Democratic banner., 1849-01-01

upon your back, and your feet shall loose
their WEAKNESS; your heart shall bcuId
with the full pulse of felicity, and you shall
be borne on your way upon wiaas stronssrl
than those OF the mighty eagle" |
Hubert hesita,ed as the bright being held,
the cup still nesEer.to .his grasp His sk-I
tended hand spseaFyd:a as rssiy to skatsh
it, but doubt and fear = withheld him frsn,j
grasPing its slender item. A.other mo-
msns Of indie eisien. and il gssarss-d with
in its pal9:.
Drink, mortal!' said S,e, tand become
almost as immortal as myself. It will in-I
case your heart with armor impervious to
the shafts of care, and raise on your crest'
the bearing of the fearless warrior. You
shall be no longer serf and vassal but the
lord Of al that surrounds you; seeing thro'I
its influence the hidden treasures of the
world tlst now UNDECIDED sparkle beneath
your feet, where the gnomes who hate man
kind, have hidden them from the sight Of
all but those who have the courage to face
the dangers Of the fairy world
The Gends Of ~avarioe and ambition seiz-
ed upon the heart Of the simple woodman.
To be rich! to be great! perfect happiness!
What golden promises! The soft bewitch-
ing voice of the fairy still whispered with
siiveIy tones in his ear, the fascinating
words. Foolisi, mortal! was he not al
ready richer thar a king in the love Of his
wife and children? was he not greater in
his honest simplicity? and had he not en-
jOyed perfect happiness beneath the roof
of his lowly sequestered cot9
He looked for one moment upon the lus-
trous eyes Of the being before him, and, as
if facinated, drained the magic goblet at q
draught.
What CUISINES Of enrapturing pleasure
dtssush kis~ boNndhs Coins! He
Stalw art frame seemed to dilate as he yield
cd the cup TO the ready hand Of his tempt
Ier.
The vistaged trees melted, as it were,
from their rugged forms into towering pill
lars Of shining marble of the most dazzling
whiteness; the greensward rolled like
waves from beneath his feet, and lie stood,
with the mysterious being BY his side, upon
a flight of prophecy steps that led to o pal
ace Of interminable terraces, towering in
their magnifcence even to the blue arch Of
the heavens.
The load fell from his shoulders, and wa.
seen no more; the trrmor left his heart as
he gazed upon the wonders around him
and he felt as if he had wings that would
carry him to the topmost height of that
wondrous palace. Vases tempted him or
either hand, laden with, the treasures Of
the mine. while jewels invaluable were
scattered at his feet, in numbers v~ieire
with the pebbles Oh the sea.shore. Music
soft and delicious wrapped his senses in
ocIIS'OuS ociiItuLn, ever dnu anon swelling
into a lively measure, prompting him tt
bound forward in a wild and rapid dance
As lie progressed through the magnificent
halls, the attendant fairy kept plying lin
with draughts from her b%ewildering goble
Of sapphire; until he, grown holder al eve
ny draught, tore it from her grasp, ant
qusffed with a maddsning delight the pre-
cious liquid; when suddenly the palace ant
its wonders qnivered before his sight Xix,
notes in the sunbeam, and gradually mel.
ed into a black and sudden darkness. III,
rest was all oblivion.
The voice Of lament rung through til.
forest, as Hubert's wife bent over his un
conscious form; the cry of children ar,s'
shriiIy on the night air, and awakened hin
to a half dream Of consciousness. A star
Of almost idiocy upon his pale and bag
gard face, as he gazed at the miserable AM
distracted group which surrounded him
made their fond hearts tnrn cold.
They had sought for hours for him in ma
-. - 4ho fo-nst mil Of lasf d;sooy.ro,