Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-10-22

struts in all his borrowed piumes, rs IL IL
contemplate contrast Of the past and pres
ent years-the red man and the pale race
Occupied by such thoughts as these,
found myself, almost before was aware o.
it, at the Summer House, and, weary and
warm, threw myself on one of the rustic
benches, and pursued my solitary thoughts
undisturbed.
The view from the Summer House is
magnificent in the extreme. The ediiice
stands on the brow of the hill, on the ex.
treme point of its summit, where it ex,
tends like promontory into the surround
ing valley. A few OF the largest trees
have been removed from the slope of the
hill in the direction facing the vale, for the
purpose of renderingthe view less obstruc-
ted; on all other sides, naught is seen but
the Wild beauty of the dense forest. From
the open space, the distant mountains are
seen on the north, east, and west, rising
in bold, rugged majesty, crag on crag, tier
on tier, like vast ampitheatre formed for
the assembly of a universe, until the top
most wall, the tall, hoar summit of the
giant Allegheny, crowning the mighty pile,
in the dim distance, kisses the clouds, and
like the scarce perccptible blending of two
almost equal shades, joins earth with hea.
ven. In the nearer landscape, the roman
tic Juniata winds, now like thread Of
silver through the valley, now hidden from
sight by the intervening hill, here flowing
Asluggishly by the cultivated fields, there
rushing and foaming Ger its rocky bed in
the wild forest, and anon receding entirely
from the sight, it passes from the valley
through gorge in the mountains, on its
way to TIE mighty ocean. Nearer, at the
distance of mile, St. Thomas Church
with its tall spire and cross, strikes the
vision, embedded in cluster of trees, (tho
rest of the village being dby the neigh
boring hills;) and still nearer, just at the
base Of the hill, lies the little lake with its
tiny isle of Emerald Green, and the music
of its outlet, as it forms foamy cascade
over the rocks, reaches the ear like the
distant lulling murmurs of a gentle breeze
A rustic mill, and a lofty and ponderou'
ledge of rocks beyond, and the brook and
arbored road winding through the vale be
low, complete the enchanting prospect
As lay musing, q misty indistinctnes'
gathered over the scene; strange, shape
less forms hovered around me, none o.
which was able clearly to define. While
1 was endeavoring to account for what
saw, my attention was arrested by the ap
pearance of a tall, shadowy figure tha
emerged from tho thicket near by, and ap
preached me. 1t was that Of an old man
Extreme age was there, and had done it
work, but it had failed to bend his haugh
ty, erect form. His long, straight hai
was white as snow, but his step was ligh
and elastic, and as he drew nearer with I
noiseless tread, 1 noticed that the leave
pressed not down nor rustled beneath hi
weight. Over his shoulders was wrapped
a coarse blanket, made from the inne
bark of trees; his limbs and feet wer'
clothed in leggins made Of the untanne'
skin Of the wild cat, and moccasins of thu
same material, ornamented with tufts o
stained horse hair. Encircling his head
neck, and wrists, were chains formed wit
the tusks of the wolf, connected with hug
links of shining gold; single plume fror
the eagles wing drooped over his brow
in one hand he carried bow Of large dl
mensions, in the other an arrow. A pon
derous stone tomahawk was strung in hi
belt, and over his shoulders, suspended b
the skin of an enormous rattlesnake, wa
aquiver ofpanther skin filed with feath
cred arrows.
Twas startled, and about to raise myself
but as the apparition drew nearer, 1 sal
that 1 had nothing more to fear his sac
benevolent countenance indicated no harm
, and had it been otherwise, his bow strin
was broken, and the shaft Of his arro
, bent and worm eaten. When he came ol
positc me, he paused and eyed me for som
5 moments in silence with mournful e,
preston, deep drawn sigh heaved b
: breast, he shook his head and passing o
4 soon vanished from my sight. Ere / ha
f recovered from the rcverie into watch m
4 surprise had thrown me, sawhim comm
e back he paused again where l lay, an
S regarded me with the same sad, melal
!, choly look, sighed heavily and passed G
! as before nor was my establishment d
minished, when l saw him approach IL
third time, and fix upon me his mournf
gaze, more sad and grief-lke than before
deeper sighs struggled for utterance, ar
down each furrowed cheek trickled
G scalding tear; wondering and afraid, I d
4 termined to accost him, but my stiffent