Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-08-24
miscellaneous.
THE TEMPEST,
BY GEORGE D. PRENTICE.

are lew scenes either OF human or elemental
strife, upon which have looked with brow OF
daring. | have stood in the front of the battle,
where swords were cleaning and circling around
me like fiery serpents Of the air-l have set on
the mountain pinnacle, when the whirwind was
rending its oaks from their rocky cliffs and scat
terinq them pece-mcal to the clouds have seen
these things with a swelling SOUL that knew not,
that rocked not danger-but there is something
in the thunders voice that makes me tremble
like a child have tried to overcome this un.
manly weaEness-I called my pride to my aid
have sought for moral courage in the lesson of
phosophy-but it avas me nothing-at the fist
low moaning of the distant cloud my heart shrinks
quivers, grasps and dies within me.
My involuntary dread of thunder had its or.
igin in an incident that occurred when | was a
boy of ten years. had little cousin--a girl of
the same age with myself who had been the con-
slant companion ofmy childhood Strange, that
after the lapse of many years, that countenance
should be so familiar to me. | can see the bright
young creature-her large eyes flashing like
beautiful gem, her free locks streaming as in Joy
upon the rising gale and her cheek glowing,
like ruby, through wreath of transparent
snow. Her voice had the melody and ioyousness
of birds, and when she bounded over the wood
ed hill or the fresh green valley, shouting glad
answer to every voice of nature, and clasping
her little hands in the very ecstasy of young ex-
istence, she looked as if breaking away like
freed nightingale from the earth, and going off
where all things were beautiful and like her.
It was morning in the middle of August
The little girl had been passing some days at my
fathers house, and she was now to return home.
Her path lay across the fields, and gladly be-
came the companion of her walk, never knew
a summer morning more beautiful and still. On
" one little cloud visible, and that seemed as
pure and white, and peaceful, as if it had been
the incense smoke OF some burning censor OF the
skies The leaves hung silent in the woods, the
waters in the bay had forgotten their undulatlons,
the flowers were bending their heads as ii dream
inc of the rainbow and dew, luxurious sweetness,
that it seemed cloud of roses, scattered down
by the hands of Peri, from the far off gardens of
Paradise The green earth and the blue sea lay
abroad in their boundessness, and the peaceful
sky bent over and blessed them. The little crea-
ture at my side was in deirium of happiness,
and her clear, sweet voice came ringing upon
the air as often as she heard the tones Of fa-
vorite bird, or found some strange or lovely flow
er in her frolc wanderings, The unbroken and
almost supernatural tranquility OF the day con-
tuued until nearly noon, Then for the first time
the indications of an approaching tempest was
manifest, Over the summit of a mountain, at
the distance of about mile, the folds Of dark
cloud became suddenly visible, and, at the same
instant, hollow roar came down upon the winds
as it had been the sound of waves in rocky
cavern The cloud rolled out like banner-iod
tLo ,;r E,te+ III how
and the leaves as motionless as before, and there
was not even CULVER upon the sleeping waters
to tell of the coming hurricane.
To escape the tempest was impossible AS
the only resort we fled to an oak that stood at the
foot of tall and rugged precipice Here we re .
manned and gazed almost bredthlessly upon the
clouds, marshalIing themselves like bloody giants
IN the sky. The thunder was not frequent, but
every burst was so fearful that the young creature
who stood by me, shut her eyes convulsively.
clung with desperate strength to my arm, and
shrieked as if her very heart would break A
few minutes and the storm was upon us. During
the height ofits fury the little girl lifted her fin
ger towards the precipice that lowered above us.
looked up and an amethystine flame was quiv-
erng upon its gray peaks and the next moment
the clouds opened, the rocks tottered to their
foundations, roar like The groane of Universe
filled the air, and felt myself blinded and thrown
/ knew not whittier. How long remained ip-
sensible | cannot TELL but when consciousness
returned, the violence of the tempest was abatng,
the roar of the winds dying in the tree tops, and
the deep tones of the cloud coming in fainter
murmurs from the Eastern hills.
arose, and looked trembling and almost de-
IrlO 10 ho al tha loor al
of my infant love, stretched out on the wet green
earth. After moment of irresoluton | went up
and looked upon her. The handkerchief upon
her neck was slightly rent, and single dark
spot upon her bosom told where the pathway OF
her death had been. AT first clasped her to
my bosom with cry of agony, and then laid her
down and gazed upon her face almost with a
feeling of calmness. Her bright, dishevelled
rnglets clustered sweetly around her brow, the
look of terror had faded from her lips, and infant
smiles were pictured beautifully there; the red
rose tinge upon her cheek was lovely as in life
and as | pressed it to my own, the fountain Of
tears was opened, and wept as if my heart were
waters. have but dim recollection of what
followed only know, that remained weeping
and motionless till the coming of twilight, ant
that was then taken tenderly by the hand ant
led away, where saw the countenance of parents
and sisters, ...
Many years have gone by on the wings of ligh
and shadow, but the scenes have portrayed still
come over me, at times, with terrible distinct
ness. The oak yet stands at the base of thep
ipice, but its limbs are black and dead and tn
hollow trunk, looking upwards to the sky as
"calling to the clouds for drink" is an emblem
of rapid and noiseless decay A year ago, | Wis
tied the spot, and the thoughts of bygone year
came mournfully back to me-thoughts of tn,
little innocent being who fell by my side, lk
some beautiful tree of Spring, rent up by tn
whirlwnd in the midst of its blossoming. But
remembered-and, oh there was joy in the mem
ry!-that she had gone where no Tightening
slumber in the folds of the rainbow cloud an
where the sunlight waters are broken only by tn
storm breath Of Omnipotence.
My readers will understand why shrink i
terror from the thunder. Even the consciousness
of security is no relief to me-my fears have al
sumed the nature of an instinct, and seem iudee
apart of my existence.
IA MI 49, - y ~