The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-07-15
RICHMOND.
CHOCORUA'S CURSE.

The rocky county Of Stafford, New
Hampshire, is remarkable for its wild
and broken scenery. Ranges Of hills
towering one above another, as if ca
ger to look upon the beautiful coun-
try, which afar of lies sleeping in the
embrace of heaven; precipices from
which the young eagles take their
fight to the sun; dells rugged and
tangled as the dominions of Koderick
Vich Alpine, and ravines dark and
deep enough for the, death scene of
bandit, form the masni6cent charac
teristics of this picturesque region.
A high precipice, called ChOcorua's
Cliff, is rendered peculiarly interest
ing by legend which tradition has
scarcely saved from utter oblivion.
Had it tcen in Scotland, perhaps the
genius of Sir Walter Scott would have
hallowed it, and Americans would
have crowded there to kindle fancy on
the altar Of memory. Being in the
midst Of our own romantic scenery, it
is little known, and less visited; for
the vicinity is as yet untraversed by
railroads or canals, and no Mountain
House,, perched on these tremendous
battlements, allures the traveller hith-
er to mock the majesty of nature with
the insipidities of fashion. A distin-
guished artist, Mr.. Cole, found the
sunshine and the winds sleeping upon
it in solitude and secrecy; and his
pencil has brought it before us in its
stern repose
In olden times, when Goffe and
Whalley passed for wizards and noun
tain spirits among the superstitious.
the vicinity of the spot we have been
describing was occupied by very
small colony, which, either from dis
content or enterprise, had retired into
this remote part of New Hampshire.
Most of them were ordinary men, led
to this independent mode of life from
an impatience of restraint, which as
frequently accompanies vulgar obs:i-
macy as generous pride.
But there was one master spirit
among them, who was capable of a
! higher destiny than he ever fulfilled
| The consciousness of this had stamp
ed something of proud humility on
the face of Cornelius Campbell, some
thing of naughty spirit strongly
curbed by circumstances he could not
control, and at which he seemed to
murmur. He assumed no superiority;
but unconsciously he threw around
him the spell of intellect. and his COM
panions felt, they knew not why, that
he was "among them, but not of
them" His statue was gigantic, and
he had the beld, quick tread of one
who had wandered frequently and
fearlessly among the terrible hiding
places of nature. His voice was harsh.
but his whole countenance possessed
singular capabilities for tenderness of
expression; and sometimes, under the
gentle influence Of domestic excite
ment, his hard features would be rap
idly lighted up, seeming like the sun
shine flying over the shaded fields in
an April day.
His companion was one peculiarly
calculated to excite and retain the
deep, strong energies of manly love.
She had possessed extraordinary beau
ty; and had, in the full maturity of an
excellent judgment, relinquished sew
eral splendid alliances, and incurred
her fathers displeasure. for the sake
of Cornelius Campbell. Had political
circumstances proved favorable, his
talents and ambition would unques.
tionably have worked out path to
emolument and fame; but he had
been a jealous and active enemy OF
the Stuarts, and the restoration of
Charles the Second was the death
warrant Of his hopes. Immediate
flight became necessary, and America
was the chosen place of refuge. His
adherence to Cromwell's party was not
occasioned by religious sympathy, but
by political views, too liberal and
philosophical for the state of the peo-
pie; therefore Cornelius Campbell was
no favorite with our forefathers, and
being Of proud nature, he withdrew
with his family to the solitary place
!, we have mentioned;
1t seemed hard fate for one who
had from childhood been accustomed
to indulgence and admiration, yet Mrs
Campbell enjoyed more than she had
done in her days of splendor; SO much
deeper are the sources Of happiness
than those of gayety. Even her face
had suffered little from time and hard
ship. The bloom on her cheek, which
, in youth had been like the sweet pes
blossom-that most feminine Of al
fowers-had, it is true, somewhat
faded; but the rich intellectual ex
preston did but receive additiona
majesty from years; and the exercise
of quiet domestic love, which, where
it is suffered to exist, always deepen!
and brightens with time, had given ;
bland and placid expression, which
might we'll have atoned for the absence
, of more striking beauty To such ;
woman as Caroline Campbell. of wha,
use would have been some moderr
doctrines Of equality and intepend
J ence?
! With a mind sufficiently cultivated
; to appreciate and enjoy her husband !
. intellectual energies, she had hear
that could not have found anothe,
1 home. The bird will drop into it
$ nest, though the treasures of eartl
. and sky are open. To have proved
marriage tyranny, and the cares o
domestic life a thraldon, would hav,
t affected Caroline Campbell as little
e as to be told that the pure, sweet at
mosphere she daily breathed wa
pressing upon her so many pounds I
e every square inch! Over such a heart
: and such soul, external circum
e stances have little power; all world
!. interest was concentrated in her hus
band and babes, and her spirit WI
: satisfied with that inexhaustible foun
d tain of joy which nature gives, an
! God has blessed.
|. A very small settlement, in such
o remote place, was of course subject t
inconvenience and occasional suffer
o ing. From the Indians they receive
n neither injury nor insult. No caus
of quarrel had ever arisen; and, al
4 though their frequent visits wer
! sometimes troublesome, they neve