Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-12-19

my f1OtCul0s Win tn0 eir OF one VINO
felt he had source Of enjoyment moi
given to all. and went on praising his
coins and loving them a. we'll "a ever.
spent . fortnight with Keith, during
which I enjoyed myaelf hugely, and
did exactly as l pleased. am not sure
that this would be profitable mode Of
spending ones lifetime, but for the
period mentioned certainly found 1t
number of pleasant housesin the neigh.
borhood, and 1t was while returning
from an evening call at one of these
that Keith proposed we should shorten
the distance by taking path that led
through magnificent stretch of wood
land on his estate /; we did 80, and on
the way came upon spot that for soli-
tary loneliness have never seen sur
passed.
Directly In our path stood knoll, or
mound, elevated several feet above the
surrounding surface, and resembling, In
shape. an elongated pyramid. 1t was
devoid of trees, although rising from
the midst OF the woodland, and 1t stood
there, bright in the radiance of an
August moon, while all around were
the impenetrAble shadows of the forest.
A sense of awe, undefinable, but per-
ceptible, stole over me. 1t was born Of
the still beauty of the night, and the
consciousness Of the Creators power.
The blue gemmed dome above, lighted
by tne silvery effuigence of the moon,
the tall trees waving their dark foliage
ever 30 lightly in the passing breeze, tlIe
musical flash of water over rocks, the
knoll rising in its solitary beauty, the
cry OF night bird to It's mate-all
combined to fascinate me, and when
for an instant vapory cloud yelled the
moon and left the mound In weird shad-
ow, then passed, and the tender white
glory bathed all things afresh, could
not avoid an exclamation of delight.
Why need you search for q fairer
scene. Surely this spot is enchantingly
lovely it IL fairy land."
Keith laughed
Yes, think there Is enough beauty
here to move the soul of even the most
prosaic," he said. But one beautiful
spot shOuld not satisfy man while
Nature has made so many. The nearer
man IL to Nature the more he will love
her variety. Yes, my friend, this Is all
beautiful, but IL 10 not fairyland-it ia
Qnirchy."
The poet says, whats in a name 2
In this case / should answer him
nothing Can't you throw a little
more light on Quircby, Keith?" l In
quired.
One would imagine the moonlight
Sufficient" laughed my friend, but
since you seek further, will add that
Quircby Is mound, supposed by many
to be the work of Indians."
And have you never had it exca.
vated 2" asked.
D." My friend" said Keith "to men
who are not too practical there is always
. certain smount of pleasure to b.
derived from uncertainty. What
would become of all our delightful
reasonipgs in life II We could know q,
once the truth ! Positive knowledge ii
not always desirable-at any rate iu
the case of this mound. AS it is I may
imagine 1t the work of the noble red
man or anything else Fancy dictates
while if had it excavated, I should
know, and all pleasure ofsurInise wou Id
then be ended"
Not every man can give an answer
and q reason at the same time, but you
have managed 1t admirably. Now tell
me how the knoll received its name. y
"Ah, thereby hangs tale which l
prefer to tell you some other tune" TO
Iplied Keith. "See," CHANGING at his
watch, it is late, eleven O'Clock p
Then we went on our way, leaving
Quirchy wrapped in the beauty and
solitude of the still August night.
After that Quirchy became favoritt
morning resort. When too indOlenl
to do aught that savored of work, Keith
and would stroll to the woods, swing
our hammocks TO the big trees sur
rounding Quirchy, and with our pipes
and books spend our time dolce fal
ni'ente."
Although l often asked for the story
of Qairchy, Keith did not crafty mt
by It's recital until the last morning
'ispent in its vicinity Then as W,
swung lazily to anu tro in our ham
mocks, with the smoke from our meer
schauma curling upward like Incense
, with the stately trees of the foresL cir
cling around us, aud Quirchy standing
an emerald pyramid in the sunlight
Keith mellow voice broke the silence
You have several times desired thu
story of Quirchy, and while longing K
tell it have ways hesitated because
4 feared you might not be willing Il
credit all that the narrative involves
However, l have concluded to relate
the tale and leave it to yourself Il
believe or disbelieve as your judgment
permits. This narration will ais
explain why / became a numismatist
al cannot remem Der the time when
Ibid not kno " OF the existence of OUR
chy-my recollection dates back Il
early childhood, but the Quirchy yol
zee to-day Ia different from the Quirch.
of that period. OF course in shape AM
substance it is the same-but then, OF
its summit stood an old log cabin con
sisting of one room about twelve fee
|, square-a primeval structure, and In
habited by an old cobbler by nam
Lemuel Quirch, whose appearance wa
quite a. primeva, az his abode. Hi
habits we're temperate, and as he had n
one but himself to support, and was o.
ways busy at his trade, it was suppose
by many that he must have quite
decent sum of money amassed-but n
lone had ever heard him mention th
,, fact, and he was not q man TO take hi
, neighbors into his confidence.