Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-14
ISy w. (iII-NIOItE SIM MS
CHAPTER VII.
DO | not live for ii? | have no life,
But in the hope that life may bring


The gloomy painter would have
done much with the scene before US.
The wild and mystic imagination
would have made il one Of Suprrnat-
ural terrors; and fancy. f'nl i the
melancholy twilight. would have en-
duwrd the dim shadows, lurking like
81 many SpectreS between the bald
cypress. with Il ghuStly character, and
most unhulluwcd purpose. Though
familiar with such abOdeS. Singleton
ingS thrown along the Sombre ground
work. was impressed with lively
sense Of it's imposing felicity. They
stood upon an island in the very CEN
ire Of the Swamp-one uf those little
islands. the tribute uoZe Of numerous
minor watercuurSeS hardening into
Sulidity at last. These. beating their
feeble tides upon single point in
process of time create the barrier
which is L. uSurp their own posses
SiunS. Here. the rank matter OF the
swamp. its slime and rubbish reSolN-
ing themselves by Il natural but rapid
decomposition into one mass, yield the
thick luXuriance Of soil from which
springs up the uvcrgrnwn tree. which
throws out thousand branches. and
seems To- have existed as many years
in whose bulk we behold an emblem
II majesty. and. in whose term of life.
IN
sweeping hurricane. we have an image
~ strength which C0mpelS our admir-
alton. and sometimes the more elevat-
I'd acknowledgment Of our awe. Thus.
gathering on this insulated bed. a
hundred Solemn expresses mingled
their guunt. spectral forms with the
vrrdant freshness Of the water oak
the rough simplicity and height of the
pine all intvrtwinrd and bound to-
grther in the common guardianship of
the spot. by the bulging body Of the
uNuriant grape vine. almost rivalling
i'm thickness. and far surprising in
strength. the trees from which it de-
pended-theSe formed a natural roof
/" the island. CirCumSCribing its limits
even more effectually than did the
narrow creek by which it had been
isolated. and through which the trib-
ute waters of this wide estuary found
their way. after Il few miles of con-
rructrd journeying. into the bed and
bosom of the Ashley.
\ couple Of huge fires. which our
PARTY had seen i'm glimpSrS while ap-
preaching. were in full blaze upon the
island: one, the largest. near its CEN
ire: the other somewhat apart. upon
4 little iSthmuS which it thrust forth
into the mouth of the creek Around
the former lay Il singular aSSemblage
of persons. single. or in groups. and
in every position. These We're not
more than twenty in all. but 50 dis
posed as Ia seem much more numer-
Gus tu the casual spectator. Three. in
the glare of TN" fire. sat upon log at
cards. one at either end. and the third,
squat upon the ground beside H. \
few slept: some We're engaged in con-
vcrSatiun. while On-. more musical
than his nrighburS. broke into Il song
Of some length. in which the current
situation If the things around him
underwent Improvisation. \ stout ne
gro prepared the evening meal, and
PASSED between the card players and
the fire to their occasional inc"nven-
icncc. their sharp but unheeded denun-
citations being freely bestowed AT every
rrpetitiun Of the offence. The dress
and accuutrementS of this collection
were. not less novel. and far more
uutrv. than their several positions and
,mpluym-ntS. Certainly. taste had
but little share i'm their toilet arrange
mcntS since the hair of some OF them
flew diShevelled i'm the wind. or lay
matted upon the br"WS. unconscious
uf Il comb The faces generally of the
p;tlty were. Smeared. and some Of them
absolutely hlackened, hy the smoke Of
the pine wood fires which at night
We're kept continually burning around
them This had most rffeCtually be-
grimcd their features. and their gar
m"ntS had not failed L. partake Of tn"
same cul"ring. These. too. were aS
Various AZ the persons who wore them.
The ragged coat. the round jacket.
and sometimes the entire abScnC" of
both i'm the case Of som" individual
otherwise. conspicuous enough. de
Struv,.d all chance Of uniformity in the
Inn M.
nr which their garb seemed generally
To- agree. and that WAS in the c""nskin
cap which Surm"untrd the heads Of
most Of them worn jaumtily upon tn"
side, nf thu, head. slips that tlapp"d
over The. ears. and the tail of the ami
NAL. depending from front "r rear taS-
>,I fashion. according t. TN" taSt" "t
rh,. wrur,.r Considering such an as
>,.nhlagt. 80 di$puSrd - habitcd. in
connection with tn" situation and CIR
cumStanc~S in which "" find them.
and We shall form no very imperfect
id,.:i If Ih~ moral effect which their
:iI,l..;tr;mc,. must have had upon tn"
new curm-rS The huiStcruuS laugh, tn"
angry sharp r"t"rt the ready song
from som" sturdy bacchanal. and TN"
silent Sl-..p"r undiSturbcd amid all tn"
ulruar. m;d" If themselves. a picture
To- th. mind not likely I" b" soon for
gotten. Then. when ~ behold tn"
flaming nf the torch in the deep dark
which it only for moment diSsip,t"S.
.nd which crowds back. ~ with Il