Lewisburg chronicle, and the West Branch farmer. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1849-1849, 1849-12-26
THE CHRONICLE,
----sse..- ith
SATURDAY, DEC. 22. 'uel
For the LewisJurg Chronicle.
THE MAGICIANss''
BY C. sTRATTAN, PHILAD.

Twas the last night Of the year. =
nusing in my chair on things new and o
SIS Fancy with busy finger spun the webo
ylruerng thought. 1t seemed 10 me ash
we're 10 half dreaming, half wakis 10
situation, and rather unconscious o. ,hine,
passing near me. Once, and only once
did raise my eyes, and look around me-
The room appeared as usual-ihe roaring
Of the fire in the oval stove was as loud
as cheerful as ever. On my table the
wide and gaping mouths Of stands OF horn
Seemed like the viSages Of the hobgoins
tha, l had resd about but never seen.
glanced at the old fashioned and quantity
shaped clock 10 the corner. The hour
hand pointed the figure X. Ia two hours
more. thought ]. old Forty-Nine delivers
his vaIedictory, and Fifty hi, inaugural
address. a. h of regret escaped me.
dsey my chair near The fire. for it was
cslJ.5 leaned back against the wall, and
soon found myself in the same mysterious
land of thought.
thought Of home. Of pleasant scenes,
df joyful meetings. Of bounding hearts, Of
sweet and smiling faces, Of things most
joyous and exhileraiing. Spring, Sum-
mer. Autumn, and Winter scenes all passed
before me. | recalled my whole life.
How was little urchin, sitting on high
stool, listening, and feeling. The admonl'
tons of a learned pedagogue. whose height
of body and cane corre.ponded. Then
again | was skating along Tho lce-bound
pond, as ii rang with my geometrical cur
vatures. Then years seemed TO intervene.
| vas a youth of larger growth, wander
ing beside a fair girl. whispering kind
words in her ear. while she, young, gay
and JOYOUS, seemed TO me to be too pure
fcr thing OF earth-so good. so kind
was she to all. But her spirit, like a
winged thought, has fled TO The regions of
empyrean bliss. thought of everything
pertaining to my actions, emotions, and
feelings, until they seemed 10 be confused
mass Of dusky sha6ows-aye, thought
they were springng into life real forms,
real faces and as they came past, they
appeared to look into my very soul and
read the contents of It's mysterious pages.
Suddenly they vanished in a spiral cloud
Of mist-they we're gone!
Then | experienced mingled emotions OF
ave and apprehension. Nv mind seemed
10 lose portion Of its activity. The room
fled before me- lost all control over m,
thoughts. Itried 10 imagine where | was,
but could not. | was borne through the
air, knew not whittier Some powerful
imPeIiing agency from without, urged me
on. Al length l found myself in strange
and mysterious situation. Everything was
changed. looked around and beheld The
four walls of cell. A blazing fire sho;
rs fliul crimson far and near, while the
pine and knotiy oak laid thereon cracked
and hssed quite joyiully. No light save
that which emanatel from the rude hearth
stone, was seen. In the unearthly glare
ii threw around, could see that the walls
abounded with glisteniog curvatures made
by The shiny track Of numerous snalls. and
that here and there the green moisture
oozed from its rocky surface. The ceiling
was. low and thickly clustered with many
coIored and quaintly shaped crystals.
While stood musing. a jarrng sound
without startled me. An aged man en-
tered, | knew not how. Though bis coun-
,enanaeF betokened extreme age, yet his
form looked as tough and hardy, as straight
and supple, as young forester. Ills lace