The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-10-04

happy, and we'll conditioned. lie was sat-
isfied with his wealth, but not proud of it.;
and piqued himself upon the hearty abund-
ance rather than the style in which he liv
ed. His stronghold was situated on the
banks of the Hudson, in one of those
green, sheltered fertile hooks in which the
Dutch farmers are so fond Of Nesting.
A great elm-tree spread its broad branches
over it; at the foot of which dubbed up a
spring of the softest and sweetest water,
in a little well, formed of a barrel; and
then stole sparkling away through the
grass, to neighboring brook, that bubbled
along among alders and dwarf willows
Hard by the farmhouse was vast barn,
that might have served for a church: every
window and crevice of which seemed burst
ing forth with the treasure of the farm;
the fail was busily resounding within it
from morning till night; swallows and
martins SKINNED twittering about the
caves; and rows of pigeons, some with one
eye turned up, as if watching the weather,
some with their heads under their wings,
or buried in their bosoms, and others
swelling, and cooing and bowling about
their danes, were enjoying the sunshine
on the roof. Sleek unwieldly porkers were
grunting in the repose and abundance of
their pens; whence sailed forth, now and
then, troops of sucking pigs, as if to snuff
the air. A stately squadron of snowy
geese were riding in an adjoining pond,
conveying whole fleets Of ducks; regiments
of turkeys were gobbling through the
farm-yard, and guinea fowls fretting about
it, like ill-tempercd housewives with their
peevish disconnected cry. Before the barn
door strutted the gallant cock, that pattern
of a husband, WARRIOR and fine gentle
man, clapping his FURNISHED wings, and
growing in the pride and gladness of his
heart-sometimes tearing up the earth
with his feet, and then generously calling
his ever-hungry family of wives and child
rem to enjoy the rich morsel which he had
discovered.
The pcdagogue's mouth watered, as he
looked upon this sumptuous promise of
minds eye he pictured to himself every
roasting pig running about with pudding
in his belly, and an apple in his mouth;
the pigeons were snugly put to bed in COM
Portable pic, and tucked in with coverlet
of crust; the geese were swimming in their
own gravy; and the ducks pairing costly
in dishes, like snug married couples, with
decent competency Of onion-sauce. In
the porkers he saw carved out the future
sleek side of bacon, and juicy relishing
ham; not turkey but he beheld dainty
trussed up, with its gizzard under its wing,
and, peradventure, a necklace of savory
sausages; and even bright chanticler him
self lay sprawling on his back, in a side
dish, with uplifted claws, as if craving
that quarter which his chivalreus spirit
disdained to ask while living.
AS the enraptured Ichabod fancied all
this, and as he rolled his great green eyes
over the fat meadown- lands, the rich fields
of wheat, of rye, of buckwheat, and
Indian corn, and the orchard burdened
with ruddy fruit, which surrounded the
warm tenement of Van Tassel, his heart
yearned after the damsel who was to inherit
these domains, and his imagination ex-
banded with the idea how they might be
readily turned into cash, and the money
invested in immense tracts of wild land,
and shingle palaces in the Wilderness
Nay, his busy fancy already realized his
hopes and presented to him the blooming
Katrina, with a whole family of children,
mounted on the top of a wagon loaded
with household trumpcry, with pots and
kettles, dangling beneath; and he beheld
himself bestriding a pacing mare, with
colt at her heels, setting out for Kentucky,
Tennessee, or the Lord knows where.
fro RE CONTINUED