The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-04-07

he went, he saw flowers beside his path,
and heard the songs of birds. By these
signs he knew that he was going the
right way, for they agreed with the ira.
ditions of his tribe. At length he spied
path. 1t led him through grove, then
up long and elevated ridge, on the very
top of which he came to lodge. At the
door stood an old man, with white hair,
whose eyes, though deeply sunk, had a
fiery brilliancy. He had a long robe Of
skins thrown loosely around his shoulders,
and staff in his hands. 1t was Chebia.
bos.
The young Chippewa began 10 tell his
story; but the venerable chief arrested
him bSlorc be had proceeeed to speak ten
words. 81 have expected you," he re.
piled, and had just risen to bid you
welcome to my abode. She whom you
seek passed here but few days since,
and, being fatigued with her journey, res.
ted herself here. Enter my lodge and be
seated, and I will then satisfy your inqui.
rics, and give you directions for your
journey from this point" Having done
this, they both issued forth to the lodge.
door. "You sec yonder gulf" said he,
land the wide.stretching blue plains be.
yond. 1t is the land of souls. You
stlnd upon its borders, and my lodge is
the gate of entrance. But you cannot
take your body along. Leave it hero
with your bow and arrows, your bundle,
and your dog. You will find them safe
on your return" So saving, he re-enter.
cd tho lodge, and the freed traveller boun.
ded forward, as if his feet had suddenly
been endowed with the power Of wings.
But all things retained their natural col.
ors and shapes. The woods and leaves,
and streams and lakes, were only more
bright and comely than he had ever wit.
messed. Animals bounded across his path
with freedom and q confidence which
seemed to tell him there was no blcod
shed here. Birds OF beautiful plumage
inhabited the groves, and sported in the
waters. There was but one thing in which
he saw very unusual effect. He noticed
that his passage was not stopped BY trees
or other objects. Tie appeared to walk
directly through them. There were, in
fact, but the souls or shadows Of material
trees. He became sensible that he was in
land of shadows. When he had trav.
elled halfa days journey, through coun.
try which was continually becoming more
attractive, he came to the banks of
bread lake, in the centre Of which was
large and beautiful island. He found a
canoe Of shining white stone tied to the
shore. He was now sure that he had
come the right path, for the aged man
told him of this. There were also shining
paddles. He Immediately entered the ca.
noe, and took the paddles in his hands,
when, to his joy and surprise, on turning
round, he beheld the object Of his search
in another canoe, exactly its counterpart
in everything. She had exactly initiated
his motions, and they were side by side.
They at once pushed out from the shore,
and began to cross the lake. Its waves
seemed to be rising, and at distance
looked ready to swallow them up; but
just as they entered the whitened edge of
them, they seemed to melt away, as if
they were but the images of waves. But,
no sooner was one wreath Of foam passed,
than another, more threatening still, rose
up. Thus they were in perpetual fear;
and what added to it, was the clearness
Of Tie s0at'', through which they could
see heaps Of beings who had perished be-
fore, and whose bones lay strewed on the
bottom Of the lake. The Master Of Life
had, however, decreed to let them pass,
for the actions Of neither of them had
been bad. But they saw many others
struggling and sinking in the waves. Old
men and young men, males and females
Of all ages and ranks, were there; some
passed, and some sank. 1t was only the
little children whose canoes seemed to
meet no waves. At length every difficult
ty was gone, as in a moment, and they
b6th leaped on the happy island. They
felt that the very air was food. 1t
strengthened and nourished them. They
wandered together over the blissful fields.
where everything was formed to please the
eye and the car. There were no tempests
there was no ice, no chilly winds-no
one shivered for the want of warm clothes
no ono suffered for hunger - no one
mourned the dead. They saw no graves.
They heard Of no wars. There was no
| hnntin1 of animal. G., 49, -. :...1c