Smyrna times., 1881-07-06
David Swan.


ment, of fear, to afford an hour of true
The idea may beillustrated from
a single page from the secret history of
David Swan
We have nothing to do with David until
we find him at the age Of twenty on the
high road from his native place to the city
of Boston, where his uncle, a small dealer
in the grocery line, was to take him be-
hind the counter. Be 1t enough to say
that he was a native of New Hampshire
born of respectable parents, and had re-
ceived an ordinary school education, with
a classic finish of year at GilmantOn
Academy. After journeying on foot from
sunrise to near noon on a summers day.
his WEAKNESS and the increasing heat de-
termined him 10 vt dpRg and await the
coming Of the coach.
As if planted on purpose for him, there
soon appeared little clump of naples,
with a most delightful recess in the midst,
and such fresh bubbling spring that it
seemed never to have sparkled for any
wayfarer but David Swan. Virgin or not
be kissed it with his thirsty lips, and then
flung himself along the brink, pillowless,
his head upon some shirts and pair of
pantalOons, tied IN striped cotton hand
kerchief The sun beams could not reach
him; the dust did not rise from the road,
after the heavy rain Of yesterday, and his
grassy lair suited the young man better
than bed of down. The spring murmur-
ed drowily beside him, the birds foated
across the blue sky overhead, and deep
sleep, perGhaRee hiding dreams within its
depths, fell upon David Swan.
While he lay sound asleep in the shade
other people were wide awake, and passed
to and fro on horseback, and in all sorts
of vehicles, along the sunny road by his
bed-chamber. Some looked neither to the
right nor to the left, and knew not that he
was there some merely glanced that way,
without admitting the slumberer among
their busy thoughts, some laughed to see
how soundly he slept; several whose
hearts were brimming full of scorn elected
their venOmOus superhuity on David
Swan. A middle aged widow, when
nobody else was near, thrust her head into
the recess and vowed that the young man
looked charming in his sleep. A temper.
ance lecturer saw him, and wrought pool
David into the texture of his evening dis
course as an awful instance of dead
drunkenness by the roadside. But cen
sure, merriment, praise, scorn and indif
ference were all one, or rather all nothing
to David Swan.
He had slept only few moments, wheI
a brown carriage drawn by handsom,
pair of horses bowled along, and wa
brought to standstill nearly in front o
David's resting place. A linchpin hac
fallen out, and permitting one of th
wheels to slide off. The danger occasion
ed merely a mOmentary alarm to al
elderly gentleman and wife who were re
turning to Boston In carriage,
While the coachman and a servant weP
replacing the wheel the lady and gentle
man sheltered themselves beneath tn
maple trees and there espied the bubblin
fountain, and David Swan asleep besid
it. Impressed with the awe which tn
humblest sleeper casts around him, tn
merchant trod as lightly as the gout woul
allow, and his spouse took good heed nc
to rustic her silk gown, lest David shoul
start up all of a sudden.
"How sound he sleeps!" whispered th
old gentleman. "From what depth h
draws that easy breath! Such sleep {
that brought on without an opiate, woul
be worth more to me than half my il
come; for it would argue health and a
untroubled mind"
i"And youth besides" said the lad
Health and quiet age does not sleel
a thus. Our slumber is no more like tn
than our wakefulness."
Thus did this elderly couple become il
terested in the unknown youth, to who
the wayside and the maple grove are as
secret chamber, and the rish gloom of d
e mask curtains brooding over them. Pc
COhNthB tihdO obhhy SuhbchAh SAtA1AAhSA'
e down upon his face, the lady contrived
I: twist broad branch aside, so as to into
!. !. cept 1t. And having done this act
q kindness she began to feel like moth
to him.
'e Providence seems to have laid hi
here" whispered she to her husband 'al
to have brought us hither to find hi
after our disappointment in our cousin
sen. Methinks can see likeness to
50 parted Henry. Shall we awake him ?"
- ITO what purpose?" said the merchal
hesitating. "We know nothing of
i youths character q aatse ato
"That open countenance replied I
wife, in the same hushed voice, earnest
i"This innocent sleeplN
or While these whispers were passing, I
y sleeper's heart did not throb, nor his breG
became agitated, nor his features betl
the least token of interest. Yes, fortu
was bending over him, just ready to
fall o burden of gold The old merchl
had lost his only son, and had no heir
: his wealth except distant relative, W
- whose conduct he was dissatisfied.
ire such cases, people sometimes do stran