The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-08-05

on the hard tloor, ard IN the very same
corner where formerly on its twigs, my
bird had had its accustomed resting
place. Whether this was mere acct
dent, or resulted from Beauty's having
been accustomed to sleep in corner
rather than in more open space, it con-
firmed me anew in those ideas, which
you, perhaps. regard as enthusiasm. O
how happy did | become through this
new friend He learned to understand
my language - my very wishes. He
manifested a constant obedience and fl
deity, even in regard to all my lightest
fancies. / was deeply sensible Of the
impossibilty Of adequately rewarding
such entire selfforsettiag devotion, and
all the thousand saerifees, Of which,
but too frequently, they who receive
them appear TO be unconscious
After while | left my native town
and my accustomed school and passed
a period of several years at a higher uni
versity in order to complete tnd perfect
my studies. My faithful companion ac-
companied me everywhere, He like
wise went with me on my tratels through
Germany and Italy, and partook in all
| things of my own veal and woe.
Towards Italy, / must explain, / was
not exclusively drawn by lie renowned
natural beauties of the country, or the
galleries of art in Florcnce,,-Dr the ven
cradle ruins of Rome, but partly also by
other circumstances. For many years
had my deceased fathers brother dwelt
IN Colorno, near Parma. BY means OF
commercial business in Llvorno he had
considerably increased his fortune, and
afterwards, to favor his declining years,
he took up his abode with his children
at his beautiful country seat in Colorno.
Since my fathers death, the former in
terchange of letters due to kindred and
friendship had ceased entirely. | was
very desirous of seeing this man, the
brother of him who, OF all human beings,
was the dearest to me, and who bore an
extraordinary degree of resemblance TO
him. | hoped, through the lineaments
of my uncle. to acquire that knowledge
which | lacked of my fathers features,
so that | might design bis portrait.
But when reached Parma learned
that he was no longer among the living.
He had suffered horril death, having
been slain by the ponial'd of a murderer.
All his children, too, my cousins, had
left the Colorno estate, having sold 1t
and taken up their residence in other re :
gions. They seem to have flown from
that earth from which the blood of their
unfortunate father cried 70 heaven. From
Sucn 1ntormation as WIS aDIe WITH mucn
trouble to acquire, it appeared the monks
and priests were my uncle's implacable
enemies. proceeded myself to Colorno,
and visited the estate which had formerly
been his. In the midst of hills planted
with vines, and luxuriant fields of rice,
was situated the eunpretending castle, and
to which on all sides led shady walks of
fruit-trees.
Ny uncle appears to have held in hon
or that benefcent maxim of the Zend-
Avesta which the Persian Zoroaster thus
announces He who cultivates the
earth with diligence and care acquires a
greater merit with God, than he who daily
repeats ten thousand prayers y But his
rectitude and benevolence did not save
his pious life. Would that his blood
might be the last which has been shed
in consequence of the fury of intolerance
One false dogma, in particular, constant
ly leads us far from the path of truth,
and engages us in a continual warfare
against humanity and nature. This dog
ma is the idea that only ONE belief among
all beliefs can be true and saving. This
dogma has dyed the four quarters of the
old world with more human blood, and
under color of pretended Justice, has
authorized more dreadful crimes, than all
the united and consolidated errors of
heathendom.*
was told my uncle was assassinated
among the adjacent ruins of an old alb
bey, that his shade was daily to be seen
among them, and that its identity was
remarkably cognizable. | laughed at
such reports but as people on every
side with the greatest earnestness repeat
ed and confirmed it, in an excess OF
boastful arrogance such as might be ex-
pected in youth of two -and-twenty, |
determined to examine into these mys-
terious circumstances. One evening |
proceeded to the haunted place well
armed, and in company with my servant
Matthias and Beauty. A peasant con-
Quoted us as far as the commencement
of a gloomy thicket, where from behind
the low bushes, and lighted by the moon,
rose up the ruins of the cloister. We
advanced slowly towards them. while
they sometimes appeared above the sur
rounding underwood and sometimes
were hidden by it. An involuntary
shudder ran over me in this solitude
The pale and yellow moon hung sus-
pended in the clouds. The wind shiv-
cred from time to time through the OBJ
scure foliage of the trees pensile over us.
How Insignificant is man when his cou-
rage is destroyed by those superstitious
fears with which he is inoculated in his
youth by the peryersc and vicious in
| / append, in this note, the original words
of ZscHoKKE for the above passage: :" "Mein
Oheim sehien den wohthatigen Lehrsatz dei
Zend- -Avesta geerht zu haben, wo Zoroaster del
Il