Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-12-22
[WHoLE No. 663.
}]opular Gales,
From The Family Companion.
HOMESPUN YARN.
The Experience" Of the Blacksmith oi
The Mountain Pass.
From the Family Companion.
CHAP l..

ges or gaps IN the great Apaiachiah
chain OF mountains, in their passage
across the northern portion Of Georgia,
a blacksmith had erected his iorgc, in
lhe early settlement Of that regiop by
the American race, and drove q thrifty
trade in the way of facing axes and
pointing ploughs for the settlers, and
shoeing horses for wayiaring people in
their transit through the country to ex-
anime gold mines and the land.
AS he was no ordinary parsonage in
the affairs Of his peighborhood and
will make conspicuous figure IN this
narrative, some account of his pccu-
iarities will not be uninieresting
Having acted through life on home
ly maxim of his own-'pay up as you
go up, he had acquired some money
aud was out Of debt, and consc cquently
enjoyed the glorious privilege of being
independent in degree that is un-
known TO many who occupy larger
portion of this worlds attention thnn
/, himself lie was burly, u well looking
man Of ibirty-Gve, just young enough TO
feel that all his faculties, mfptal and
ply sicpl, had reached their grraiest
| Development, and Just old enough to
have amasscd sufficient experience Of
men and things, to make the past
serve as finger post To his future
journey through life. With shrcwd,
but open, bold and honest look, there
was a gleeful expression in the corners
Of his eyes, that spoke Of fun. The
laughing devil in his eye was not
malicious spirit, however. His physi-
cal conformation was that which COM
bined great strength with agility, and
If he had been fated to have been n
contemporary Of his great prototype,
Vulcan, there can be no doubt but the
Lemnian blacksmith would have alIois
ted to him front forge in his estab-
lishment, to net as sort Of pattern
card, and TO divert the public gaze
from his own game leg to the lair pro-
portions Of his foreman.
4 Now, although Ned Forgcron, for
such was the name he had inherited
from some Gallic ancestor, was good
naturcd man, yet the possession ot
great muscular strength and courage,
and the admiration which successful
exercise Of this power never fails To
command, had somewhat spoiled him.
Without meaning to iniure any mortal,
he had managed, nevertheless, 10 try
his prowcss on sundry of his neiGhbors,
and from the success which always
crowned his honest efforts in that way,
had unconsciousIy acquired the char
acter of a Juliy.
! With very few early advantages of
elementary education, he had nevcrthe-
less, at different periods, collected n
mass of heterogeneous information,
which he was very fond of displaying
on occasions. He was sort Of politl-
cal antiquary, and could tell the opinion
of Mr.. jefferson or Mr.. Madison, on
any subject, apd was referred Ia on all
disputed points of the theory and history
of the government, that arose among
the candidates for the legislature and
country politicians. This he studied "n
account of the consequence II invested
him with. But why he had treasured
up an old aud well lhumbed copy of
Painc's cage Of Reason" and af-
fected sccpticisIn MS 10 the vcraciiy of
the story Of Jonah and tho whale, and
BaIaam and his ass, would he hard ac-
counting for, unless II proceeded from
the desire pl q character for singulariy
and rrudliop, When vanity once gets
the mastery of mans reason, there IL
no telling the absurditcs il will lead II
into. lie was fond Of speaking of Vol
ncy, aud being found with a copy Of
,Taylor's "Dirucss" IN his hand, al
though lew of his nelghbors had heard
/ of the author of The Ruins, or knew
what Dicgesis meant.
This peculiarly, together with the
pcrlinucliy of The missionaries, Wor-
ccsler and Butler, which carried them
To the prnlicplinry, may account for
Iihc great aversion of Mr. Edw ard
Forgrron to all preachers 9th" Gnsp,l
| His dislike Tor them was 80 excessive.
that he could scarcely speak of the
jbypocrl,Ical scoundr,ls, as he 'aIl,d