Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-10-03

groves, and sporisd 10 the waters. There
was bu. one thing, 10 which he saw
very unusual effect. He noticed that his
passage was not stopped by trees or other
objects. He appeared TO walk directly
through them. They were, in fact, but
the souls or shadows OF material trees
He became sensible that he was in land
of shadows. When he had travelled half
days journey, through country which
was continually becoming more attractive,
he came to the banks OF broad lake, in
the centre OF which was large and beau
tiful island. He found canoe of shining
white stone, tied to the shore. He was
now sure he had come the right path, for
the aged man had told him of this
There were also shining paddles. He
Immediately entered the canoe, and
took the paddles in his hands, when TO bis
Joy and surprise, on turning round, he
behed the object Of his search in another
canoe, exactly its counterpart in every
thing. She had exactly initiated his no.
tons, and they were side by side. They
at once pushed out from shore and began
to cross the lake. Its waves seemed 10
be rising and at a distance looked ready
to swallow them up; but just as they en-.
tered the whitened edge Of them they
seemed 10 melt away, as if they were bat
the images of waves. But no sooner
was ono wreath of foam passed, than an
other, mole threatening still, rose up.
Thus they were in perpetual fear; and
what added to it, was the clearnsss Of the
scater, through which they could see heaps
OF beings who had persisted before, ard
whose bones lay strewed on the bottom of
the lake, The Master Of Life had, how.
ever, decreed 10 let them pass, for the
actions Of neither Of them had been bad.
But they saw many others struggling
and sinking in the waves. Old men and
young men, males and females, Of all
ages and ranks, were there: some pass
ed, and some sank. 1t was only the lit.
tie children whose canoes seemed to meet
no waves. At length, every difficulty
was gone, as in moment, and they both
leapt out on the happy island. They
felt that the very air was food. 1t
strengthened and nourIshed them. They
wandered together over the blissful fields,
where every thing was formed to please
the eye and the ear. There was no temp
est-there was no ice, no chilly winds--no
one shivered for the want OF warm clothes:
no one suffered for hunger-no one
mourned for the dead. They saw no
graves. They heard of no wars. There
was no hunting Of animals; for the air
itself was their food. Gladly would the
young warrior have remained there for.
ever, but he was obliged TO go back for
his body. He did not see the Master Of
Life, but he heard his voice in soft
breeze: "Go back" said this voice, "to
the land from whence you came. Your
time has not yet come. The duties for
which / made YOU, and which you are to
perform, are not yet finished. Return to
your people, and accomplish the duties of
a good man. You will be the ruler of your
tribe for many days. The rules you
must observe, will be told you by my
messenger, who keeps the gate. When
he surrenders back your body, he will
tell you what to do. Listen to him, and
you shall afterwards rejoin the spirit,
which you must now leave behind. She
is accepted and will be ever here, as
young and as happy as she was when
first called her from the land Of snow. F"
When this voice ceased, the narrator
awoke. 1t was the fancy work Of a
dream, and he was still in the bitter lands
of SHOWS, and hunger and tears.