering in dense volume
through which the gem burned dusAy.
As touching the other pilgrims of tn
Great Carbunclc, the legend goes on to tell
that the worshipful Master lchabod Pigsnor
soon gave up the quest, as a desperate spec
ulation, and wisely resolved to Lctake him
self again to his warehouse, near the town
dock, in Boston. But, as he passed throug
the Notch of the mountains, a warparty q
: Indians captured our unlucky merchant, am
carried him to Montreal, there holding hr
in bondage, till. by the paymen, of hcav
ransom, he had wofullv subtrac,cd from hi
hoard of pine-,ree shillings. BY his lon
absence, moreover, his affairs, had becom
> 50 disordered, that, for the rest of his lt,
instead of wallowng in silver, he had sci
: dom sixpencc- worth of copper. Docto
> Cacaphodcl, the alchymist, returned to hi
laboratory with prodigious fragment of gra
mite, which he ground to powder, dissolve
in ACIDS, melted in the crucible, and burr
with the bowpipe, and published the resu
Of his experiments in one of the heaviest 70
Hos of the day. And, for all these purposes
the gem itself could not have answered bet
ter than the granite. The poet, by some
wha. similar mistake, made prize of ice
which he found in "A sunless chasm Of tn
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