Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1841-03-19


into.the cool air he felt his head getting light
as if it were going up, balloon like, with him.
self for parachute but holding his hat down
with both hands, as he remembered to have
seen them keep down an inflated balloon, he
managed to get along pretty well, though he
couldn't keep his head from swinging about
with the wind, which made him, he said, walk
as crooked as if he had been drunk, though he
was never soberer in his life.
''It was a wild, gusty night, and the clouds
were drifting like snow-fakes overhead, when
| the major sailed out into the street, and began
his journey to his lodgings. The wind roared
around the corners, or whistled down the Chin
neys Of the old houses around, whose tall, dark,
chilly figures rose up against the November
sky. until they seemed, to the majors vision,
| fairly to SILVER with cold. The stars, high up,
were winking through the drift, except now
| and then a sturdy cid fellow who stared right
into the majors face. One of these seemed
determined to abash him whether or no. Go
| where he would it followed him, so that if he
| looked up he would be sure to see it staring
full upon him with its dali yellow eye. 1t
| made him think, he said, Of his spouse ofbles-
sed memory, when she would stick her arms
! a-kimbc, and make faces at him. Now the
major was good-humored soul, but there are
some things, even Job couldn't endure. The
major bore it, however, until he reached wild
common, when taking seat upon heap OF
stones, he planted his elbows on his knees,
buried his chin in his hands, and looking right
at the saucy star, said,
| &c Hillo! up there-now take COOK look,
and let's see Who'll give over first
"' Hillo = said voice close behind him.
| - 1 I
say that again and l'll pound your face into a
jelly,' said the major, turning wrathfully
around; but, though he looked every where,
not bit of a man could he see even as big as
the tabled Tom Thumb. 1t was, as have
said, wide, open common, with not tree or
house upon it, and if any living thing had been
moving across its surface he would have been
sure to have detected it. What could it have
been He thought of all the stories OF Cob
| Inns he had ever read, aud his hair almost stood
on end as he remembered them. But raliylng
himself, he began to whistle aloud, and stare
again at the saucy star overhead. The sky,
however, had grown darker during the inter
ruption; and in few moments the clouds OBJ
scured the provoking star. For moment he
closed his eyes, and feeling sleepy, dozed; but
his head suddenly pitching forward, aroused
him, and he once more looked up. What
sight was there! Dark, frowning masses Of
vapor swept wildly across the armament
while the wind walled out in unearthly tones
and then went shrieking across the common
like the laughter Of troop ofmallenant fiends
A wood, some distance off. skirting the com
mon, tossed its gray, eahess branches wanton
| ly in the winds; and anon loud, shrI'l wills
tie, as Of an army of hunters, rung out, down
in the very heart Of the forest. The major al
most started from his feet, and rubbed his eyes
to rouse himself from his drowsiness. The
clouds were once more drifting swiftly across
the sky, now rolling together into huge, dark
masses, and now separating, and then weaving
together again into thousand fantastic shapes
Just at that instant the provoking star CLEANED
once more through the drift, and this time i
stared at him mere like his spouse than ever
The major could stand it no longer. Forget
ting the fearful things around him, he shook
his cenhed fist at it, and said,
"' Hilo you old, wry-faced vixen, how
dare you squint at me--Ma--a--a--. jor---Com--
COMPETE ompton-how dare you. say! DE-
you want to remind ne that | was once foo
enough to get married! Ia like to see the
woman I'd have now: all the powers above
CT below couldn't force me to get married agait
no, no, ycn old crab apple: I-I-say---'
"'They coudn't-couldn't they g quietly
said voice a, his elbow.
| SIS And who the deuce are you 7" said the
MAJOR, turning sharply around.
'.' Who do you think !" said one Of the cd.
dest looking beings the major ever beheld-;
short, mis-shapen man, with great google eyes
a roug ish leer on his face, legs that were doub
led up under him like pocket rule, and long
IL
Iy aside his nose, While his eyes alternately
were winkng at the astonished major for the
little fellow seemed to be in high glee at the
wonder occasioned.
"For some minutes they stood looking a
each other without word-lhe majors eyes
growing larger and larger with establishment
while the odd little fellow kept winking away
with his finger at his nose, to his own appa
rent olee. At length he said,
j" Wen, what dye think. old carbuncle 2
SHOW the major was valiant man, anC
had any mortal thing called him by such a
nick name, he would nave first run him thro
and then almost eaten him alive; but he has
| told me hundred times that his heart went
like a forge-hammer to be addressed by being
of another world. So he only stanmered,
"'I--I-.don't know;
Speak up, man, speak np-why you
voice is as thin and weak as if you'd been doc
tored for the quincy month";
Lord bless you, sir, never had it in my
liie,' said the major, with sudden holiness.
| i" Uh--uh--uh, interrupted the little fellow
menacingly, none Of tnal--none of that. NJ
strange names if You please
"The majors heart again went like fulire
mill, and his throat felt as if he was about t(
choke; for he had no doubt it was the dsTi
himself who stood before him.
"I-I--beg pardon-your majesty-1-I,'
"' What! strange names again. sternly
interposed the gogsle-eyed little fellow, ant