Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-06-23
00urtester Daily Spp.
From Chambers's Edinburgh Journal
A SPIRITUAL SUBPOENA.

Some dozen years ago, passed a couple of
early Summer months in Deyonshire, fishing
changing one picturesque scene of sport for
another Always dlsbelieving that should find
so falr place as that last quilted, and always
having pleasantly to acknowledge myself
wrong There is, indeed, an almost inexhaus-
tble treasure of delicious hooks in that fertile
county, which comprehends every element of
landscape beauty-coaSt and inland hill and
valley, moor and woodland-and eXceIs in
nothing more than its curved rivers. What
clif.like and full-folaged banks about their
sources, and what rich meadows sprinkled
with unrivalied kline, as they broaden towards
the seal AT the close of my tour was lodg-
ing in farmhouse, near branch of the Exc,
rather regretlul at the thought Of so soon hav-
ing to shoulder my knapsack and return to ma
tive Dorset near certain provincial town of
which county, and in a neghborhood without
tree within sight, or a stream within sound,
1t was my lot to dwell. We had lately thrown
out bow-wlndow to the drawing room there
but why, cannot tell, for there was certainly
nothing to see from it. What a difference
between such spot and my then abode, from
the windows of which score of miles of undu-
lating and varied landscape could be discerned
with the old cathedral towers of the capital
city standing grandly up against the southern
sky!
~ ~ -'N' - ~ eiieNN BOOPiC wiz lfG Ill
esque places do not appreciate Them but only
that they require to be made to understand
their good fortune
Michael Courtenay, the goodman 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 a
visit to her son when in business at Birmng-
ham, knew perfectly well. Concerning which
son, Robert, by-the-by, there was sad tale
lie was the only son of the good pair, and one
who should have been there at Cowless the
right hand of his father, and the comfort of
his loving mother; but the young man had
decided otherwise. He had never taken to
farming, but had grieyed his father hugely by
a laundering after mechanical studies, which
the old agriculturalist associated almost with
the black art itself Thinking himself to have
gift Tor the practical sciences, Robert had got
apprenticed in Birmingham, and for some time
babe tair to acquit himself well. But it had
not been farming to which he was in reality
averse, so much as to restraint of any kind
and finding, after little, that he could not be
his own master at the lathe, any more than at
the plough, he forsook his second calling like
wise. This had justly angered Michael, and
drawn from him, on the return of the lad GER
tain expressions which his young spirit undu-
tlfully resented. There was a violent scene
in that peaceful homestead of CowIess one
day; and the next morning, when the house
was astir, it was found that Robert had gone
away In the night time nor had he since eli
ther returned home or written of his wherea-
bouts.
1t was year ago or more by this time, dur
ing which time Mrs Courtenay had grown old
er than in the halt-dozen years before, while
the old man himself, said the tarmp people, had
altered to the full as much as she, although
TOR his part, he never owned it. 1t was not he
who told me OF the matter, but the guide wife,
who was fond OF meas my vanity was oblig-
ed to confess-mainly because | was of the
age of her lost lad, and so reminded her of
him. l slept in the very room which had for
merry been her Roberts, and very comtorta-
bic little room it was.
Here it was, very early one May morning,
before even the earliest risers of the farm were
up, that was awakened by these three words
pronounced close to me in the distinctest
tones =
''The ferryman waits"
So perfectly conscious was l of having been
really addressed, that | sat up in my bed at
once, and replied :-"Well and what is that to
me q before the absurdity of the intimaton
had time to strike me. The snow-white cur
tains of the little bed were completely I'M
81 tilstt no person COulu nave Deen
den behind them. Although it was not broad
daylight every object was clearly discernible
and through the halfopened window came the
cool, delicious summer air with quckening fra
GRANGE. l heard the dog rattle his chain in
the yard as he came out OF his kennel and
shook himself, and then returned to it lazily
as though it was not time to be up vet a
cock crew, but very unsatisfactory, leaving
off in the middle of his performance, as though
he had been mistaken in the hour. Ny
watch, a more reliable chromcler, informed me
that 1t wanted quarter Of four O'Clock. | was
not accustomed to be awakened at such
time as that, and turned myself somewhat in
dignantly on the pillow, regrettul that | had
eaten clothed cream for supper the preceding
evening. | lay perfectly still, with my eyes
shut, endeavorlng, since | could not get to
sleep again, to account for the peculiar nature
OF my late nightmare, as | had made up my
mind to consider it, until the cuckoo clock on
the oaken stair outside struck four. The last
note of the mechanical bird had scarcely died
away, when again, close to my pillow | heard
uttered, not only with distnctness, but with
most unmistakeable earnestness, the same
piece of information which had once so startled
me already -
'The terryman waits"
Then got up, and looked under the little
bed, and behind it; into the small cupboard
where my one change of boots were kept, and
where there was scarcely room enough for
anything else. | sounded the wall nearest my
beds head, and found it solid enough it was
also an outside wall nor from any Of the more
remote ones could so distinct a summons have
come. Then | pushed the window easement
fully back, and thrust my head and bare neck
in the morning air. If l was still asleep, |
was determined to wake myself, and then, if
should hear the mVstprious voice apain / was
determined to obey it. was not alarmed
nor even disturbed in my mind, although
greatly interested. The circumstances of nv
position precluded any supernatural terror.
The animals in the farm-yard were lying in
the tumbled straw close by, and near enough
to be startled by shout of mine some
pigeons were already circling round the dove
cote, or pacing sentinel-like, the little plat
forms before their domicils; and the sound
of the lasher, by whose circling eddes | had
so often watched for trout, came cheerily and
with inviting tone across the dewy meadows.
The whole landscape seemed instinct with
newborn life, and to have thoroughly shaken
off the solemnity of dreary night. Its sur
passing beauty and freshness SO entirely took
possession OF me indeed, that in its contempa-
ton | absolutely forgot the inexplicabe occur
renee which had brought me to the window
was in the endeavor to make out whether
those tapering lines, supporting, as it appear
ed, mass of southern cloud were indeed the
plnnacles of the cathedral, when close by my
ear, close by, as though the speaker had his face
at tne easement likewise, the words were
third time uttered
"The ferryman waitsn
There was deeper seriousness in its tone
on this occasion, an appeal which seemed 10
have touch of pathos as well as gloom but