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96 ,
HARPER’S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.
aoiM, appeared at the other door rather m ditha-billc. “ Je-men-y!” cried the man, and cocked hit rifle. Mr. Walker threw it up, and Mac, mining forward, aeired him by the hand, exclaiming, “ Sir, it it only • frolic and an indis-cretion; I am a map of honor, incapable of injuring sleeping innocence. Sir, I throw my-*e!f on your generosity. I see that you belong to the honorable fraternity of free and accepted masons. Brother, I give you the right hand of fittowthift t" The man was overwhelmed with this volubility, and flattered at the notion of be: ing mistaken for a mason. He accompanied the party over the county, but Anally voted the Poindexter ticket, because Walker would persist in running when M4Fairen waa the proper for the place!
“I was in ---------said Counselor Barrett,
“ when Governor----------, who was a candidate for
re-election, came there. The county had been recently organised, and few of the people had been there Ions enough to voto under the Constitu-
tional provision which requires six months* residence in the county and twelve in the State. They were anxious to vote, and got np a petition to the Board of Police (which has the supervision of elections) to ditpcnti witk thi requin-
tiom of Me Conititution."
“ Did the Board comply with the petition t”
“I can’t exactly aay,K said the Counselor; “tut at they all voted, I presume the order was duly mada^ The best of the joke waa,' the Governor tinned the p*-tition I”
Next day the Counselor accompanied me a few mile* on my way. Showing me a road running down toward the swamp, he inquired if I knew how that road cameto be made. On replying that I did not, he said: H^ome years ago I was down in that swamp with some fellows after wild hogs. I was standing on the edge of it hallooing on the hounds, my gun resting against a tree, when oat rushed an enormous boar and charged right at me. I could only straddle my legs to escape his furious onset; but as he passed nnder, being rather low in the crotch, I found myself astride of him. Almost unconscious from terror, I involuntarily seized his tail, and stuck my heels nnder his shoulders. At every stride he took my spurs goaded him on. Thus he ran some three miles through the brash-wood, making a clean sweep as he went, but finally fell exhausted, when I dispatched the monster with my bowie-knife. The road is now used for hauling timber from Leaf River swamp, and is called Barrett's trail.”
The country through which I am journeying is sparsely settled, and is only adapted to gracing. Its surface nndulates like the roll of the ocean, and hill and valley are covered with luxuriant grass and with flowers of every hue. Herds of cattle stand in the plashy brooks. Red deer troop along the glades; wild turkeys run before yon along your road, and the partridge rises from every thicket. But for these the solitude would be painful. Settlements an often twenty miles apart; the cheering mile-po*t and gossiping wayfarer are rarely met with. The gaunt pines have • spectral aspect, and their lonir shadows fall sadlr unon the rath. At
nightfall, when the flowers have faded away, no A re-flies gem the road; one hears no tinkling bell; the robber owl skims lazily by; fantastic shade* chase each other into deeper gloom; and instead of “ the watchdog’s cheerful enr,” the “ wolfs long howl” comes from the reed-brakes, and is echocd by its prowling mate on the neighboring hills.
The day was dark and lowering. For weeks nor rain nor gentle dews had refreshed the calcined earth. A heavy cloud hung overhead, and its pent-mi fnrr *>■>»•• -r»“ lhe forest. The ajw oirds that tenant these silent woods flew screaming to their eyries; some cattle dashed across the hills for shelter. The whole wilderness was in motion. The pines swayed their lofty heads, and the winds shrieked and moaned among the gnarled and aged limb*. A few old ones fell thundering down, casting their broken fragments around; and then the hurricane rushed madly on, tearing up the largest trees, and hnrling them like javelins through the air. The sky was covered os with a pall; and lurid flashes, like sepulchral lights, streamed and blazed athwart it. The earthquake voice of nature trembled along the ground, and, ere its running echoes died away, came again, crash after erash thundering forth. But at length, as though weary of the agony, it paused, and the phantom clouds scudded away. The scene around was appalling! Hundreds of trees lay prostrate, while, hero and there, others stood shivered by the bolt of heaven and smoking with its Arcs. God preserve me from another ride through these giant pines in such a tempest!