The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-07-20
rltE TEMPEST.
nY GEORGE PRENTICE.


front of battle when the swords were cleaning
AID circling around me like fiery serpcnts in
the air. have sat on the mountain pinnacle.
when the whiri- wind was rendng The oaks
from their cliffs and scattering them to the
clouds. have seen these things with a SWELL
ing sonl. that knew not, that recked not dan
ger; but there Is something in the thunder's
voice that makes me tremble like a child.
have tried tn overcome this unmanlv weakness
have called pride to nv aid: have sought
for moral courage in the lessons of philosophy,
hut it avails me nothing At the first low
moaninu If the distant clouds, my heart qniv-
crs and dirs within me.
NV involuntary dread Of thunder had its
origin in an accident that occurred tn me when
I was o bov IF ten years Of age / had a
cousin girl Of the same age as myself. who
had becn the constant companion of nv child
hood Strange that after the lapse of so mary
ycnrs, that countenance should be so familiar
to me. l can see tho bright vonng creature,
her eyes flashing like beautiful gem. her free
locks streaming ms In iov upon the fishg gale,
and her cheek glowing like ruby through a
wreath of Transparent snow. Her voice had
the melody and joyousnsss of n birds. and
when she bounded over tho wooden bill, or
| fresh green vallev shouting glad answer to
everv voice of nature. and clapping her little
hands in tho very ecstacy of young existence
she looked MS if breaking away freed night
ingale from the earth. and going off when all
things are beautiful and happy like her. W
| II wnsa morning in the middle of August
Tho little girl had been passing some days at
my fathers house, and she was now to return
homo. Her path Law across the fields, and I
gladly became the companion of her walk.
never knew summer morning more beautiful
and still only one cloud was visible. and that
| seemed as pure and white and peaceful as If it
| had been the incense smoke Of some burning
censer. Of the skies. The leaves hung in the
silent woods, the waters in the bay forgot their
undulati Q. tine flowers were bonding their
heads as if dreaming of the rainbow and dew,
and the whole atmosphere was Of such soft
and luxurianf sweetness that il seemed cloud
of roscs scattered down by the hand OF a Peri,
| from the far off garden Of Paradise. The
green earth and the blue sea lay abroad in
their boondlessncss and tho peaceful sky hung
over them. The little creature at my side
was in a dclirium If happiness. and her cleas,
sweet voice came ringing upon the air as often
rs she heard the note of some favorite bird,
or found some strange and lovely flower in her
| froc wandcrngs. Tho uubroken and almost
supcrnatnra tranquility of the day cnnlnned
uut noon. Then, FIR the first time, tho indi-
cations of an approaching hurricane. Over
the summit of The mountain. at tho distance
came suddenly visible, and ut the same instant
hollow roar amc down on the winds, as if
it had been the sound of waves in n rocky
cavern. The clouds rolled on like banner
nnfoldcd upon he ar. bnt sill the atmosphere
was rs calm and the leaves as motinncss as
before, and there was moi even qnvcr upon
tho sleepy wa,ers 10 tell If the coming hurri-
cane To escape the tempest was impossible.
As The onlv res ,rt. we fed to a mighty oak that
st OIL at The foot of tall and rugged precipice
Here we remained aud gazei olmost breath
lcesly upon the cords narshalling themselves
| like bloody giants in tie sky. The thunder
was not frequent but query bur-t so fearful
that The ooung creature who stood beside me,
shut her ewes convulsively cung with desper
ate courage TO nv arm, and shreked as it her
| heart would break.
| In few minutes the storm was upon U.s.
During the hcigh, of its fury, tho little girl
lifted her finger and pointed toward the preci-
pice that lowered over us. looked, and saw
an amethys'ine peak, and the next moment.
tho couds opened and the rocks tnttered to
| aheir foundations, roar like the groan of the
universe filled the air. and felt mysolf blind
cd. and thrown. know not WHITTIER.
| How long remained insensble, could not
tell: bat when consciousness returned, the vio-
! lence of the tempest was abatng, the roar OF
tho wind was diving i'm tho tree tops, and the
deem tones Of the thunder cloud in fainter
murmurs from the Eastern hills. arose and
looked tremblingly and almost deliriously
ar,snd: she was there the dear idol of my in
FAINT love; stretched on the green earth. AT
tor n moment Of irresolution, ] went up and
looked upon her. The handkerchief upon her
neck was slightly rent-and single dark spot
upon hcr bosom told whore the pathway of her
| death had been.
At first clasped her to nv breast with
cry of agony and then laid down aud eazcd
upon her face almost with feelings IF calm
ness Her bright disieveled ringlets cluster
cd sweeilv around her brow; the looks of ter
ror had faded from her lips; and infant smiles
were pictured there; the red tioge upon her
check was lovely as in life. and rs pressed it
| to INV own, the fountains of tears were OPEN
| ed, and went as if NV heart were water 1
have but din recollection Of what followed;
| Iknow that remained weeping aud moti"niess
till the coming twilight; and was taken ten
de,ly bv the hand AMI led away where saw
tho countenanccs of parents and sisters.
Many years have gono bv on the wings OF
liuht and shadow, but tho scenes have por-
| trnyed still como over me ut times with terri
| bio dsinclness. The oak ye' stands at tho
base of the precpicc. but its limbs arc black
and dead. and the hollow trunk loo's upward
to the sky. as if ealing to the clouds FIR drink,
is an emblem of rapid aud motionless decay
Orc year ago l visited tho spot, and the
thoughts of bygone years came mournfulIy
back TO me. thought of tho little innocent
being Who fell by my side like some beautiful
tree of sprng. rcnt up by the whirlwind in the
midst of its blosoming. But remcmbcred-
and o! there was Joy in the mcmory!--that she
had gone where N, liqh'nings slnmber in Tho
folds of tho rainbow cloud, and whore the
broken only by the storm breath of Omnpo.
tence.
Il My readers will understand why l shrink in
terror from thunder. Even the consciousness
of security is no relief to me-my fears have
assumed the nature of an instinct, and seem
indeed part Of my existence.