Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-02-01
Jul UIVVIIOFy
PETER CARTwRIGHT.'

PETER CARTWRIGHT"
In fashionable phrase, the reading of
this strange eirusion produced quite a
sensation" Some thought the n an mad;
others thought the letter hoax. But
sill The effect in one particular was un-
questionable; it heightened and interested
tho public curiosity; and such, very like
iy, was tho precise result intended by
the writer .......
A. length the day closed. The pur-
pie curtain of twilight fell over the earth
tfom the darkening sky. Gods golden
fire flashed out in heaven, and men oe-
low klndled their pale candles. The
cncam pment, village of snowy tents,
was Illuminated with brilliancy which
caused every leaf in The grove TO shine
and sparkle as if all The trees were bur-
nishod with phosphorescent flame. 1t
WAS Ike theatre. 1t was a theatre in
the open air, on The green sward, be-
meath the starry blue sky, incomparably
more picturesque and gorgeous than any
stage scenery ever prepared within walls
of brick or marble, where the elite Of
the imperia cities throng to feast their
eyes on beauty and their ears on the mu-
sic of silver sounds. --5f--.#-..
Not only the altar aud the rows of
benches under the broad shed, bat the
entire dimensions of The grove also, were
crowded to the verge of suffocation.-
The word had been circulated that the
mighty orator hal come at last, and the
feversh anxiety to behold him augment
ed more and more. #"
Presently form rose in the pulpit,
and commenced giving out hymn pre-
limnary to the main exercises, and eve
ry eye became Instantly rivited on the
person of the stranger. Indeed, as some
one said of Bnrk, "a single flash of the
gaZer's vision was enough to reveal the
extraordinary man. although in the
present case ii must, for the sake ot truth.
be acknowledged that the FIRST impression
was ambiguous, if not enigmalical and
disagreeable HIS figure was tall, burly,
massive, and seemed even more gigantic
than the reality from its crowning foliage
of lnxuriant black hair. wreathed into
long, curling ringlets Add head THAI
looked large as half bushel, beeling
brows- rough aud craggy as fragmenlary
granite, irrodiated at the base by eyes of
dark fire, small and twinkling like dia-
monds in a sea--(they were diamonds of
the soul, shining in q measureless sea of
humor)-a swarihy complexion, as if
embrowned by the kisses of sunbeams,
rich, rosy lips, always parted. as if wear
ing perpetual merry smile, and you
have life like portrait of Peter Cart
wright the far-famed jocose preacher.
Though heard il all. from the text to
the amen, am forced to despair of any
attempt to convey an accurate idea OF
either the substance or manner of The
sermon which followed. There are di.-
ferent sorts of sermons-the argumenta-
tive, the dogmalic, The postulary. theper-
suasive the punitive, the combatlve, lin
orthodox blows and knocks" the logi-
cal, and the poetic; but this specimen
belonged to none of the categorles. Ii
was sal gsaeris, and OF new species.
|, might be termed properly the waggish.
He began with loud, beautifully mod
ula,ed tone, in voice that rolled on the
serene night air like successive peals oil
grand thunder. Methodist ministers are
celebrated for sonorious voices, but his
was matchless in sweetness and power.
For the first ten minutes, his remarks,
being PREDATORY, were common place, and
uninteresting; but then all of sudden