Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1844-05-23
THE MAN OF ASHLAND.

SpcCtluiy ana corQldliy Dedicated. oy
THE AUTHOR.
THE MAN OF ASHLAND.
There is written down in some volume OF
Legendary love a superstition a, once sublime
and beautiful, a strange superstition that weuld
teach US TO believe that the great asd the good
of lnis earth are guided, watched over and be-
loved from very childhood, by guardian spir-
1t, holy angel who first fills the young heart
with dreams of ambition and then teaches the
unframed loolstep The ways of glory and honor,
the paths of triumph aud fame.
Such guardian spirit, mighty being robed
in majesty and clad In power have Imagined
locking forth from the mystery of its invisible
being, upon this rude and homely scens.
In small and narrow room with low ceiling
and eaninsd walls, some dozen young men
whose rustic attire aud swarthy features dis
closed by The light Of Ike solitary rush-lighl,
mark The hardy backwoodsman of the west, are
seated ON rough-hswh benches, listening TO the
.tammering words of the orator in their midst
Gaze well upon that young orator, friend of
mine for by my faith, the guardian angel looks
upon him with interest and anxiety Gaze
upon hiu,-a tall stripping with lean snd some
what bony figure, with u face by no means
handsome, marked by prominent nose, wide
niouih and high cheek bones, while his fore
head 50 bold so high, so full and towering in
outline gives soul 10 The expression of that large
grey eye-saze we'll upon lilm, ana observe his
coarse Attire, the garments OF homes2un, their
unsanly shape and rustic fashion. and as you
gaze treasure each iri.ilng detail .. his appear
snce in your memory
The boy essays lo speak. His voice is in
distinct, YET there is depth and volume in its
sound He extends his hand-the gesture is
rude and awkward Ii is but rustic audience,
and yet The would-be orator cOlors TO the fore
head with modest dlffiaence The boy pro-
ceeds his words came stsmmsring and slow
yet he seems 10 gain confidence. A few more
words, few more awkward gestures, and the
grey eye hrlshens, he voice rolls boder and
fuller. The boy-oralor lorge,s Time, place, pow
eriy and diflidence. His soul warns in him
and his hearers rustic as they are, lean over the
rough benches, their eyes and ears fixed i'll
brealhless interest. They utter no word--Ihey
de not whisper. Sull the gray eye bright
ems, still The boy-Urator warns in bis theme and
now he stands before you, raised 10 his full
height, The ungainuess of his figure forgotten
in the grandeur of his look, The coarse home
spun of his garments Forgotten in The majesty
Of the soul speaking from his uncouded brow
! Aud hen ln deep Isned words he opens IL
his rustic hearers The riclI clIireasures OF his kcar
he filings around him lke gifts of his prsdIga
fancy, he awfs them into b:ealhless silence, he
urges The involuntary shout of surprise and ad
Il. Il
his bursts of trembling feeling he bnngs The
warm ihrob TO their hearts. the heavy lear tt
their ewes He stands confessed the germ o
a mighty man, ne the poor boy, the humespun
clad uackwoodsInan, the orphan aud The slrau
ger.
/ The smile On he dewy lips Of hs virgir
when first she yields them To her lovers kIS'
is sweet, the smile of the widow when the pea
Of fame sounding honor TO her first-bofn, telling
OF the difficulty overcome, the triumph won
rings in her ears, Is lovely, and lovely is lh'
smile wreaubing the lips Of Gods angel
when The loy of the repening sinner come. uI
10 heaven. but swee:er than all Is the smile o
thai guardian angel invisible to mortal ey'
he looks forth upon The first triumph of the OF
phan boy Ia the rough log-cabD IN ihe West
The father st the boy and The mother sleep un
der the green sod. la lar-away land, and We
tho son. the rough-elad orphaned son has dis
covered The existence of the mighty puws
, within him, has made his fouslefs ring on til
Sometime last year. the Author commenced i
the Journai series of articles entitled the : Me
of the Revolution" The main design OF these es
says was to impart vivid and passing glimpses {
the most brilliant points in the lives OF our Reyo
} lutionary worthless without entering into the mir
ute details Of their several histories. The, Sfyi
,cds adapted TO the object, and should be Judged
this cie,o alone, apart from any other critical rule,
. The success OF the Revolutionary series induce
). the Author to commence the Men of tue lal
War" The first of this series was DeatFin tn
White House" The next the : Man of the Hel
mitagc" "The Man Of Ashland" constitutes n,
= 3 of the SERIES The reader will of course remeu
bel that il is written without any paiiizan views.