The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-10-07

nor" continued he, hut for hese dear children.
| con'd find i in my heart 10 wish that we might
lie down in that long, long sleep, in which all
trouble is forgotten. What is life' sleep full
orrouhng dreams and terrible visions; night Of
clouds and storms, on which scarce II star Gms
f'lnl CLEAN. lelnre it is ohscured again beneath
the black and driving racks which forever derorm
the heavens. For seven yenrs have not toiled
with snccssant labor?-and for WHAT A misera-
hle plliance, Just enough 10 sustain lif,--as If
such life as lead were worth sustaining have
trcnbcd when opened my wre,ched hut to the
stranger, lest he should recognize in me a convc-
ted murderer. When have gone abroad, have
not dared To look at my fellow men eye 10 eye,
lest stamped on my brow they should read, mur-
derer. During The broad light Of day have STAR
ted Mt the shadow, and qua,Icd nj the rusng of
leaf; and when night has spread her welcome veil,
! have lain down 10 dream Of accusations, PRISONS
and the gaows Nigh, follows day, and day sue
cccds to night, and still like the patient camel, I
toll along henraih my burden, over barren and
. finiy desert"
Eleanor leaned her head upon The shoulder Of
her husband, and he felt her warm tGars trlclling
on his bosom.
Forgive me dearest" continued he " that
Tins rcpine II is selfish in me Inns 10 grievc; FL,
You have been to me an accomplishing partner in
all my sulIrringS, and full paraker of my igno-
miny. If life is desert, there is vel one fountain
that gnshes nmids, is burning sands; there is vet
one bright cieam Of ligh breaks through he clouds
which surround mo; one sweet form that ningps
in my dreams, one sweet smile that soolhrs my
waking anguish, ! have something yet 10 live far"
These melancholy onporngS Of poor Wilson's
excited mind were now interrupted hy the elder
Of the hoys, who rushed into the apartment, ex-
claiming, " Father! father! the prairie is all on
! fire.
Urged by a natural impulse, the inmates Of the
cottage mnvod towards The door, The scene which
presented Itself was one of the u'mo grandeur, II
has been already observed that the wild blew in
freah gnsIs along the wide prairie, causing the de-
cayed grass and herhnge tho previous autumn
to undu'l'c like the pillows or the ocean. Those
only who have Witnessed The devaSng fires which
either in the lIl or spring season Of the year. u,n.
ally spread from one end to the other of the I'M
men'c prrirrS of t>n Western S;tn'cs can form an,
iIea Of the beauty Of tho scene. The flames hid
already extended themselves entirely across the
wide savanna, and were approaching with The IA
pdry and etrnenesS o. Il body cf Infatuated cav
r'ry In some places, facilitated by the dryuess
VI the soil they won i sho1t along with the velor-
~ NJ lightning, sending their cracking aud c,rtrd
volumes hish in the air; and in others where III"
grass h,d heen beaten down, or the dummies Of
the earth for II moment ret ardcd their progress,
they would pause for an instant, Ike a warrior in
he midst of hot pursuit STOPPING from his char
ger to nlirt death blow on some covering enc
my. Then, ms if The purpose Of delay had been
accomplished, they would sweep along again with
the drsoIains fury, roaring and crack'iug Ike the
triumphant cSnllHipn o. mn innumemhle host
maddcncd with victory and drunk with slaughter.
Dense and itchy volumes Of SMOKE nlrcady GI-
ed the air, completely observing the clear azure
ascending and revo>i Ing clouds or vapor. fiery md
red, and The air qnivcred, like the earth h"(nrr
volcano, with the intense heat which spread through
it,
"Grcot Cod" exclaimed William whose eyes
and ihnushls had been chained hy the terrible
'uagnfrence Of the scene, but who nnw imnagin.
ed that he saw, amid the red aud Pickering mass,
small black moving ohircl--"Grca, Cod" ey-
Gained he, ",ondrr il traveller squirting his
Sced with fn.inn1 haste, in tho vain hope 10 es.
cape the fiery element. lie will be burnt to
DEATH"
q" see him! see him" cried Eleanor in agony,
whose eyes had followed her In h,n $: "Ie i,
mounted on u soody s,eed. but bis strength seems
well nigh exhausted"
"And now the fires have reached the hgh and
dry spot by Wonder poin, Of woods! hi, fate i. GER
tain" cried her husband rushing forth
""ris Squire Blande,! :" exclaimed one Of the
boys ." know him by his black hor c, ii, Squire
Blandey"
Sussn, who, till she leornrd that travellers
life was endangered had gn2rd upon the flames rs
an ordinary occurrence with n mind To much or
ruped Ivy other events to permit her fully cuio, inn
the grandeur Of The spectacle now rushed forth
when The announcement reached her car her heart
bursting with the fearful interest which il excited
cast a hurried glance along the broad front OF the
devnurn- fumes, which, having reached The sum.
mi, Of the acclivily. were Mt this time raging with
Incredible fury, and sending revolving masses of
Pickering fire to the clouds tie. oths seemed
almost starting from her head "a they glanced from