Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-01-15

to the grown up Turks but when the pext
generation imbibed them in childhood. no
sword was require were established
by the force of education
When we consider, then, the power and
the Importance of early impressions, how
cautious should we be, that nothing should
be imprinted on the youthful mind but that
which is guarding every avenue
against the entrance of false opinions: su-
perstitious fallacy, and doubtful doctrines,
The impressions made on the mind of the
child, mark out the course of the man. and
shape his future destiny in great degree
whether for good or evil.
We're all parents qualified to Judge of this
matter, and were all parents to watch with
solicitude tho expansion of the infant intel
lect, guiding its powers and protecting it
from the inroads of improper influences.
what glorious race were ours. No longer
should we behold the human mind waste
overgrown with weeds, but garden filled
with gorgeous flowers, blooming with beauty
and redolent with sweets.
Well do remember the tales of the nur-
sery. Full many winters eve have sat
in the family circle by the cheerful fire, and
listened to ''the Oldest inhabitant' relate
the story of some ghost or goblin, till nv
hat would rise on my head, and my blood
run cold. The story must be true, because
the grandmother Of the narrator had seen
the ghost, and she was never known to tell
an untruth. Often while thus intently de-
vouring every word, with glaring eyes, have
[ drawn my chair nearer and nearer to the
person contiguous, afraid to turn my head,
lest the sheeted phantom should meet nv
vision. My mind was haunted with the hor-
rible idea, that in short time the family
would retire, and should be under the
dreadful necessity Of going up stairs to bed
-ay, and alone too. Terrible indeed were
my sufferings, after listening on those occa-
sions to the sold peoples" stories of the
wild and the wonderful. Never shall for
get the agonies 1 have endured, when re-
firing alone at bed. time
1t was on dark and stormy night in De-
cember, when the spirits of the blast were
abroad, and the tempest moaned pitifully
round the turrets of the building, that sat
listening to my aged grandmother, who re-
lated the story of ghost seen in grave
yard, and on the road that run by it, She
was returning from visit to a neighhor, in
company with one or two persons, when she
beheld an object slowly emerge from the
graveyard, clothed in white. II approach
ed and passed by her, when she discovered
that it was a man with no head Oh. hor-
ror l started from my chair with alright.
and trembled, for it was near the hour of
bedtime.
So soon as the terrible tale was told, the
company broke up and went slowly creep
ing up stairs to bed. The storm had passed
over, and the moon gave sufficient light to
see objects dimly in my own room, and in
the adjoining one, there being door just
opposite my bed which led from the one to
the other. In a very few moments | was
undressed and in bed, covering my head
closely lest | should see the man with no
head. vainly endeavored to shut out from
my mind the recollection of the narrative |
had heard called up more pleasing mem
cries, but they would not remain: the man
with no head would rise before my excited
Imagination, in spite of all that my judg-
ment could suggest. How strange is the
notion of child, that covering his head in
bed will protect him from all evil Influences.
There lay smothering beneath mountain
of bed clothes, while the perspiration was
pouring from me in streams, though the
weather was cold. | fancied myself in that
lonely grave yard, and that was gazing at
the man with no head, which my grand
mother had seen there and cold chills ran
over me. ff
At length 1 began to philosophize on the
subject, and l resolved that I would
no longer be q coward that | would