Morris tribune., 1881-01-06
DAVID SWAN.

One of Hawth9rne'S Most Exquisite sketches.
Could we indeed know oil the vicissitudes
Of our fortunes, life would be too full of
hope and fear, exultation or disappoint-
ment, to afford us single hour of true
serenity. The idea may be illustrated by 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, small dealer
in the grocery line, was to take him behind
the counter. Be it enough to say that he
was q native of New Hampshire, born of
respectable parents, and had receivedan or
binary school education, with q classic finish
of year at CINNAMON Academy. After
journeying ON foot from sunrise to nearly
noon of summers day, his weari-
ness and the increasing heat de-
termined him to sit down and wait the COM
ing of the stage coach. As if planted on
purpose for him, there soon appeared a lit
tie clump of naples, with delightful recess
in the midst, and such u 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 and shirts along the brink,
pillowing his head upon some pair of panta-
looms tied up in striped cotton handker-
chief. The sunbeams could not reach him
the dust did not rise from the road, after
the heavy rain of yesterday; and the grassy
lair suited the young man better than a bed
of down. The spring murmured drowsily
beside him; the birds tioated across the blue
sky overhead, and deep sleep, perchance
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 left and knew not that he was there;
some merely glanced that way, without adj
hitting the slumberer among their busy
thoughts; some laughed to see how soundly
he slept; several whose hearts were brim-
ming full of scorn elected their venomous
superiority on David Swan. A middle aged
widow, when nobody else was near, thrust
her head q little way into the recess and
vowed that the young fellow looked charm
ing in his sleep. A temperance lecturer
saw him, and wrought poor David into the
texture of his evenings discourse as an aw-
ful instance of dead drunkenness by the
roadside. But censure, merriment, praise,
scorn and Indifference were all one, OF
rather all nothing to David Swan.
He had slept but few moments when a
brown carriage drawn by pair of horses,
bowled easily along and was brought to a
stand still nearly in front of Davids resting
place. A linch-pin had fallen out, and per-
mitted one of the wheels to slide off. The
damage was slight and occasioned merely a
momentary alarm to an elderly gentleman
and wife, who were returning to Boston in
the carriage. While the coachman and the
servant were replacing the wheel, the lady
and gentleman sheltered themselves beneath
the maple trees and there espied the bub-
bling fountain and David Swan asleep beside
it. Impressed with the awe which the
humblest sleeper sheds around him, the
merchant trod as lightly as the govt would
allow; and his spouse took good heed MOI
to rustic her silk gown, lest David should
start up all of a sudden.
How soundly he sleeps!' whispered the
old gentleman. From what a depth
he draws that easy breath! Such
sleep as that brought on with an
opiate, would be worth more to me thar
half my income, for it would argue health
and an untroubled mind
And youth besides" said the lady
Health and quiet age do not sleep thus
our slumber is more like his than our wake
fulness."
Thus did this elderly couple feel interest
ed in the unknown youth to whom the way
side and the maple were as secret cham.
Der, with the rich gloom of damask curtains
brooding over him. Perceiving that stray
sunbeam glimmered down upon his face
the lady contrived to twist a branch aside sc
as to intercept it; and having done this ac
Of kindness, she began to feel like mother
to him.
Providence seems to have led him here,
whispered she to her husband, land to have
brought us hither to find him, after our dis.
appointment in our cousin SON. Methinkf
can see likeness to departed Henry
Shall we waken him?"
ITO what purpose?" said the merchant
hesitating. I'VE know nothing of the youth
character"
THAT open countenance!" replied the wife
in the same hushed voice, earnestly This
innocent sleep"
While these whispers were passing, the
sleeper's heart did not throb, nor his breath
become agitated, nor his features betray thu
least token of interest. Yes, fortunes were
bending over him Just ready to let fall
burden Of gold. The old merchant had los
his only son, and had no heir to his wealth
except a distant relative, with whose conduc
he was dissatisfied. In such cases, peopl,
sometimes do stranger things than to act tn,
magicians and awaken young man in splen
dor who fell asleep in poverty.
Shall We not awaken him." repeated tn,
lady, persuasively.
"The coach is ready, SIR" said the ser
want. behind. '-~
The old couple started, redeemed, ant
hurried away, mutually wondering tn
they should ever have dreamed of doin,
anything 80 ridiculous. The merchan
threw himself back in his carriage and oc
cupied his mind with the plan of magnifi
cent asylum for unfortunate men of bust
ness. Meanwhile David Swan enjoyed hi
nan.
The carriage could not have gone abov,
a mile or two, when a pretty young gil
came along, with tripping pace, whicl
showed precisely how her little heart wa
dancing in her bosom. Perhaps it was tn
merry king of motion that caused, is Their
harm IN saying it?-her garter to slip it
knot. Conscious that the si1ken girth-i
it was-was relaxing its hold, she turne
aside into the shelter of the maple trees
and there found a young man asleep b
the spring! Blushing as red as any ros
that she should have intruded into gentle
mans bed chamber, and for such purpose
too, she was about to make her escape O
tip toe. But there was peril near tn
sleeper. A monster of bee had been wan
dering over head-buzz, buzz, buzz-no'
among the leaves, now flashing throug
the strips of sunshine, and now lost in til
dark shade, till finally he appeared to
settling on the eyelid of David Swan. Tn
sting OF bee is sometimes deadly. As free
hearted asishe was innocent, the girl a,
tackled the intruder with her handkerchie.
brushed him soundly and drove him beneat
the maple shade. How sweet pictur,
This good deed accomplished, with quick
ened breath and a deeper blush she stole
glance at the youthful stranger for whol
she had been battling with a dragon in Ii
air. a
HE is handsome" thought she. an
blushed redder yet.
How could it be that no dream of bli,
grew so strong within him that shattere
by its very strength, it shonld part asund,
and allow him to perceive the girl amor
its phsntoms? Why, at least, did no smi
Of welcome brighten upon his face? 81
- -