Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-02-24
THE ENCHANTED GUN.
A TENNESSEE STORY.
BY C. +. HOFFMAN.

that stagnant heaviness of the atmosphere
which often precedes storm. There was
moon, but its face was yelled by the leaden
clouds; and its light, dissipated through the
murky air, created that kind of "darkness
visible which gives drearer aspect to the
landscape than when 1t is wholly obscured.
The only cabin in sight lay in the midst of
a desolate " clearing" which, though COM
pletely walled round by the forest of frs from
whose depths had just issued, bore not
trace of shrubbery to relieve the waste of
blackened stumps. AweI of primitive con-
struction, with the bucket dangling at the end
of grape vine attached to long lever pole,
crowned a naked knoll where the s,umps had
been cleared away. The pole, from which
the bark had never been stripped, was near
ly covered with that pale green moss which
will often collectupon the dry rails ola fence
which have not for years been disturbed 81
and this, withthe night wind whistling through
the parted slaves of the decrepid 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 appurtenance of the
cabin.
The whole picture, it will be acknowl-
edged, was dreary one. Comfortless, mo-
notonous--almost heart depressing A scene
of wildness without beauty; of solitude with
out dignity: a woodland home without one
attribdte of rural cheerfulncss. An abode
IN the wilderness utterly destitute of forest
shelter and security.
The spirits of evil, which in some lands
are believed TO take up their abode in every
deserted palace or ruinous castle, methought
would straIghtway migrate hltherward did
they dream of spot so utterly lonely and,
as it seemed, so an-forsaken IL say
seemed" for though the traces Of what are
called Improvements were about me, l could
scarcely realize that the hands which had
once wrought there might still be busy near.
The man who had made such an opening in
the forest must, thought, have been fright
ened at his own work The moment he ceased
from his toll land become aware how uncouth-
ly he had given shape and form to the spirit
of solitude which still sighed among the tall
trees around him.
l dismounted near the cabin, and scarcely
tocuhed the door with the butt of my riding
whip when it was flung open from within by
some one who instantly retired from the
threshold. The abruptness Of the act did,
confess, startle me. Though not easily alarm
ed, my mood Of mind at the moment was
such as TO prompt some mystic association
with the scenes and circumstances already
detailed. am perfect barometer of the
weather, and the approach of thunder gust
always weighs down my spirits with undefn-
able oppression, in the same degree that a
driving snow storm exhlaratcs them. The
low mutterngs of the oncomng tempest,
which were now beginning to be audible,
would, then, be sufficient to account for my
present sensbility 10 gloomy influences; but
| might also mention other things which, per-
haps, added 10 the present anxiety Of feel
ing, 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 that which now
met my ears was harsh and discordant. 1t
was the croakng tone which you may some-
times catch from sour tempered virago as
she strolls from the convenlicle.
81 thought you'd been here afore," said
this ungracious voice which, upon entering
the apartment, recognized as belonging to
its only occupant.
She was heavy-built woman, of coarse
square features and saturine complexion
She wore her straight black hair plainly part
ed over her eyebrows, which were bushy and
meeting in the middle. One elvish lock had
escaped from behind her ears as she stopped
over the hearth, holding tallow candle to
the ashes which she was trying TO blow INTO
flame, when my summons interrupted the
process.
"You thought would have been here be-
fore ?" exclaimed at last, in reply to her
singular sautation, "why, my good woman,
| have lost my way, and only stumbled upon
your house by accident-you must take me
for somebody else"
Sim no good woman. Don't good wo-
man me-" she replied, with a scrutinizing
glance which had something, l thought, ofal-
most ferceness in 1t, as shading the now light
ed candle with one hand, she turned scorn-
fully round and fixed her regards on me.
"Yes yes, Stranger, you are the man,
the very man that was to come at this hour
| dreamed ye-l dreamed yer hoss-yer
brown eggins and all, | dreamed 'm-and
now 60 look after yer critter while | get some
supper for ye."
Those who are so good as to follow me in
my story will perhaps be vexed and impa-
tient when tell them here that the whole of
this singular scene has no immediate bearing
upon its denouement.
"Why, them" it may be asked, H" do you
delay and embarrass the relation with the de-
tail of matters that have no connection with
the incident for which you would claim our
interest
! did not say they had no connection with
it! They have an intimate-a close con-
nection. 1t was these very circumstances
which still further fashioned the mood of mind
under which became an observer and par
TALLY an actor in the startling though grot.
esque events whichfollowed, and l wish to
place the reader in exactly the same position
that | was in. ! wish to win him, if posi-
BILE, to perfect sympathy of feeling with me
for the hour, and let him exercise his judg-
r L.