American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-10-02
Om Bcus and Girls.
THE WILL-O'-THE-WISP.

PEHHAPs most of my young readers al
ready know all about Will-o'-the-
Wisp," but lest there should be any who
have not heard of one | will give them Il
few words to enlighten them.
In marshy and swampy places, general
ly during the warm months of summer
and autumn, the vapors and gases which
the heat of the sun causes to rise from the
moist ground form IA kind of meteor or
luminous body, which may sometimes be
seen gliding smoothly over the surface of
the earth, within few feet of the ground,
and, on a dark night, might be mistaken
for a lantern in the hand of some person.
In fact it has frequently occurred that be-
lated travellers, who have lost their way,
have been deceived by it, under the i'm
preston that the light proceeded from the
window of some house, erfroln some other
source which might lead to place of rest
for the night.
remember when was very young my
mother told me of a little boy who nearly
lost his life by means of Willo-the
Wisp." One evening late in summer,
when the sky was completely hidden from
view by heavy, dark clouds, he had occa-
sion to visit the village some distance from
his residence, and, as he was delayed lon
ger than he expected, it was very late be-
fore he was able to return. Between him
and his home lay Il somewhat extensive
swamp, which he often crossed by day
light in returning from school, in order
to make what he termed ''shOrt cut
though his usual way home was around
by the roadway. He had never ventured
to pass through it after dark, lest he should
miss the path and tumble into one of the
numerous holes and ponds in which the
place abounded
This night, however, encouraged by the
clouds partly dividing and allowing the
moon to shine out, he thought he might
risk the journey without danger, and thus
save half an hours walk.
He started out and had reached the mid
die of the swamp when the sky again be-
came overcast and the moon was hidden
under thick cloud. However, he moved
on as rapidly as he safely could, hoping
that the moonlight might shortly shine
out; but the clouds only grew darker and
darker, until at length he was left in the
deep shades of the swamp, with nothing
to guide him on his dreary route. Stillhe
pressed carefully on, straining his eyes in
his efforts to distinguish the outlines of
some familiar object.
After long walking he was somewhat
surprised not to discover any trace of the
highway, and gradually it began to force
itself on his mind that he must have got
on the wrong path, and that probably
each step he took was taking him further
from his destination. He paused and
looked around him in dismay, completely
at a loss how to proceed, and was just be-
ginning to despair reaching home before
morning when he espied a light not far
off. He at once supposed that it mus be
some one, who, like himself, was making
"short cut" and carried a lantern to di-
rect his footsteps. He cried out loudly to
the stranger, but the light moved steadily
on. The man was, perhaps, too far away
to hear him, he thought; so he started off
in rapid pursuit.
He followed the light as closely as he
could, and, from the swift manner IN
which it passed along, he believed its
owner must be well acquainted with the
locality, and thinking that there must be
a safe path in that direction, he proceeded
on with less care. After running hard
for some time he saw the light change its
course and as he was in the act OF max
ing a final effort to overtake it he sudden
ly stumbled and found himself to his
shoulders in water. He called loudly for
assistance, but his cries were perfectly un-
ayailing. After struggling for half an
hour he at length succeeded in extricating
himself, and as he looked around he be-
held the light just disappearing in the dis
lance.
He knew now it was utterly useless for
him to make any further endeavor to get
out of the swamp before morning, and,
wet and shIvering, he lay down on a little
dry hillock, where he was in short time
overcome by sleep and fatigue. When he
awoke the sun was already up, and he
perceived that he had wandered consid-
cradle distance out of his way, and I need
scarcely say that he lost~little time in
starting off.
On reaching home he found his father
and mother, who had been up all night, in
great anxiety for his safety, and, as he
told them his misadventurc, he learned
that what he took for man with Ian
tern was nothing more than " Will-o'-
the Wisp. ~. Y. Observer.