The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1855-01-12
The Power of Music,

We were seated IN the cabin Of the steam.
cr Ocean. There was n large number OF
passengers who seemed Gesrous of bepuil.
! ing the tcdium of the trip, by contributing
something TO the general amusement.
Among the passengers, was Oh long,
lauk spesiH en-, whom no one could fail TO
recognize as YSnkee. lie sat somew at
apart FROM the rest, notwithstanding, while
the sinsnlafity Of his appearance did not fa
TO draw many curious eyes toward him.
At length, when all the re sources Of the
COMPANY seemed exhausted. one Of the n,
turned dubious!y TO our Ylakcc and polite ly
requested him to favor the company with u
song.
"A song echoed b, looking up.
eyes sir; you sing, do you not!"
81 did once" replied he, "anJ may afd,t
saved my liic."
"Slved your liIc."
All was eager 10 hear h Nv this could be ;,
and after some little urging, the strange r
consented 10 crafty them.
"You must know, said he, that was one
OF the first TO 60 to California when the re-
port first reached US at home Of its stores of
gold. 1t was nothing then to what it is now
IA perfect waste, IN fact with hardly mark
Of civilization, where now you car see -four
ishing IOwns numbering thousands Of inhub-
itnnts.
Being fond Of adventure, separated from
my company, and determined to find the
why TO the diggins myself One night
found myself lying upon tho grass, with my
pack for pillow, just on the edge Of large
forest 1t did not enter into my heud 10 be
afraid i'll it became somewhat dark, ana
heard with fearful Gislinctness the cry OF the
prairie.wolE. | listened again, and was
alarmed to find the cry coming nearer Ey-
d, n y they scented me.
cat length whole pack of the blood.
thirsty ras Gals camo bounding on till they
came within hundred feet of me. then stood
stock sill, and then began to drsw nenrer.-
MY hair roso on end. was terribly
alarmed. endeavored to think of some
possible way Of soaring them. Having heard
that they We're tcrr fed by the sight of fire,
] lighted match. They drew of a little,
but immediately rctraced their steps. This
mDvcmcnl was repeated on both sides.
found this would never do; | must .hnk Of
6ulnethlng more decisive. But what!
81 IrccolIcctcd having in my youth attend
ed a singing schoo; for the space of two
evenings, during which received some in.
distinct notions o. the manner Of singing Odd
Hundred that recollection saved me.
"Wthout more ado, began, and did as
well AS ! could. BY the time | had got
through the first line, | observed tEat tho
wolves began TO look little wild and unea.
sy, nnd-will you believe il gentlcm en!"
said the narrator, earnestly "belore finish
cd, every individual wolG putting his fore
paws up to his ears, scampered away as it the
Old Jack were after him!"
A shout of laughter, both loud and long
followed this narrative, at the end of which,
the speaker, who had not stirred muscle,
gravcly continued
"You see gentlemen, have been fran
with you. | did not wish to take undue ad-
vantage OF your very kind and complimentary
invitation without iore-warnng you of tho
II, after what have told
you, you are still dcsirous of herring me, |
wi II cndeavor to give you Old Hundred, which
is the only song know, and to which, for
reasons already given, feel uncommonly .
attached"
1t is needless to say that he was unani-
mousy excused