Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-07-20
Co IN m unications
An Adventure.
ron rHE srla1r OF rHE Ace.

It was on a Geld night in the winter, and a
blazing fire was on the hearth of the hospi-
table mansion of my uncle some four or
i've youths were seated around it, listening
% tae tales of adventure, as related by the
DID man, who, by the by, was q hearty and
hale old gentleman of about sixty winters,
and who was possessed of iue mental facul-
ties and phyical developments. The CONVEX
iation turned on hunting, and my uncle rela-
Ted the following anecdote:
lit was in the latter part Of the fall of the
year, the weather was rather cool, and game
was plenty. A party Of joyial young men
had assembled at the house of my father, to
have a night-hunt with me. AT that time /
young and full of daring, and withal
inordinately fond Of tho blackjack" as
wore my young companions. We started
Just after dark, with our axes on our shout
ders and torches in our hands, bringing with
ns an old negro named Cuffee, who had been
brought up to such fun. The dogs soon star
Tod the game and were off in hot pursuit,
whilst We kept not far behind.
1.-The dogs stopped, and we knew that
they had /" freed" Having taken pretty fire.
qucnt rotations before leaving home, we were
nearly exhausted when we reached the tree,
which we found was an old oak, the general
OlN4A1 ~ III EMAAD " AA6 b6O ENttA ny
for in it they felt secure in consequence ofits
being 50 large that no one would attempt to
cut them out. After blowing n while, we
commenced operations by smoking the hol-
low, but to no purpose; we then commenced
with our axes, and were progressing finely,
when suddenly a noise, a most dismal, hor-
rid noise, was heard emanating from the
branch near by we ceased cutting and turn
&c to old Cuffee with an inquiring look he
said directly that it was nothing but a frog.
We commenced to cut again, but-k-kr-kr-
kerroRg, burr-r-r-r-r, snap, snap-the noise
broke forth again, nearer and nearer than be-
fore. Old Cuffee turned to us saying that
4" 1t is either a bear or the devil" This was
enough. We were on the side of a stumpy
new ground, which we had with difficulty
come through, but now we went through it
like n shot, some of us clearing six or sew
en- stumps at a bound. Our way led direct
ly over a ~quagmire, and when we arrived at
it, | attempted to leap over it, but by some
~mischance | fell in. Oh! Who could des-
cribe my agony at that moment | knew
that the boys would cave me, and that the
bear, ghost, devil or whatever it was, would
soon be upon me the liquor / had drank
made me think that | heard short, quick
breathings close behind me. I tainted
"When ! came to my senses, | was in my
chamber, with my father and companions
standing side of me. There was a suppress
Sod smile on all their c-ountenances and
was perpiexed. But my father told me that
it was he who had frightened us ho said
that no had tried every means in his power
to break me of drinking, las | was the only
son he had but having failed to do so, he
had tried this in hope that it might have
some effect on me. | was cured, and to this
day I nave not tasted a drop, either as
drink or as n medicine. Now, boys, take M
advice, md leave the accursed liquid to it
self, for at btteh like a serpent, and stingeh
Ike an adder" JUNIUS.