Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-04-05


that | have frvn q recent visitation and cunbi-
nation OF sentient impressions while in state Of
profound lethargy, become somewhat staggered
IN my former disbelief. Still as l am no seer
or IN any way versed in the science or knowl-
edge OF second sight. shall proceee to narrate
the presentations as they occurred, and leave
the interpretations thereof Ia those who are more
deeply skilled III the NEUROLOGICAL lore Of Nor
pheus.
Lac one evening during the past weel, l re
tired to rest, fatigusd and depressed from the
labors Of the day, and without wuoing the So
posifc influence Of tie slUmberiug deity quiet
ly passed into that pleasing safe called eestacv
and known 10 sleePers as the eIysian fields In
this high condition Of dreamy enjoyment q thou
sand pleasing images fitted about within the
charmed circle Of my observation and enchanted
me with the plavfulness Of their tournaments and
the innocent fittings Of their arms This great
grand and lofty display of all the amenities Of
4 carnival was admiringly witnessed b. mil
titude OF spectators beside myself and amidst
the general hilarify manifested on this jubil,ut
occasion the Master of ceremonies came for
ward and proclaimed trumpet tongued that free
school edecaiioa eas the hurJinqer Of ,,,trersl liB
eJty ard ,oirersa! happiness oyer tie ,-tole haJta
ble gto1e Immediately succeeding this proc,7-
nation simultaneous shout of applause r,ealed
forth from the congregated host which seemed
10 pierce the vault of heaven Indeed for a lous,
time 1t appeared TO echo and re-ecLo through
the very iinmeusity of space At length 81
leuce was obtained for an interval Of five min.
uics and during that period Of time not a free
school eoakcr to be seel. o.. heard Il. all this
countess hro1q
IN the twinkiiRg Of an eye the scene was
changed, Witnessed thousands and thousand,
OF persons Of all nation ard ranks. ages and sex
dressed in their very best holiday costumes
proniiscuously rejoicing with every imaginabl
demoustrair9ton of messy merrisneut and rnirth-
ful gayety, over tie :. glad fidings proclaimed
to the whole world. that VII hout regard to birth
rel'gion language, rctes 1,5re7tg or era. de,ya9
tim Of Pareds crcr9 cbif IN chrstea,17l,a ,-as an
t't!od bg ,,4tafe 10 4 qood Edlcotton Again for
the space Of tn minutes entire quiet Was OBJ
tanned. and during this time, though diligently
sought and loudly called for, not a free school
grt"eJter co,d b tectai anon, this hetoreqe,.eous
mass of colteotof h,oaauIgl
Again the seine was changed and | beheld
IN my minds eye an inuunerable gathering Of
free school scholars, between the ages Of four
and twenty years, with their parents and guar
dams, mingiins and comingIing in spirit Of
celestial harmony and all in the full fruitiou OF
unmeasured educational blessings Also a lu-
niinous galaxy OF teachers, male and fcmale
were present, who had been educated In all the
free elements Of an Almighty Dispenser of good
TO all His creatures. They too contributed their
full share of happy and cnlivenins cheer to the
general senterta. lmcut. This Was the mos.
pleasing constellation presented In all the va
rious panoramic views. Not AR or discord
disturbed the most delicate or refined ear, from
this mighty army of mixed creation Parents
Teachers and Scholars, all joined in one 5euerl
acclaim of adulation To the associated wisdom Of
patriots and beuciactors, who had beouea;hed
to them and " their heirs forever" tins ilesti-
mable educational boon
IN these dreamy associations. I fanc.ed every
variety Of animated nature rejoicing in this
widespread and universal ovation, and my mind
revcied in The good and glorious spectacle!
once more the scene changed and fancied
myself transported into the City of Common
wealth, where kind of upas-;nalaria seemed to
have diffuSed itself into the free school enter
prise. and poisoned the very l:fe- blood of lis Vi
talIty Nay, more a blghting mildew had
over-sprcad and incrustcd the children her
itase. and a corroding canker was eating at lis
very yit,l> The bird OF night had hooted his
mouruful dirge and tapped his leaden and pail
like wings over the aPathctc sensibili,ies Of
ray!esa and hopeless city SchooI-houses were
a iaockery and the schools taught therein were
struggling for dear life against influences at
with the very genius Of educational i'll
tcrests.
Chagrined and mortified at the gloomy, dis
mai and disgraceGuI comparison, l covered my
face for very shame! Yea, became sick AT
heart, paralized in body and grieved almos- to
despair while contemplating the dark and som
bre picture before me. Aud to add sharpness
and bitterness to th. hateful and repulsive state
al dreaming halluctna;ion. fancicd myself in
side the boundary line Of old and familiar asso-
clarion Children upon whose faces beamed
the promethean courseatiyes Of an eternity of
light We're recognized a those that had met nv
almost every day cheering and admirirg gaze
But at the very time tie murky cloud that dark
eued tie educational horizon was at lis zenith
Of observation. and while Illuminating over the
sickiy and sickening scene, / awole in trans
port Of delight at finding myself far beyond the
precincts OF home and all its consccrated eudear-
ments Somambulism and locouotion upon
rail had in a mysterious manner transported
my doing organism far from the habitation Of
civilization and christianity. and landed me
plump upon the extreme southern outskits of
Egypt, where it IS said men and beasts are
companions in ignorance and brutality, and
there the cultivation of intellect is ignored as
dangerous 10 the rights and morals of the pop
ulacc
Awobe to the wanton and rioting prcpensitieS
Of barberous race and feeling myself surrouu-