Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-03-21

| themselves upon the earth and ciung to the
! tree. roots, and shreked and cried that they
might not be drawn into it: but the remorse
less Force sucked them in, and they neve
returned to tell the story of their adventures
Report, however, had been carried into The
central regions, that when the pilgrims hat
disappeared down the pass, a sound rs OF the
falling OF weight into water was distinctly
! heard and those who advenlurously had clint
the neahhoring precipices asserted that th'
eve looked down an impenettabe darkness
| though the ear could certainly catch the NOISE
OF waves breaking and sutglng against wal
of rock. Hence, the inhabitants called it the
! Dark River; and to speak mournfully Of thci
Journey thiheri and they grew sad as they
| near the West.
But even more wonderful rcculiaraity o
| this island was mystic territory that lay Il
! the SOUTH somewhat out Of the common tracl
/ to the Dark River. 1t consists Of large cir.
| Gle Of plains, groves, rocks, and mighty monu-
tains, so piled together as 10 appear TO Il distant
gazer one huge eminence. And on nearer
approach delicate tissue hoated over all, SC
that nothing could be seen dlstincty but only
confused gimpses, now and then. could be OBJ.
tanned of palms aud laurels, and hil-peaks and
domes. aud eIittering minarets. The whole
region was begrt with natural rampant OF
lofty rocks. The only entrance into it WAS
through caverns which, here and there, appear
ed in the natural bastuns of the crcling cliffs.
The inhabitants OF the plain knew even less OF
this place than of the Dark River, and they de-
tested it even more. They said that music as
from the throats OF a myriad Of nighliugales,
fioated at morn and at eventide from this mys-
tic spot. so captivating, so enhancing, that he
who heard it was compelled TO enter in at the
caverned entrances, whercfrom. il lie returned
al ALL it was in sad and distressing plight
In fact, the inhabitants were good, easy. list
less people, whose highest aim was to keep
themselves well fed and to drown all thought
OF the Dark River in mprriment Hence they
abhorred the unknown and eXtraurdin try-
Tney liked 10 eat, drink, dance. sing, iu,i on
green sop,s, and sleep under tlowry ledge
rows; aud they deSpsed or dreaded all that
tended to break their sleek monoony Of pleas
ure. Accordingly very few of them ever came
within the sounds Of the music of the Mystic
Mount: and many passed away without hav-
ing ever learned lis locality, or even lis exis-
ttnce. Some adventurars once entered the
Jaws Of the cavern, lured by the fairy songs
thev heard around the mount. but they return.
cd bruised and wounded, AMI said that imme-
diately they entered. rude hands seized them
to strip them, and when they ressirJ, drove
them back through the cavern m u'h with
bows. These always spike the most bitterly
against the Mystic Mount. But once ayain a
parry O! daring spirits came within hearing Of
tie music, aud entered. They consented TO the
seizure Of their clothes, and were then turned
naked ino dark cavern aboundng with Spars
and spiinrcrs. Tney wandered along for q
considerable time, and then seeing light TO the
left, they turned down a narrow avenue. and
soon found themselves once more at the outside
close to where they had originally entered
Ashamed at returning To their friends in such
condition, they eudtdvortd to obtain read.
mission. But this WAS denied them, and naked
aud bleeding they had to return to their fam
lies and friends. These, Of course, joined the
others in their appalling description Of the
Mystic Mount, aud used all their influence IN
dl>suading otuerS from approaching It. In
spite ot them, h"Wever, some had entered from
time to time, whu never returned
Tins, these simple people dwelt in their OBJ
scure and uuknnwn island. They had few
wants. and none that were not instantly sa'i--
fed Ine cdttn nit" sH>tCuahct enough y .lh-
ou labor for all G nliab'tut> aud iuCy had
nile 10 do beyond schem,ug how to beguIIe
their journey to the Ddrh River, and To Danish
all thoughts U their approach to II. 1t was "a
lie OF long, dreamy, lgnobr, and inglorions
Gaze. BAT Al length the hour and the man ar
rived, aud sudden revolution fell upon their
sluggish, voaptuuuS lite.
IL the course OF tiGle Il child was born who,
from his earliest boyhuod, manifested a marked
peculiarly Of manner. Instead OF being con
tent, like the other lads to eat fruit and dance
with the little girls, he would retire 10 solitary
places aud spend whole days missing on the
grass. Or he would herd with the old men.
and ask them all manner of questions about
the Dark River and the Mystic Mount, and
the haps Hnl hazards of island llle. As ht
grew older, these pecullaries, instead Of wear
ing away, grew more markedly manifest; he
iolned in none of their innocen, but holish
pastimes; he even ridlcued Ineir WAYS Of i,f ,
and whPn lie ,eachcd The wears Of manhood he
was feared and reverenced by all the inhaJ.>
tants as singular and superior being.
About this time, his fits OF abstraction and
solitary musing acquired double force and
one day he strobe away from lestal party, e,-
identity in deep thought and took suutherly
direction.
No., he said, as lie walked along { it cau-
not be that for THIS we are here. 1t cannot be
that 10 drink To eat, to dance, to sleep, and then
to pass away, is our only mission here. If it
be 90, why were we made al all ? in what are
We better than The hogs and the sheep that fat
ten and that perish on our hills ? II we have
thought, il we have speech, if we have eyes, il
must be fnr special purpose: without Thought
without speech, with no organs but those sIiar-
ed with US by dogs and horses, could these
poor islanders lead the life they do Clearly
then, thought and speech were made for higher
better purpt seS than these! But for what -
l hat is The quPstlon--tur what ?
With this he ceased speaking, and with con-
tracted brows, in deep thought, walked brskv
He walked thinking silently, and occasionally
mutlerng "a few words, until, suddenly, he fell
the atmosphere around him lhrob with music.
and eevaling his eyes he b'held himself at the
very entrance to the Mystic Mount. He list
ened, and IN the lntrlcacles of the varied sony
could trace these words -
am the daughter of the highest king :,
bright and beautiful Who seeks me, who WOO,
me, who wins mr2 lie that is single in his
love; that loves me for myself that dares even
TO The last for me the same wopS me aud wins
meme, the bright daughter OF the highesp
king
What dover shall he have that wins the
blue eyed daughter OF the king supreme Tie
bhH II have The tlIisman of tal.smtns tue uu.