The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-05-29


[PRIOR,
Chateaubriand has a pleasant story, which
we would not for worlds believe 10 be pure
invention, however, in our cooler moments
we may suspect il, about the very gentle
manly behavior of q rattlesnake with whom
he brushed up a passing acquaintance be
meath the cataract of Niagara. In conse-
quence of his great powers of tongue, his
singing sarcasm, and backbiting propensilies,
ChateaubFiand and his friends very much
dreaded too close an intimacy with this very
showy-looking denizen of the woods; and as
he was beginning TO manifest signs of dis
pleasure at the abrupt intrusion of an Euro
pean party upon his privacy, it was the most
fortunate circumstance in the world, quoth
C~ha:eaubriand, that one of the gentlemen in
his company bethought him of pulling u flute
out of his pocket, aud trying the effect Of a
tune. Lo and behold you! this most cult
waited Of rattlesnakes forthwith manifested a
very admirable dile4ante taste for music
became charmed into quietude by the sweet
strains poured forth from the Frenchman's
Futo mGgico, and repaid the gentleman's
double tonguing by sustaining from any ton
guing of his own. and suffering the party to
proceed without molestation. We propose
TO hang up as a pendant for this. f~anciful
sketch of Cha!eaubriand's a real fact which
occurred sometime since in the backwoods
Of America.
Ephraim Elbow. a Kentuckian, ofthe gen
uine breed, possessed a talent which made
him very popular in a thinly inhabited coun-
try. He was an accomplished player on the
fiddle, and at the dances with which the set
tlers obeered the long winter nights, each
giving a rude but truly jocund entertainment
in succession, EphraiIn was sure TO be an in
vited guest. He was a good fellow, and a
capital hand at shipping "a tough yarn q
quality for which most Kensuckians are con-
lspicuous; and when 10 this was added the
rare talent Of playing dancing tunes very re-
specially on the violin, it will be readily in
ferred that he was Judged no small acquisi-
lion TO these rustic parties.
Upon one occasion it happened that Eph-
rain staid for a longer period than usual al
one of these dances, partially detained by the
potency and other excellent qualities of the
liquor, which was served by the proprietor OF
the log house, partly by a little Irritation.
verging upon matrimony. in which he hap.
pened just then 10 be engaged. As he was
vending his way homeward, the first grey
light OF morning was beginning to peep ov-
er the Eastern hills. Ephraim had just ar
rived at an old clearing near the edge Of the
woods, upon which stood the whitening fame
of a dilapidated log hut. Here he sat down
for an instant to rest his wearied limbs, for
he had danced and played all night, and to
muse on the beauties ~offace, form, and mind.
which conferred in the future Mrs. Elbow.
Suddenly a terrific bowling came from al
sides on his ears, and imagine his horror
when he found himself beset in every direc.
ton by an immense pack of wolvesi
They had scented him from afar, and OF
they came at full speed, excessively pleased
with the prospect Of so savory a breakfast
, A flying assault Of Platof7s Cossacks neye
produced greater CONSERVATION in the breas,
Of NapoleOn's militarieS at the retreat from
Moscow.
Ephraim remained for an instant horror
q chained TO the spot; the next he bounde,
up from the block on which he was seated
like a man struck through the heart by
| musket ball, and rushed into the interior G
the hut; the door stood wide open, and h
made a violent effort TO close il, but its rus
ty treacherous hinges gave way, and it fe
;, to the ground. Here was a new consterna
ton.
Ephraim remained for an instant left fc
reflection. The foe was fast closing upo
o him. They howled, as it were, in his yer
e ear, and with terrific loudness. Ephrair
q thought he had never heard sounds so lou
! before. He sprang upon a beam with a DE-
e gree of agility which would make the iortun
e of Hervio Nano, the Manly. The wolve
were now in the log house.
Ephraim sprang to a second and still higl
er beam; but the foremost of the pack ha
already reached the first. They were ev
IDENTITY bent upon breakfasting in the To-!
I house.
al Great as had been Ephraim's consteru
ton, and hurried as his retreat bad been in
: the interior of the hut, he had not deserte
his beloved fiddle. 1t was partly throue
III instinct that be had held both fiddle and DO
n firmly grasped in his left hand, partly throug
the esteem in which he held it, for il was
o. very capital violin, and a new purchase
To that violin, strange as it may appear, i
i'd owner was indebted for his life.
I'd Ephraim was not much OF a scholar; b
a as Tom Moore says in his cutting address
Sir Hudson Lowe, "perhaps he'd read
heard repeated" the well known line
& Music hath charms tosoothe the savage breas
he At all events the thought struck him-a1
a lucky one it was-that it might be of us
PC and could do nc harm, TO try the effect
IL "the concord of sweet sounds on the furio
of beasts by which he was surrounded. III
nd presto! be struck up, with a nervous twit
of the elbow, the briskest tune in existen
d --to wit, Yankee Doodle.