The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-07-26
Prom Chamber's Magazine.
Gold Worshippers.

Gold Worshippers.
Il Is curious TO look batk on the fatal and
universal prevalence Of Gold Worship record
ed in the history Of our race, from the period
when Midas became It's victim, and the boy
chased tho rainbow TO find the spot Of treas-
urc at is foot 10 the days when the aichcmist
offered hts all a burnt sacrifice on the altar;
until we reach the present time, when, al
though the manner Of its worship has chang
cd, the old idolatry remains in spirit tho
same. Ono or two ancctlotcr illustrative of
the passion for gold worship may not prove
unintercsting.
The hero Of our first story--R chamois hunt
or Of the Swiss Alps-was for many years of
his existence an absolute stranger 10 the very
sight Of gold IIe dwelt in mountain chalet
in tho peaceful contontmont and ignorant
simplicity Of former aPcs--lorl Of his own
freedom, with nature for his domain, and the
fleet Alpine creatures for his subjects, by
some unfortunate chance, however. he moved
from his dwelling of hiis- youth IN the -iowrr
station, and 10 the side Of pass frcquentcd by
travellers, towards Rhnm he was frequently
called on 10 exercise hospitality. His sorvi-
ccs, aud the shelter he afforded, were occa-
sionally rewarded with gold, which, though
Of little actual use or value to him as circu-
lating medium, gradually exercised n strange
fascination over his senses. IIe boarded his
guincas with the doating fondncss Of the mis-
eri he looked on them with more pleasure
than on the faces OF his children aud listen
"a 70 thefr utHk with n Hatisia-tis,ts- itstssss
of household love or sweet Alpine melody
could call forth
1t chanccd. one day that our hunter, in the
pursuit Of his ordinary avocation, perceived
tiny cavern hitherto unknown to him. Tie
dctermined,t To snatch his hasty noontide meal
beneath lis shelter; and in order to enter it,
rolled away a block of stone which obstruct-
cd the mouth of the fssure. To his amaze
mcnt,its removal presented TO his gaze deep
hole, in which a vase sfconsderable size was
buried. lie removed the lid, and there, fresh
and bright, as If they were coins OF yesterday,
glittered before his eyes multitude Of gold
en- pieces, mingled with shining particles of
ore. A buried treasure of long past ages was
before him. lie took them in his hands, he
clutched them he stared at them with half in
sane delight. TIe could not, OF course di-
vine how they had come to be in their strange
hiding place, or who had placed them there ;
the inscription on them--the figure of lamb
which some few bore-said nothing TO him.
There appeared TO be something supernatural
in the discovery, and he wasted all the re-
naming hours of daylight beside the vase |;
then as night closed in, he replaced both the
lid and the stone above the treasure. He did
rot attempt to rcmUrt~it to his own dwelling,
nor did he breathe word Of his discovery
even to his wife; but from that hour he be-
came an altered man.
The love of gold is an absorbing passion,
especially whoa thus embodied and material
ised. He lived only beside his treasure
thither he bent his steps daily, nor left it till
the gloom of evening hld the object of his
doiatry from his gazt. His hunters craft
was neglected; his family pined for food he
himself grew gaunt and thin, snxioas and
suspicious; ever dreading that his seoset might
be discovered restless and miserable except
when beside his wealth, where want and hun
ger, and the sad, suffering faces of those he
had once loved, were all forgotten. Only
when the gathering darkness drove him from
his board did he think ofusing his fowling-
piece and scanty was the provisions thus OBJ
tained. In order fully and perfectly to con
template his gold, il was necessary for him to
stretch himself before the entrance of the lit
tie hollow his head and shoulders to the
waist being thus within this cave, immcdiate-
y 0vgr the vTrrc1 his body md i-- outside
cliff above the opening was nearly perpen-
dicular, and had been split and shaken by
the frosts since an avalanche had deprived it
ofits crown of snow; but Of this danger he
was needless or unconsciouSl,. One morning
whilst lying prone, repeating for the fflilIh
time his daily counting OF the old coins, "A por-
ton of the rock detached itself slowly, and
falling on his waist pinned him to the spot,
without however crushing or greatly iniuring
him He uttered loud cry, and made des-
perato exertions to raise it and free himself.
hut in yaius a fore, hpyoDl his strpnytb ~