, 1859-08-19

8.
"At this hour ! have vow upon me that
must not violate. shall ascend this hillside
alone--follow fhe not | go to the Cross Of the
Valley. and ere long l shall return"
He turned to depart and the way-worn tray
eIers entered his l0wly dwelling and awaited his
return. Few objects were there, in that lonely
retreat from tho world, 10 invite the stay Of
passer-by. There were the cleaning embers Of
4 diving fire, and block Of wood for resting
place BY day. Dry heaped-up leaves were on
ono side-the only couch for the holy mans
night.rest often to be broken by sanity vigils-
"obsaisn. slumbers, that must wake and weep"
And over the entrance Of this drear abode
there hung small dark image Of dying Christ
There was triekling noise Of water near, but
they saw not whence the sound proceeded, and,
though parched with thirst. they sat down TO
await the return Of the hermit Sleep weighed
down their eyelids; from which they were
startled, ere an hour had gone, by tho echo Of
the coming stems Of the hoary world-exile
They stood up as he entered in silence and tot.
tered to the solitary seat The trappings OF
their horses were enough for the strangers to
recline on.
"Good father," began Alonzo, "methinks We
have tidings that will fall not unpleasingly on
your ears" and as the hermits eve was raised
inquiringly, he quickly added, "the armies Of
the Cross have had fresh encounter with the In
fidels, and the plains Of the north arc covered
with the dead foes Of our faithln
The unaccustomed and long-iorgotten sound
Of martial fierceness woke slumbering feelings
in the old mans breast, and the gleeful wild
flashing look Of AlonzO relighted the fire Of the
hermit's eye. "Han he exclaimed, then I
should have been thereon such field ] ought
to have diedl"
"No," replied the Chief; "wouId to Heaven
that all our foes had found their sepulchre therel
but surely enough Of the blood Of Spain hath
been shed already. Why should yours too, have
flowedp"
The old man was silent, as II he heard not !;
nor did he give answer to the many questions
that Alonzo asked, save by an inward sigh, or .
cold, stony stare. At length, turning to the
strangers, he bade them take repose, adding,
Heed not meat this hour I may not Sleep"
"Nor J." echoed Alonzo, "until know some
what Of the mysterious fate that hath guided .
Worn warrior to this retreat You'll you'll Imean,
old mani for surely that eye Of yours hath
flashed in fierce fight ere now; az, by the holy
cross, swear that sinewy arm hath welded well
q Gothic swordI' ~
"Good friend,r exclaimed the aroused old
man, al had thought to keep silence before You,
and bear In secret to my grave the story OF the
fate that hath led mo to this outcast spot"
He sat more erect as he spoke, as IL summon.
ing his whole remaining energies He continued
with firmer and clearer voice:
"You are not q careless youth, al inexperi-
enced Of this worlds vicissitudes, or would not
tell to you such Q tale as mine II might make
this earth appear less lovely in your view, and
mans estate below more sad; or even human ma
ture itself darker thing than It were good Tor
A.. WY.oaa mi NnahIa darr0nid
limbs that you look upon, have borne me near a
hundred years on my pilgrimage. Now, It must
soon be over; loathe i'll would not live al
ways"
"Old man," cried Alonzo, with emotion, q l
would exchangemy warriors pride-l would lay
down forever these habiliments that deck me forth
as destroyer-this sword, this helmet and this
mail-yes, would iorsake forever the riotous
revelry Of the soldiers carousal-hall, and all
Herewith that hath been joy to me, and would
even now assume that simple dress and simpler
fare which have contented you, could there
with assume those surer signs Of inward peace,
that holy calm, that serenity Of soul which you
have known so long"
GSo IonrI" interrupted the hermit, with pas
sionate expression, $50 longl That word Is ILL
suited to me; and holy peace and pure serenity
Of spirit are there only known where the weary
are at rest forever. II Is In such solitude as
this that true misery Is felt; for here, without
intermission or interruption from the noise OF the
world, corroding Thought doth eat as canker
into the heart Of man. Think not such peace is
mine-such Heavenly peusive contemplation as
visionary vesfals dream Of Believe me, stran-
GER the deep retirement Of the saintliest cell
will command that eternal sunshine Of che spot
less mind which poets have loved to portray.
The human heart will prey upon ITSELF even u
It have no vulture thoughts to prey upon Il
The vanity Of all things viii make the lonely
spirit sicken In the contemplation even Of itself
And IL Il raise q wish 10 Heaven, how nearly
will Il subside into murmur. Its very hum
blest prayers, spring they from Piety or from de-
spairt !"
Alonz0 restrained not his establishment at the
bermit's melancholy strain; but the eloquent
old man, as if determined not to be interrupted,
regarded It not-seeming now resolved 10 un-
burden his 0yeraowing mind 10 his guests. Hes
itating at times, and at times pausing to take
breath, he continued his story, almost til the
morning sunbeams strCamed down the noun
tains; and then, exhausted. he sunk to sleep.
"FTiend," he began, "it will not much con-
eern you to hear the tedious narrative Of my
early days; and, indeed, my worn-out memory
retains not on her tablets legible record Of
them. Twelve summers had not passed over
my head, when my father had destined that |
should wear an ecclesiastical robe, and succeed
to an heritage OF mock sanctity which genera.
tons Of hypocrites had bequeathed to my native
land. Mistake me not; | had no thoughts but
Of reverence for the name Of Jesus; but rarely
did the priests Of Spain do honor 10 that holy
name, save here and there GOd-devoted man,
who was the victim Of his bFetbEen's scorn and
hate, and yet with whom alone IN oil our land
dwelt piety and truth. Ny young heart recoiled
from the thought Of linking myself forever with
,the priests Of my fatheF's choice with whom
was acquainted) the very best Of them cold
worldly hearted menl resisted, but in vain /;
and ere twenty years had passed from my first
entering on this world Of sorrow, to escape my
doom, ! LEFT the halls Of my fathers From my