The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-06-02


we did meet she looked sad and so beautiful.
and smiled ponsively, and talk so sweetIy OF
Old times that all her power Of fascination over me
revived. | began TO visit her at first, thinking OF
nothing more than to show her my superiority
over Jerry Smith, and 10 convince her how great
, a slight she had shown to my merits IN selecting
him. But in trying TO make myself agreeable to
the widow, she became so agreeable TO me, that
in spite of ali my former resolutions, offered her
my hand, which was accepted with the most
charming grace imaginable. This was igst Ee-
rrn nv iecracr-, HIG : bat cc"it ret - H"ct-
poned, we agreed to pu off the wedding until my
return.
She was the beautiful vision that had smiled
upon me through all my wanderings but which
now was presented TO my disempered fancy, ar
rayed in the brightest colors. In vain did some
times try to Danish it thought Of business, my
farm, my negroes, my tobaccO-hut anon cane
the graceful widow, with that same smile and
blush that she when she family mnrmured
''no," and axpressiveiy looked ''yes"-there she
was hanging tondly over me and chdlng my delay.
This could not last forever; and just when
every body thought that | was about to de- grew
better; and TO my great JOY was pot on board
steamboat bound for Louisville For day or
TWO | continued TO recruit change Of air, scene,
and food did wonders but the happiness of
speedy recovery was not iated to be mine. | en-
balked in steamboat OF the largest class on board
Of which were four hundred passengers. The
weather excessively hot, there were many
sick among US, and The atmosphere between the
decks soon became impure. The yellow lever
was said 10 be on board, and our comortless situa-
ton was rendered dreadful by the panic that
sued. ! relapsed, and was soon pronounced past
recovery. | had the yellow fever, and was con-
sidered bearer of cOntag ion. 1t was thought
proper to remove me from the boat, and TO aban-
do IN fate thprI han uIa he
of others.
was accordingly put shore; but when or
how it happened, know not. have faint re.
collection of being lowered into the yawl. and
seeing persons gazing at me; heard one say,
.'he II die in hour;' another inquired my name;
voice pted me; and another said | had made
happy escape from pain. thought they were
about 10 bury me. and became senseess in an
agonzing effort to speak.
When | recovered nv consciousness, [ found
myself in cabin the shore OF the Mississippi.
A kind family had received and nursed me, and
had brought me back to life after | had been long
'nscnsihe. They were poor people, who made
their living by cutting fire wood TO supply the
steam boats; lean and saiow family, whose
bilious compilations, and attenuated forms, at
tested the wthered influence OF 4 corrupt atmos-
phere. They had the Iangaid southern eye, the
heavy gait and slow speech of persons enervated
by burning sun beams and humid breezes.
For two weeks was unable TO rise from the
miserable pallet With which their Kindness had
supplied me. | counted every log in the wretched
cabin; my eve became familiar with all the coats
gowns, and leothern hunting shirts, that hung from
the ralters. | noted each crevice, and sat down
IN my memory all the furniture and cooking uten-
Ss. For fourteen long summer days my eyes
had no other employment but to wander over these
few objects again and again. until at last nothing
was q n he | IpO in
the disgust occasione0 by the sameness OF the
scene, or strained them in search Of something
new, until my eye-baIls ached But had more
frversh dreams, and when thought Of the widow
Smith, it with the delight Of newly ~akened
hope; and with the confidence that better days
and brighter scenes awaited me at home.
AT last | was able to crawl to the door, and 10
see the sun, the green trees, and the water. 1t
YVES most refreshing sight, although the land
scap2 itself was anything but attractive. The
cabin stood on the bank of the river, in low
auViai bottom. 1t was surrounded aud overhung
by Il forest OF immense trees, whose tall dark
trunks rose to the height of sixty or seventy feet
without branch and then threw out their vast /
lateral boughs, and heavy foliage, luxuriantly /
as entirely 10 exclude the sun. Beneath that dense
canopy Of shake, were long, dark, and gloomy
Vislas, where the Indian might well fancy himself
surrounded by the spirits of his departed friends |
The soil Itself had dismal aspect; the whole I
surface had been inundated but few weeks past !
the fallen leaves OF last year. sateraed and black
ened by long immersion, were covered with thick /
deposit of mud and the reekng mass sent up
volumes of noxious vapor. Before the house was
naked sand.bar, sparkling and glowing with
heat. In the middle OF the river was n large
sawyer, an immense log, the entire trunk Of a
majestic oak, whose roots cIung to the bottom, /
while the other end, extending down the stream
rose 10 the surface the current giving it heavy ,
and erernaI motion appearing some twenty
feet of the huge black mass above the surface /
and then sinking again the water with the regular
swing of pendulum. | gazed for hours al that /
perpetual Sce.saw, wondering What law Of nature |
governed It's exact vibrations. Here the hideous
alligator might be seen rocking through half day,
as II In the enjoyment Of an agreeable recreation
while Groves of those animals, sporting in the I
stream or crawling on the beach, roared like so !
many bulls, filing the whole forest with their bel
Iowlngs. Added to those sounds, were ,he braying
of the wolf, the croaking Of innumerabIe frogs
and the buZ OF myrads of mosquitoes Under !
any other circumstances, should have thought !
my self in Pandemonium; but had in the last
few weeks endured so much pain, passed through |
so many horrors, and trembied so often, and so .
long, upon the briuk of the grave that | eninyed I
the sun. The breeze, and the verdure, even with
these dismal accompaniments. | was even agree.
ably situated; for so great and pleasing was
The change, in having my mind relieved from lis
abstraction, that could gaze placidIy for hours
j Il . IL