The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-02-21
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LEGEND OF THE SPRING.
BY Or. G. N. HlCKOk.

IA thou ,pirit of health, or goblin dann'd,
Bring with thee airs from heaven, OF blasts from hell
Be thy nents wicked, or charitable,
Thou com'st in such questionable shape,
That will speak to thee ii Hamlet.
7 was on the afternoon of one Of The extra
ordinarily hot days for which the year 49, will
long be remembered, that had occasion to visit
the celebrated Mineral Spring, near Bedford
All nature wore The appearance OF langnor.
The leaves Of the green corn, instead OF lifting
their long spear points to rusiling breeze, hung
moloness, like wilherpd moss, from their bend
log stalks. The herbage appeared burned and
psrched as il by fire. The herds sought the
shade, or painting be.ook themselves TO the cool
brook side. Not zephyr's breath moved he
forest boughs, nor hummed its accustomed chant
amid the pine tops. Not ripple disturbed the
surface Of the little lake, into which the waters
of the health giving spring pour their tribute
The epeckled trout lay repcsing under his mos
~ awning, and even the goddess OF the foun-
tain appeared to have yielded to the general in
iection, for the -t over which she presdes,
less, and less noisly than is its wont, into lis
pebbly bed.
The long coonade Of the "SPring's Hotel'
was deserted. The busy crowd that thronged
it in the morning, were dispersed to their couch-
ca, TO enjoy their sitsla and find repose toT :he
dis.ipo;ions and fatigue Of the ball and diawng
rooms in the evening. Finding no company,
nor any thing else to engross my attention, |
treated NY sell TO the luxury of bath, aud then
undertook the hercuean task Of a pilgrimage 10
the "Summer- house" on The so nmil Of econ
stituion Hl."
With the exception Of the attiGc;al pathways
which have been txca-atcd along Ihe steep de-
clgi,y, 10 render il accessible, this bill has been
preserved in all its original beauty. Not tree
has been displaced; moi fallen trunk has been
removed. The onderbrush grows among the
rocks in all It's wild and tangled lnxufiancp,
enabling the visitor, by The transition Of few
sters, to change The iameness OF AIT fer the ro-
mantle and ragged beauties OF nature and were
j, not for the suggestive presence OF The path
ways, il would require no great stretch OF the
Imagination for he visitor to fancy himself in
the primitive forest, amid the haunts of the red
man ; and as l oitered along, could not help
thinking myself on sacred ground, where yet
dwell the esprit hos'' OF the departed nations,
who here lived, and acted, end died-who,
though forgotten and their memory buried in
oblivion, still existed with interests Coequa
with our own.
AS turned al the numerous angles and wind
ings Of the labyriuthap causeways, and cast
my eyes along their deep perspective views,
almost expeced to see the gaunt form of the
Indian hunter bounding from their thlcket bor-
derF, OF The coy maiden gliding among he folI-
age, or to hear reverberating through the Forest
'he shrill yell OF the warrior. But nonght ap-
pesred TO disturb my vision. No sound startled
my hearing all was motlonless and silent as
tho grave. Not c-ickrt's chirp broke in upon
the stiffness; even my own footsteps were un-
heard and unheedpd, as pondpred on the chan
ges which time had wrought in the scene, and
tried in fancy 10 recall the picture, in all its
wild magnificence, ere art had deiormed It's
beauty BY her sacrilegous touch.
Where, Il asked my thonghts) are the wig
wan homes that studded you bright green,
where now the castles OF the white man rear
their proud fronts Where is the cheerful song
o! the lodan mother who there titled her field
Of tender corn, and watched with ioyous eyes
the gamhols of her little ones, OF went out to
meet her warrior lord, and welcome his return
from the hunt or conquest Where is the chief
tain, who weary with the chase, sat in bis wig
wan door at sunset, and placed bis ponderous