Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-01-04
DAVID SWAN.
ONE OF HAWTHORNE'S MOST EXQUISITE
SKETCHES.

ONE OF HAWTHORNE'S MOST EXQUISITE
SKETCHES.
Could we indeed know all the vicissi-
tudes of our fortunes life would be too
full of hope and fear, eXultation or dis
appointment, to afford q single hour of
true serenity. The idea may be illus
trated from a single page from thesecr
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,
q small dealer in the grocery line, was
to take him behind the counter. Be it
enough to say that he was native of
New Hampshire, born of respectable
parents, and had received an ordinary
school education, with a classic finish
of q wear at GiImanton Academy. After
iourneying on foot from sunrise till near
noon of summers day, his WEAKNESS
and the increasing heat determined him
to sit down and await the coming of the
stage coach.
As if planted on purpose for him,
there soon appeared little clump Of
NAPLES, with 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, he kissed it with
his thirsty lips, and then flung himself
along the brink, pillowing his head up
| on some shirts and pair Of pantaloOns
tied up in striped cotton handkerchief
The sunbeams 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 a
| onrinr II
drowsily beside him, the birds fioated
across the blue sky overhead, and deep
sleen. perchance hiding dreams within
its depths. fell upon David Swan.
| While he lay sound asleep in the shade
other people were wide awake, and pass
ed TO and fro on horseback, and il all
sorts of vehicles, along the sunny road
hv his bed chamber. Some looked
neither to the right nor to the left, and
knew not that he was there some mere
ly 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! discern elected theil
venomous superf1uity on David Swan
A middle aged widow, when nobody
else was near, thrust her head into the
recess and vowed that the young fellow
looked charming in his sleep. A tenn,
nerance lecturer saw him, and wrought
moor David into the texture of bis even
inp's discourse as an awful instance o
dead drunkenness by the roadside. Blu
cepsure, merriment, praise, scorn anC
indifference were all one, or rather al
nothing to David Swan.
He had slept only a few moments
when brown carriage drawn by a hand
some pair of horses bowled along, ant
was brought to standstill nearly il
front of David's resting-place. A Inch
pin had fallen out, and permitted one o
the wheels to slide off The damage oc
casioned merely momentary alarm tt
? Ian elderly gentleman and WIFE, whit
were returning to Boston in the carriage
] While the coachman and a serys1i
we're replacing the wheel the lady enc
gentleman sheltered themselves beneal
: the maple trees and there espied tle
bubbling fountain, and David Swan
= asleep beside it. Impressed with Fhe
awe which the humblest sleeper osts
around him, the merchant trod as lyht-
Iy as the gout would allow, ana MS
spouse took good heed not to rustic her
s silk gown, lest David should start p all
of q sudden.