The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-02-16

txedly at the German. What had hi
SEEM Nothing, apparently; for curiou
youth, who had peeped In almoet at the
same moment, bsheld only vacant space
Of canvas.
HIrememher you now muttered Ethar
Brand TO the Snowman.
"Ah, Captain" whispered the Jew o.
Nuremberg, with dark smile, u find II
TO be heavy matter in my show box
this objectionable SIM By my faith
Captain, It has wearied my shoulders, thil
long day, to carry il over the mountain
@Peace," answered Ethan Brand, stern.
ly, Hor get thee into the furnace yonder!f
The jews exhibition had scarcely con
cluded, when q great, elderly dog-that
seemed 10 be his own master, as no per-
con In the company laid claim TO him
saw Ct TO render himself the object Of
public notice. Hitherto, he had shown
himself very quiet, well.disposed old
dog, going round from one 10 another, and
by way Of being sociable, offering bis
rough head 10 be patted by any kindly
hand that would take so much trouble
But now, all Of 4 sudden, this grave and
venerable quadruped, Of his own mere
motion, and without the slightest sugges-
ton from anybody else, began TO run
round after his tail, which, 10 heighten
the absundity Of the proceeding, was a
great deal shorter than 1t should have
been. Never was seen such headlong
eagerness in pursuit Of an object that
could not possibly be attained; never was
heard such q tremendous outbreak Of
growing, snarling, barking and swapping
eas II one end Of the ridiculous bruteS
body were at deadly and most unforgiya.
BILE enmity with the other. Faster and
faster, round about went the cur; and fast
er and still faster fed the unapproacha.
BILE breyily Of his tail; and louder and
fiercer grew his yells Of rage and ami.
mostly; until, utterly exhausted, and as
far from the goal as ever, the foolish old
dog ceased his performance as suddenly
as be had begun 1t. The next moment
be was as mild, quiet, sensible and re-
spectacle in his department ss when he
frat scraped acquaintance with the com.
pany. ,,.
As may be supposed, the exhibition
was greeted with universal laughter, clap.
ping OF hands, and shouts Of encore, to
which the canine performer responded by
wagging all that there was to wag Of his
tail, but appeared totally unable 10 re.
peat his very successful effort 10 amuse
The spectators.
Meanwhile Eathan Brand had resumed
his seat on the log, and moved, 1t might
be, by perception Of some remote anal.
ogy between his own case and that oil this
self.pursuing cur, he broke into the awful
laugh, which, more than any other token,
expressed the condition Of his inward
being. From that moment the merriment
Of the party was at an end; they stood
aghast, dreading least the inauspicious
sound might be reyerberated around the
horizon, and that mountain would thun-
der il 10 mountain, and SO the horror be
prolonged upon their ears. Then. wliis.
pering one to another that 1t was Late
that the moon was almost down.-that
the August night was growing chill, they
hurried homewards, leaving the lime.
burner and little Joe to deal as they
might with their unwelcome guest. Save
for these three human beings, the open
space on the hillside was solitude, sell
ia yast gloom Of forest. Beyond that
darksome verge the freight glimmered
on the stately trunks and almost black
foliage OF pines, intermixed with the
lighter yerdure OF aapling oaks, naples
and poplars, while here and there lay the
gigantic corpses OF dead trees, decaying
on the leai.sirewn soil. And il seemed
10 little Joe-a timorous and Imaginative
child-tha. the silent forest was holding
its breath, until some fearful thing should
happen.
Ethan brand thrust more wood into
The Ere, and closed the door Of the kiln;
then looking over his shoulder at the
lime. burner and his son, he babe, rather
than adyised, them 10 retire 10 rest.
HFor myself, I cannot sleep" said he.
81 have matters that il concerns me 10
mediate upon. / will watch the Ere, as
/ used 10 do in the old time"
GAnd call the devil ont OF the furnace
10 keep YOU company, / suppose" NUT.
tered Bartram, who had been making init.
mate acquaintance with the black bottle
above mentioned. "But watch, IL you
like. and cali "a MANY devils as YOU like
For nv part, / shall be all the better for
n snovze. Come. Joe ~
Az Inc bow followed bis father into the
bnt. he looked back at the waylarer, and
lie tears came into his eyes; for his ten.
der spirit had an intuition OF the bleak
and terrible Loneliness 10 which this man
md enyeIoped himself.
When they had gone Ethan Brand sat
listening 10 The cracking OF The kindling.
wood. and looking at the little spirits Of
Are thar Issued through the ohinis Of the
door. Tbese triles, however, once 40
familiar, had but the slightest hold OF his
attention, while deep within his mind he
was reyie wing the gradual but maryell.
Gus change that had been wrought upon
him by the search to which he had de.
voted himself. He remembered how the
night dew had fallen upon him-how the
dark forest had whispered to him-how
the stars had cleaned upon nina sim.
pie and lo7ing man, watching his FIRE in
The years gone BY, and ever musing as il
burned. He remembered with what
tenderness, with what love and sympathy
for mankind, and what pity for human
guilt and woe, be had frat begun 10 con.
template those ideas which afterwards be.
came the Inspiration Of his life; with what
| $1,000. L. L.I a.. Io.Lol 49,. a. =