North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-17
Tn. worship of Gold.

II Is curious to look back on the fatal ana UNI
versa prevalence of Gold-worship recorueu ~ It
history of our race, from the period Wnen Miu I
became its victim, and the boy chased the iaanpo"
~ ;nd tbo not ,f treasure at its foot to the days
when the alchem;st offered his all burnt-sacrnce
ON the altar until we reach the present time, When
sltbonoh the manner of its worship has changed
tho old ;dolatrv remains in spirit the same one
or two anecdotes illustrative OF the passion ior
worship may not prove undressing.
The hero of our first story-a chamols hun1eI OF
the Swiss Alps-was for many years OF MS eAss-
once an absolute stranger to the very sight OF goi'
g dIyeIt in a mountain chalet, in the Peacerui con-
tentment and ignorant simplicity OF former ages
lord of his own freedom, with nature LOT ms 90
main. and the fleet Alpine creatures lor ms sup
NO" Rv some unfortunate chance, however, he
y,oved from this dwelling of his youth to the low
~ station. and to the side of pass frequented by
travellers toward whom he frequently called on
- exercise hospitality. His services, and the shell
.5- he afforded, were occasionally rewarded with
old which, though of little actual use or Vaiue TO
KIN as circulating medium, gradually exercised
,tranoe fascination over his senses. He boarded
ais guineas with the doating fondness OF the mser
70 looked on them with more pleasure than on the
zoos Of his children: and listened to their chink
with satisfaction no tone of household love or
sweet Alpine melody could call FORTH 1t CHANGED
one day that hunter, in the pursuit OF his Or
binary ayocation, perceived tiny cavern hitherto
unknown to him. He determined to snatch his
aasty noontide meal beneath its shelter and in or
der to enter it. rolled away block of stone which
DISTRACTED the mouth of the assure. To his amaze
nent its removal presented to his gaze deep hole
IN which vase of considerable size was buried
He removed the lid, and there, fresh and bright, as
Z they were coins of yesterday, glttered before his
eyes multitude of golden pieces, mingled with
Ginning particles of ORE A buried treasure of long
cast ages was before him. He took them in his
lands, he clutched them, he stared at them with
2alfinsane delight. He could not, of course, di-
me how they had come to be in their strange hi
3ng-place, or who had placed them there the in
sJriptions on them-the figure OF lamb, which
s,me few bore-said nothing to him. There ap-
cared to be something supernaturalin the diseov-
5ry, and he wasted all the remaining hours of day
hit beside the vase; then. as night closed in, he
paced both the lid and the stone above the treas
IRE He did not attempt to remove it to his own
5welling, nor did he breathe word of his discov-
cry even to his wife but from that hour he became
an altered man.
The love of gold is an absorbing passion especial
" when thus embodied and materialized. He lived
only beside his treasure; thither he went daily
left it till the gloom of evening hid the object of
his dolatry from his eager gaze. His hunters craft
neglected; his family pinned for food; he him
self grew gatnt and thin, anxious and suspicious
dreading that his secret might be discovered
restless and miserable except when beside his ealth
of those he had once loved were all forgotten.
Only when the gathering darkness drove him from
his hoard did he think of using his fowling- piece
and scanty the provision thus obtained. In
order fully and perfectly to contemplate his gold it
was necessary for him to stretch himself at full
length before the entrance to the little hollow; his
head and shoulders to the waist being thus within
the cave, Immediately over the vase, his body and
legs outside The cliff above the opening was near
ly perpendicular and had been much split and sha-
ken by the frosts since an avalanche had deprived
it of its crown of snow but of his danger he was
needless or unconscious. One morning while lying
prone, repeating for the tieth time his daily coun-
ting Of the old coins, portion of the rock detach-
ed itself slowly, and falling his waist, pinned
him to the EARTH without however crushing great
ly injuring him. He uttered loud cry, aud made
desperate exerons to raise it and free himself but
in vain a force beyond his strength to resist had
fixed him to the spot of his unhallowed and insane
devotion. Imagination scarcely conceive a
more fearful death than the slow lingering one of
bodily torture and starvation that must have fol-
lowed. He was of course sought for as soon as
missed; but the spot was unknown even to the
most practced hunters, and it was more than a
week before the body was discovered The sur
prise and horror of his family may be imagined
They had never been able to comprehend his al
tered conduct and mysterious disappearance: all
was explained, however, when the huge stone being
removed, he was found-perhaps from his position
involuntary -clutching his dead fingers the fatal
gold
We relate this incident on the authority of
Swiss lady who had seen the cave, and who ASST
red us that the simple mountaineers avoid the spot
with suPersttious horror. To them there must have
appeared to be some strange magic in the hidden
treasure; and so to the calmest Judgment it would
seem, when In the ordinary course of life we behold
not only the fearful and painful sacrifices made for
the attainment of gold, but the court paid the hon.
age offered to its possessors by those who have no
hope of gaining any thing by their reverence for the
mere name of wealth.
To come nearer home, our village at one time
reloced in godworshipper, whose history is worth
relating. While still young, and taking our daily
walk with our nurse, observed an old man work
ing at the repairs of some miserably dismantled
houses. He was a tall, gaunt parsonage painfully
meagre, and very ragged. His jawbones protrlided
distressingly, and his poor thin elbows looked so
4harp, that one could have fancied they had cut
sheir way through the torn coat that no longer
covered them. We pitied, and with childlke sym
thy and freedom made acquaintance with him
always Pausing to speak to him when we passed
the spot on which he labored Sometimes a little
boy, fair delicate child was with him. ASSISTING
IN the work as far as his age allowed and with
TINS young creature we grew intimate, and were at
length led by him to the old mans home 1t was
very large, oldfashioned farmhouse but so much
out OF repair that only three or four rooms were
habitable. These, however, were kept in exou;site
order BY the wife, who was very pretty, sad-look
ing woman, many years younger than her husband.
by ner care the antique furniture, which must have
S&o