The Port-Gibson correspondent., 1843-04-08


res hem
nela ags.
lnoI Vei TOO e Is eson
lenl9y ihe low even l
isached the nd5le ol e va ben
stood solitary and agea oak near 81
Dec q dried up no6n "a stream. Il
around q base piles Of ggots served 0.
Ter resting place. lis invited me kind
Z 70 seat myself whilst llie boy collect
Led the patieu, flock here gas rnanne.
about hiniWaich struck me, ard sneH
not Why, as jsldicaiine nlystel.y; and as
he leanl tIohghtfuliy against Tie Old
phlS, vas surveying, delighled.the may.
ftlliicenF panorama around US. The bright
Porphyry Of the cfags which bounded
one side ofsfhe valley. sparkIea in lis
hlashing hues heightened greatly bv
the oblique rays OF the setiing sun
ss hlst the dark green Of the forest, form.
ioa opposite limit, presented pic
lufe Of contrasted beauty indescribable.
whist ray eyes were reveling in these
splendors. . hill prominently presented
itseil cut OF all keeping with its near
nelghbors unlike them. covered with the
gorgeous gifts OF abundant nature, lis
lace was abrupt and broken; It was COW
cred with crumbIing fragments Of rock
and rubbish; it was cold and !orbiiding,
and down to is base was deep furraw,
made by some mountain torrent, which
extended TO and passed the spot where
we were seated. Il was at this time per-
fectly dry, aad the eye was thas depriv-
ed ofd cascade that would have left noth-
ing to perfect the pictefe. On The top
Of his bill stood an old stone building.-
ITS walls were Iofty--no roof covered it;
at its four corners stood a few tall som.
hfe iirs, here and there were apertures,
once serving for windows
"ln the deserted easements Dcsola+ionssits
And the clouds of heaven
Pass through the dwelling.o
On one side Of the hill, was huge dam.
whose stone boundary reached lie edge
ofthe deeIiyity, and a tnifkwheel, bleach.
ID by timesand tempest, stood fast and
these Al once indicated the
originel uses of ihea bpAdings Rims
structures, and sfaliea teinbs,,
are certainly no novelties to the travel
er's eye; but Of all the demonstrations Of
he finite character of man and, his
WORKS. none ever makes more impress
sion on me than the ruins Of a NH. lis
! mighty machine, moved by the might |
ef sPiritof man. lt.moyss only at lis
IS not lhere4-ti1e walters rus 1 20 more
The iofrent of life is dried'up---itis mans I
autobiography.
Perhaps | may be accused. of a NOR
5idity Of sentiment 10 this. believe
much is due TO the very romantic and
retired situation in which We then stood. |
In this spot, the fairy regions, and al The
glowing hour Of evenng,i was persuaded
some tale attached to the ruins we were
aud enquired Of my
guide the history Of that desoIate spot
amidst so much beauty. lie seated him
self by my side, and with grave and
air, he thus commenced the
narrative Of the Silent Mill.
XAt the time when the celebrated
Thirty years. War laid waste and rava /
oed our fatherland, there came into
these parts-which from their position,
surrounded on all sides by mountains.
far from any public road, and, as it were,
from the horror and desolation
Of war-a stranger. More than fifty
years had passed over his head, but he.
was not bent by his years; on the con-
trary, his carriage was erect, and indie
alive of strength lie was sometimes seen
with the noble proprietor Of these lands,
whose race is now extinct, and whose
hereditary mansion is now in ruins. At
length he engaged workmen, and upon
the spot before US he caused a building
to be erected-that which you see-a
mill, kept in play by the waters from
the higher mountains, which became the
resort Of all the neighboring mlilers.-
The stranger lived in secluson. tie
conducted the work almost with his9own
hands-he formed intimacies with no
one, and was sparing with his words 10
his intercourse with others. .Sllll no
one accused him Of pride. Ills demean-
or was measured, but not (orbldding; aud
his unaffected manners and simple dress,
his integrity ia Werd and deed, united
natural dignity, could not fail to.secpF e
| him fle respect 6f al, Ihe 0ce1pas
ltion he bad chosen Ytass hoWeTer consld'
cred as not cons ent with his real sla.
lioD Of life, et no one gafe g zpEesssaa
10 this qsnegal seq atq Z Res s.e'
l'long before sse Rislss fQH IS
Surrounding
fgrhe alif66e ae nge
shared g ssnee