Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-09-17


ed IN the village. Margaret had closed the eyes of
her benciactors. Almost all those who were at her
intended marriage, had gone to their last rest A
new generation had sprung up, and the remembrance
oil Peter S adventure, or his sudden disappearance,
no longer existed. except those traditions which,
passing from age to age, increased by the relec
ton, the thoughtfulness with which superstition is
capable OF inspiring persons Of little education
They spoke OF Peter in his country rs a super
natural being They accused him, at all events. of
having league with evil spirits In the cold sea
| son when the wind drove the hoar frost over the
earth. and made the dry branches Of the Gins and
beeches creak, rather, when pent up in the chin.
ney, It's sounds rcSembled long aud mornlul groans
the good DANES pretended thatit was Peter who had
come to ask their prayers and 4 last asylum. They
used to say That they recognized his voice in the
howllng OF the storm. when the snow no longer hid
| the smiling aspect of the fields, and when the sun
clothed the wheat and the ne-leaves on the hill
side with golden hue.
Inc cry oil the night raven, the murmur of the
wind among the leaves, the noise of the adder con
cealcd in the thick grass, the distant bowling of the
wolves all carried fear to the breasts of the inhabi-
tants when they Were obliged 10 leave their cabins
lhe woodinan, when these sinister warnings met
his ear, would bring down his axe with more vigor.
and would work on in silence knitting his brows.
and ever and anon casting troubled chances around
him.-I'he mother collected her children about her.
as IL she feared the cold hand of Peter going
| uSSccHu from ABOVE ana harm her lnnOcentS.
Peter was every where. Prayers We're offered
him, tapcrs were burned in honor Of him. The ter
rhed imaginations of the poor peasants led them 10
look upon him rs always busy in plotting harm for
them In this manner did they fear him. who.
during his short career, had other desire but to
do good To those about him. ..
AT last it happened that, after much labor all the
veins of the mine Were exhausted, and it was ne
cosSary to commence upon new ones. For this pur-
pose the master came and his arrival was a signal
| Tor holydayS and pleasure.
He only man, and yet was adored by the
miners as Il sort OF divinity, He assembled them
To communicate the projects of the engineers who
had come with him. They made plans, drew lines
pointed out the new routes, and soon the dull sound
| OF the pick was heard against the granite blocks,
and The blows of the malock and the rumbling Of
barrows told that the work had commenced. The
work had gone on four days and the party who had
accompanied the master was much diminished
The young girls and the youths, who had come to
attend the miners holyday. at the opening of the
work, had returned 10 the city; and all were gone
home except few intimate friends and the enni-
neers They were necessarily calculating, for they
wished TO increase their masters fortune and pro
vide for the safety of the miners.
Suddenly an unusual noise was heard Ii was Il
dull murmur, like the distant warning OF n storm,
1t increases-Cries are heard, painful cries-The
earth trembles-!Ihe master is soon at the mouth
Of the mine. The bell is rung with all haste, ali
the ropes are put in motion He wishes to leap into
one OF the baskets to 90 to the aid OF the uniortu-
nate miners whose death, he believes, is inevitable
All came up. The miners have escaped. They
are pale trembling, and the sweat rolls down their
faces.
.'What is the matter % cried the master, as pale
and as tremulous as the living spectres before him.
ga man death IA miracle !--an ap-
parition!'> Such were the words, the exclamations,
which escaped from their mouths, which were cold
through fear, and horribly distorted
! Soon, however, the master was able 10 collect
few words, to form Ineligible sentence of the
EXPLANATIONS dictated by fear.
While engaged in opening communication be-
tween the new mine and the ancient ones. the
workmen discovered stratum less hard than they
had before met with. Stones aud earth Were not
| its only Ingredients, but the foreign substances
which they found in great abundance, seemed to
indicate that in times gone by an immense sinking
had suddenly happened i'll that place.
The work was not difficult A miner loosened
large masses Of earth and stonesby single blow of
his pick. All Of sudden. very large mass which
! had nothing to support it slid down, gas escaped
from the aperture which it left, it took fire, and
while it was burning, what was the establishment
of the miners 10 see descending by It's light young
man to appearance asleep.
His brow is smooth, his cheeks fresh. even re-
tanning the color Of life but his eyes, his mouth
are motionless. Instead of going to him. or cndea-
vorng to recognise his features, or aiding him. for
perhaps he had need of aid, oyerseers and miners
fly with the utmost precipitation from this unex-
pected apparun.-Fear, in the short distance they
have TO pass through TO meet their comrades, sup
piled their imagination with enough for tale.
IL is 10 longer man. it is internal spirit, who
has to show himself to them, in the midst of
lightning and thunder. 1t is that divinity who has
his home in the mines, and who often appears to
interrupt the miners in their labor. His form is
colossal. They saw him move. rise up. stretch
out his powerful arm. 1t must be that he is now
walking through the gloomy chambers of the mine,
threatening to burn the props of the new vaults
to destroy every thing, TO bury all.
The master listened carefully TO the exaggerated
reciials Of fire terrified wOrknen, but remained
calm. He cast glance around him. The miners
have all up from the niue, the eyes of all arc
fixed upon him. all, with looks of terror. seem to
wait for him to decide, to give command for ac-
ton.
"To the mine !" he cried, after speaking few
words in an under tone TO his friends and the cngi-
about bin. and Chen descended with the rest
The truth was Soon known. and broad day light
disclosed the cause of their terror.-Thcy brought
out OF tho mine and laid upon the ground the cold
and damp body of young man
0 His dress indicated other times, and other fash
ions 1t was neat, and it was easy to believe thai
r he was arrayed for n holyday. Golfer was buried
near him it was opened, and was found 10 contain
some jewels, a golden cross, n chain. and n medal
+ lion Upon which cypher was engraved but tmc
+ had probably injured these pledges Of love. intend
Y ed. perhaps. for some adurcd mistress
c The whole village assembled. and while the en-
giueers were making their examinations. while tn.
C authorities lost in conjecture, each nhaban
c sought, but in vain, in his memory for some mean
d Of ascertaining who the young man was but al
in vain.
9 ''Margaret!" cried voting woman. with tom
al no c'erl,f Of