The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-02-10

III tte bcauulul, VINO fIleQ the Who'll
heavens and earth with his love.
AS he travelled on, even the ostriches dis
appeared, and no living creature could b
seen, but myriads of ants crawling in blacl
streams over the ground, or building thci
numerous pyramids Of clay, on the sides O
which, green and speckled lizards basked il
the hot sunshine. The little streams tina
dubbed up in the'mountains were heard nj
more, and neither roots nor berries could bt
found. But here and there wild watermelon
lay on the sand, and with them Marossi re
treshed himself and fed his painting antelope
Fortunately, he could sleep with comparative
safety on these dleary plains, where there
was neither food nor drink to allure wild
beasts. Days passed, and the half famished
boy again came TO mountain ridges, without
having seen a single human habitation. lie
climbed the SUBMITS eagerly, to search for
roots, while his antelope browsed on the foil
age. Ear below him lay q verdant valley.
through which flowed a silver stream, f.inged
with the graceful willows Of Babylon. Flocks
OF zebras fed in the meadows, their GLOSSY
striped coats shining in the sun. And there,
oh joyful sight! in a grove of mimosa trees,
on the margin Of the river, was a cluster of
~ IltNi anu IOpi-SOIt us ne was. the
boy pressed forward with all his remaining
strength, longing ineXpressibly to hear the
sound Of Il human voice. But when he came
nearer, and saw a white man seated in front
of the cabins, his heart dropped down like
lead. He looked back anxiously toward the
mountains, and doubted whether it were not
best to fly and hide himself again in their
dark recesSeS. But the smell Of sayorv food
was borne on the air, and he was almost starry
ing, So, leading his antelope by a 0 . of
grass, he walked up to the man, and yaid in
broken Dutch, " Stranger, | am all alone in
the world. The suppliant bend of his tiexile
form, the sad tone Of his voice, and the plead
ing earncstnoSs Of his large brown eyes.
touched the heart of the Scottish emigrant.
who was himself an exile in a strange land.
He led the wanderer into his cabin, where
the kind wife brought water for his weary
feet, and bound soft bandages about them,
while the little children came, one after
another, to bring some article of food. When
he had appeased his hunger, he looked up to
hank them, and a whole circle Of white faces
smiled upon him atfectionatclY. Poor persc-
'uted child! He had not mct such chances
lncc they whipped his neither from lin and
he unaccustomel kindness filled his swelling
Ieart too full. lie laid hi9 head down on the
lcck OF his antelope and wept freely; and
hus the weary one fell asleep in that friend
Y cabin. Long and sweet were his slumbcrS,
md he awoke amid smiling faces and kindly
ones.
Never dill A%owor-bud, transplanted from
winds to sheltered hooks and genial
u%nshlne, unfold more rapidly than did this
Wild human blossom. His plant form moved
With ireer grace, his innocent face beamcd
With affection, his faculties crew keen and ac-
i've in the service Of those he loved, while an
n%tuitive politenesS Of the heart taught him to
e always unsclfishIy considerable OF them.
hey loved the beautiful brown boy, as if he
:ere their w son, and from their friendly
pS the Christian maXims Of peace and good
ill sunk deep into his gentle heart.
Wien they went to England, two years ae
onward, they took Marossi with them,
Wherever he went, he attracted the love Of
trangc,s by his bright intelligence, his afIcc-
onate docjlity, and deep religious feeling.
he humid climate of Great Britain brought
II consumption, during the rapid progress of
'hich his expressive countenanre became
lore and more transparent. and lighted up
Va ''l al ~ d'tlti 4 hilCN that lt I.
as dying, and he asked to be haptised into
re Christian church. Many witnessed the
lteresting ceremony, and as they gazed upon
is innocent countenancc, they said to each
Their, "Verily OF such are tie kingdom Of
But though the soul of the Young African
'as tranquil in the arms Of a happy faith,
lany of the doingS of Christians seemed dark
nd strange to him. At first, he thought the
British were the real children Of Utiko, and
hat Portuguese and Dutch must be the chill
rem Of the devil. But he alterward learned
hat the British had carried on the slavc.trade.
ct worshipped Utiko in their temples, the
anne as now. This incongruity no cXplana-
ion could ever make clear to him. And
here was alothcr thing which greatly per
lexed his unsophislicatcd mind. The day
e was baptized, the minister returned thanks
God for a great victory the British had
aimed over their enemies; and when he re-
home, he heard Engiishmcn saying to
ach other ilat SO many Erenchmen had been
HE'D, and so many wounded. Suddenly
here Jared up before his imagination n vision
f that terrible night in Africa, wien he saw
leeding relatives and neiehbors struggling
4 the lurid light of their own burning homes.
lie pondered deeply over this conversation
t the Christians, and when he was alone
18th his friend and teacher, he spoke of it,
nd inquired whether the great prophet sent
y UtIko had not told men to forgive their
nemies, and always return good for evil.
lis teacher, somewhat embarrassed, w
ayes; but the king must defend his
and the troops must obey the king
" Does not the king then believe in Utiko
nd his prophet 7" asked the simple young
onvert. d
The Christian teacher did the best he
ould in his awkward position. He made no
to reconcile the practice of war with
lie gospel of peace, but contented himself
18th observing that many things above the
apprehension of Marossi would be explained
} him in heaven. The meek disciple bowed