Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-04-22
THE ENCHANTED GUN.
A Tennessee Story.
BIT C. F. HOFFMAN.

The evening closed dull and thick, with
that stagnant heavlness OF the atmosphere
which often precedes a storm. There was
a moon, but its face was yelled by the lead
en- clouds; and its light dlssipaled though
the murky air, created that kind Of SHARK
ness visible" which gives drearlcr aspect
to The landscape than when it is wholly
obscured.
the only cabin in sight lay in the midst
of desolate clearing" which though
completely walled round by the forest of
frs from whose depths had just issued,
bore not a trace Of shrubbery to relieve the
waste OF blackened slumps. A we'll Of
primitive construction, with the bucket
dangling at the end of grape vine attach
ed to q long lever pole, crowned naked
knoll where tho stumps had been cleared
away. The pole, from which the bark had
never been stripped, was nearly covered
with that pale green moss which will often
collect upon the dry rails of fence which
have not for years been disturbed; and
this, with the night wind whistIing through
the parted slaves of the decrepIt bucket,
proved sufficiently that the well, if not
dried up entirely, was still no longer used.
A low shed, built Of logs and rooted with
bark, was the only other outward appurte-
nance OF the cabin.
The whole picture, it will be acknowl-
edged, was dreary one. Comlor'less,
monotonous--aImost heart.denressing! A
scene Of wildness, without beauty; of so
litude without dignity; a woodland home
without one attribute Of rural cheeriulness.
An abode in the wilderness utterly desti,
tute o! forest shelter and security.
The spirits of evil, which in some lanls
are believed to take up their abode IN
every deserted palace or ruined castle.
mclhought would straigh,way migrate
hitherward did they dream Of a spot So ut.
terly lonely, and, as it seemed, SO man-tor-
saken!-l say seemed for though the ira
ces Of what are called Improvements were
about me, could scarcely realize that The
hands which had once wrought there
might still he busy near. The man who
had made such an opening in the forest
must, | thought, have been frighten-
ed at his own work the moment he ceased
from his toll, and become aware how I'm
couthy he had given shape and form to the
spirit OF solitude which still sighed among
the tall trees around him.
dismounteG near the cabin, and scarce
" touched The door with tho butt of my
riding whip when it was flung open from
within by some one wto instantly retired
from the threshold. The abruptness of
the act did, confess, starte me. Though
not easily alarmed, my mood of mind at
the moment was such as to prompt some
mystic association with the scenes and cir.
cumstances already detailed. lam per-
feet barometer of the weather, and the ap-
proach Of thunder gust always weighs
down my spirits with undefnabe oppges.
sion, in the same degree that a driving
snow-storm eXhierates them. The low
mutterings of the on-coming tempest,
which we're now beginning to be audible,
would, then, be sufficient TO account for
my present sensiblily to gloomy inhuen-
ces; but might also mention other things
which, perhaps, added 10 the present anxi
ETY. of feeling, if the phrase be not too
strong one. 1t will suffice, however, to
state merely that had not heard the sound
of human. speech in the last two days, and
that which now mel my ears was harsh and
discordaut. 1t was the croaklng tone which
you may sometimes catch from a sour tenn
pered virago as she strolls from the conven-
ticle.
"Ithought you'd been here alore," said
this ungracious voice, which, upon enter
ing the apartment, recognized as belong
ing 10 its only occupant.
She was heavy built woman, Of coarse
square features and saturnine complexion
She wore her straight black hair plainly
parted over her eyebrows, which were
bushy Ond meeting in the middle. One