Year: 1874

entertained with the gentle and genial hospl.
talty of the Old Dominion, and telt that
agreeable stimulus of the animal spirits which
follows the train of moderate dinner among
congenial friends. He had delayed the mo-
ment of departure as long as possible though
the ride home was long one, because ne
would have full moon to light him on his
way, and the air would be cooler after night
fall so that it was with none but the most
agreeable emotions he babe adieu to his friends,
loosed the bride of his horse, and turned out
into the road which led through the forest


To a native sense of the beauty and excel
lence of Nature, Mr.. T. added that refine
ment of taste, which is the result of careful
mental culture, and buoyancy of feeling
which excess had never dulled. He enjoyed
the serene silence of evening in the forest
the varied lights and shades on rocks and
trees and streams, and the peculiar air of the
majestic repose which Nature wears in the re-
cesses of the woodland solitudes. The silence
was interrupted only by the sound of his
horses feet over the even road, and the occa-
sonal note of bird, and the croak of a frog,
prelude of the evenings concert. The scent
of the evening air was delicious and refreshing
after the heat of the day.


In short, so pleasurable we're his emotions,
that Mr.. T. rode along at a very easy pace,
and it was only when the rapid increase OF
the darkness warned him of the approach OF
night, that he began to urge his horse to
greater swiftness. Absorbed in pleasant
thought and shut out by the loftiness of the
trees from any but very partial view of the
sky, he had not observed heavy battalion of
clouds, which, after lying lazily along the
horizon for some hours, now began to lift
themselves toward the zenith, and emit an oc-
casional angry fash-sure token of coming
storm. 1t was indeed approaching with a
rapidity which Knocked every effort he could
possibly make to reach place of shelter be-
fore its outburst.


He rode rapidly, but each flash of light,
ming was followed by nearer and nearer peal
of thunder, and soon the darkness became in
tense, the wind began to rise and the rain to
descend so heavily that our traveller was glad
to remember that he must now nearly have
reached a large church, which stood on his
homeward way, in the large, oldfashioned en-
trance to which he hoped to find temporary
shelter.


With this view he urged his horse to the ut
most speed, and so violent did the tempest be-
come, so close and incessant we're the flashes
of lightning, so heavy the rain, and so numer-
Gus were the branches torn from the trees by
the wind, that he began to feel no small anx-
iety to reach place of safety.


At length the lightning showed the old
church near at hand. He rode up to it, dis
mounted, and placing his horse so as to pro-
tect him as much as possible from the storm,
entered the deep and spacious doorway. As
he leaned for support against the heavy fold
ing door, to his surprise it yielded to the pres
sure he opened it and entered the church,
glad to find himself in so secure situation.
He walked up the central aisle and sat down
in one of the pews near the middle OF the
church.


1t was not impossible for man of the sen.
sibility and unaffected piety of Mr.. T. to find
himself alone, in such situation, and amidst
such manifestation of Almighty power as
this furious tempest afforded, and not to feel
some degree of solemnity and awe. He sat
down, and gave way to the many solemn re-
Elections called up by the scene and the hour.
He thought of the many who had once wor-
shipped there who were now lying In their
last long sleep in the churchyard without.


Once, upon their beds of down, how slight
an obstacle, how small a vexation had been
sufficient to Danish slumber. Now-all the
artillery of heaven, all the pelting of the pitt
less storm, moved them not jot. Imagina,
tion called up many form once as familiar
as the pews aud pillars of the old church
known from infancy. In thought he strove to
follow some of these into that strange realm


At this moment slight noise, in momen
tarv lull of the tempest, made itself heard. ap
parently behind and above him. 1t was moi
strange that at such a moment it sent thrill
of nexrlicable emotion through his frame
In a moment the feeling passed away, and he
turned, resolved to see, if possible, by the illu
mination of the next fash of lightning, what
had caused the noise which had startled him
1t came, broad, fierce, red, and revealed te
him in the choir form, a something that hao
life and motion, but shape so underlined, sc
hideous that, with involuntary terror, he GOV
cred his eyes with his hands.


The place, the hour, the darkness, inter
rupted only by the glare of the lightning
the sounds of the tempest without-the soil
tude and this vague consciousness OF unsus
pected companionship, had, it must be con
fessed, powerful effect on the mind ola mar
naturally of the firmest courage, and nurtureo
in society where cowardice is disgrace. A
thousand wild conjectures rushed through the
mind in that first momentary but irresistible
onset of terror.


Then his we'll tutored reason and his reso
lutte will contrived to make themselves heard
over the tumult of underlined fears and crowd
ing fancies. And, at length, that most pow
erful Of all ideas to soothe the mind, entered
with its elevating and consoling train.


The thought Of the great Being to whom
that place was dedicated-of His serene su
premacy above all the woe and tumult Of
earth, above all the forces of nature, and the
spirit of man himself, gave him degree Of
composure in his present situation, which, be
afterward owned, he should, without this aid
have wanted.


With restored calmness, he removed his
hands from his eyes and looked up once more
hoping he had been the subject of some strange
deusion of the senses. No-there; another
flash showed it nearer, palmer than before
during those brief moments it had descended
the gallery stair with unheard lightness and
swiftness, and was soon on the same floor with
himself


By this time the violence Of the storm was
somewhat abated. The flashes of lightning
came at longer intervals. He had to wait
some seconds, straining his eyes upon the
darkness. The lightning came at last-daz
zling and white-it showed nearer yet Still
undistinguishable, vague-a tangled mass Of
dark draperies and elf:like locks and white
CLEANS of face and hands-human, and vel
not-what was this thus wild in form, thu: