The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-07-20
for tge Yome Girele.
" The Ferryman Waits !"
Il Spiritual SUBPOENA.

Il Spiritual SUBPOENA.
Some dozen years ago. passed couple of
early summer months in Devonshire, fishing
changing one picturesque scene of sport for
another always disbelieving that should find
so fair place as that last quilted. and always
having pleasantly to acknowledge myself
wrong. There is indeed an almost inexhaust-
lille treasure of delicious hooks in that fertile
country, which comprehends every element of
landscape beauty-coast and inland. hill and
valley, moor and woodland - and exceIs in
nothing more than in its curved river. What
cif-like and fell foliaged banks about their
sources. and what rich meadows sprinkled with
unrveled kline, as they broaden towards the
sea At the close of my tour, l was lodg-
ing in farmhouse. near branch of the Exc,
rather regretful at the thought of SO soon hav-
ing TO shoulder my kuapsack aud return to
native Dorset near certain provincial town
of which county, and in neighborhood with
out tree within sight, or a stream within
sight, or stream within sound, it was my lot
to dwell We had lately thrown out bow
window to the drawing-room there, but why,
cannot tell; for there was, certainly, nothing
to see from it. What difference between
such spot and my then abode. from the win-
dows of which score of miles of unduating
and varied landscape could be discerned, with
the old cathedral towers of the city standing
51r ba
tits not true that people who live in pictur-
esque places do not appreciate them, but only
that they require to be made TO understand
their guide fortune. Michael Courtenay, the
gudeman of the farm and like all his class,
thorough stay -at-home, could not discover
what found in that look out from his house
to make such fuss about; but his wife. who
had once paid visit to her son when in busi-
ness in Birmingham, knew perfectly well. Con-
corning which son Robertby the-by,there was
sad tale. He was the only child of the good
pair, and one who should have been there at
| Cowlees the right hand Of his father, and the
comfort of his loving mother; but the young
man decided otherwise. He had never taken
to firming, but bad grieved his father hugely
by hankering after mechanical studies, which
the old agrcuturist associated almost with the
black art itself. Thinking himself to have a
| gift fo- the practical sciences, Robert had got
apprenticed at Birmingham, and for some time
bade fair to acquit himself well. But it had
not been farming to which be was in reality
averse, so much as to restraint of any kind /;
and finding, after little. that he could not be
his own msater at the lathe, any more than at
the plough, he forsook his second calling like
wise. This had justly angred Michael, and
drawn from him, on the return of the lad, Ger
:, tain expressions which his young spirit undnti.
: fully resented. There was violent scene in
that peaceful homestead of Gowlees one day;
and the next morning, when the house was
;, astir.i was found that Robert had gone away
in the night time. nor had he since either re.
turned home or written of his whereabouts
It was year ago and more by this time,du
ring which period Mrs. Courtenay had grown
5 older than in the halfdozen years before; while
the old man himself said the farm people. had
altered to the full as much as she, although, fol
. his part, he never owned to it. 1t was not hi
: who told me of the matter, but the gudewife
= who was fond of meas my vanity was oblig
ed to confess-thainly because was of thu
l. age of her lost lad, and so reminded her OF him
y slept in the very room which had formerl
E, been her Roberts, and very comfortabl
little room it was.
Here il was. very early one May morning
before even the earliest risers of the farm wer
- up, that was awakened by these three word
- pronounced close by me in the distinctes
:. tones The ferryman waits
Iv So perfectly conscious was of having bee
is really addressed, that sat up in bed at ono
IN and replied, Well, and what is that to me
ix before the absurdity of the intimation had tim
,d to strike me. The snow-white curtains of tt
ils little bed we're completely undrawn, so that n
no person could have been hidden behind ther
80 Althoughit was not broad daylight, every o.
iect was clearly discernible, and through tl
halfopened window came the cool, deliciou
summer air with quickening fragrance
ing heard the dog rattle his chain in the yard
'he he came out of his kennel and shook himse
she and then returned to it lazly, as though it W
not time to be up yet A cock crew, but We
unsatisfactory, leaving of in the middle of
lst, performance, as though he had been mistak
in the hour My watch--a more reliah
ace chronicler-informed me that it wanted
ch. quarter of. four o'clock. was not accusto
r of ed to be awakened at such a time as that, a
cts. turned myself somewhat Indignantly OH t