Year: 1871

/ ndfQ 10 feacn II, DuG only wasted m


strength, and accelerated my doom


My hands were growing weak-m,
lhold was gradually relaxing, and ol


looking up, to my horror I observet


the roots of the tree by which huns


slowly and gradually giving way


and in few moments more, SHOULD


be dashed to pieces. The cold swea


started on my forehead, my sight


grew dim, and already I fancied th'


hand of death upon me. I coulC


hear the cold clods rafting upon my


coffin, and feel the famished worn


of the grave crawling through my


clammy and tangled hair in search o


its prey. Just as I was ready tC


loose my hold entirely, a hanC


clasped my wrist with the grippe of


vice, and 1 was slowly drawn to thu


top of the rock and laid quietly laid


down upon the ground. The dan


ger was over. I was safe for thc


moment, and felt in all its force, tht


effect of the transition from danger
to security. For a long time I was


unable to stir, and when 1 opened


my eyes, 1 beheld seated by my
side, the being who had rescued me
from death. He was a man in the
middle age of life, dressed in coarse
garments, with his hair flowing down
over his shoulders, and his beard
reaching to his breast. / surveyed
his figure with astonishment, which
perceiving, he hastily arose, assisted
me on to my feet, and bid me follow
him. He took 4 path leading up to
the mountain, and strobe on before
me in silence. l followed as fast as
l could, and after various windings
among the trees and through the
brushwood, we arrived at the en-
trance of a cave neatly excavated
from what seemed a solid pile Of
rocks. This was the home of the
stranger, filed with the usual furni
ture of such a residence, viz: a bed
of moss, a block of wood for seats
and a rough stone table. He set be
fore me some old dried vension,
small meal sake and pint bottle
filed with wine, and urged me tc
partake. My heart wss full, and
before 1 could taste morsel. al
though tired and hungry, ]
poured out my thanks for the bene-
fits he had rendered me. He check
ed me as soon as he was able, and
again urged me to eat, if indeed ]
could relish his course of homely
fare. 1 complied with his solicita
items, and soon satisfied my hunger
After the table was cleared, 1 re
manned long in conversation with
the man, who seemed gratified at
having an opportunity of holding in.
tercourse with a human being. He
seemed to possess a degree Of intel
ligence, and cultivation of mind
at which 1 was surprised, and when
l arose to depart, the separation was
one of mutual regret. Before Ileft
however, he enjoined upon me, the
observance of his strictest secrecy il
regard to him, and the place of re
sidence, which I readily promised
and TOOK my departure.


That days adventure WIS to me g
new source of thought and sober re
hection.-Until then, I had been g
wild, wayward boy, possessing little
inclination for study or improvement
and suffering my mind to be filled
with notions of little value. A habit
of careless, reckless action had be-
come fastened upon me, and I was il
a fair way Of running entirely, an in
tellect not altogether of the meaneet
order. From that day forth 1 was
an altered being. my companions
and playmates saw the change, and
wondered at its cause, while the
watchful eyes of anxious parents,
looked approvingly upon my change
of habits and inclinations. Mynar-
row escape from an awful death, had
wrought a salutary change in my
feelings, and l have ever since re-
garded it as a blessing sent from
heaven, to win me from life worse
than useless, to one of honor, bene
violence and virtue.


Whenever l could get an opportu-
nifty l visited my friend upon the
mountain, alway carrying some small
gift, either books, clothing or pro
visions, to render his situation com
Portable. He always welcomed me
with the warmth of a parent, and
soon looked with anxious solicitude
for the arrival of the day on which l
usually visited him. 1 observed
that he always wore the same look
of melancholy sadness, and whenev-
er I entreated MIN, as i often did, to
leave his lonely home, and take a
seat at my fathers table, where 1
assured him he would be welcome,
he shook his head in silence, while
the tears rolled down his furrowed
CHEEKS.


Month after month passed away,
and at least once a week, found me
in the mountain cave, receiving in
struction from my friend. Although
he had heretofore preserved the most
pertinacious silence respecting his
former life, notwithstanding the
many hints l had thrown out, l dis
covered that he had been man Of
the world, and had occupied an exal-
ted station in society. Besides be-
ing master of the languages, he had
a perfect knowledge of the land, and
was deeply yersed in the polite lit
of the age. He also played
admirably upon the flute, and sang
the sweetest songs with a taste that
might be envied by any modern OPP
era performer. All these acquire
ments were brought into use, to be-
guile his leisure hours, which often
hung heavily upon his hands. He
showed me a volume of manu-
script poems which he had written
down in his voluntary exile, many
of which he had composed in early
life, and had now copied them from
memory.


One day, on visiting him, found
him unusually serious, and his wei
come to me was one of sadness.
Again pressed him with tears to 90
with me, to my fathers house, but
he declined in so peremptory a man
ner, that 1 was silent in an instant.
My young friend said he, lest you