FOUND AMONG THE PAPERS OF THE LATE .
was , Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye ; And of gay castles in the clouds that pass , Forever flushing round a summer sky .
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In the bosom of , at that broad expansion of , and where always prudently shortened sail and implored the protection of when crossed , there lies or , which by some is called , but which is more generally and properly known by the name of .
This name was given , are told , in former days , by , from the inveterate propensity of to linger about on market days .
Be that as it may , do not vouch for the fact , but merely advert to it , for the sake of being precise and authentic .
Not far from , perhaps about two miles , there is or rather , which is .
glides through , with just murmur enough to lull one to repose ; and the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in upon the uniform tranquillity .
recollect that , when , first exploit in squirrel-shooting was in .
had wandered into at noontime , when all nature is peculiarly quiet , and was startled by the roar of own gun , as it broke the Sabbath stillness around and was prolonged and reverberated by the angry echoes .
If ever should wish for a retreat whither might steal from and distractions , and dream quietly away the remnant of a troubled life , know of none more promising than .
From the listless repose of , and the peculiar character of , has long been known by the name of , and are called throughout .
A drowsy , dreamy influence seems to hang over the land , and to pervade the very atmosphere .
say that was bewitched by , during the early days of the settlement ; others , that , , held powwows there before was discovered by .
Certain it is , still continues under the sway of some witching power , that holds a spell over the minds of , causing to walk in a continual reverie .
are given to all kinds of marvellous beliefs , are subject to trances and visions , and frequently see strange sights , and hear music and voices in the air .
abounds with local tales , , and twilight superstitions ; stars shoot and meteors glare oftener across than in , and the nightmare , with her whole ninefold , seems to make the favorite scene of her gambols .
The dominant spirit , however , that haunts this enchanted region , and seems to be commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air , is the apparition of .
It is said by some to be the ghost of .
haunts are not confined to , but extend at times to , and especially to the vicinity of at no great distance .
Indeed , , allege that the body of having been buried in , rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of head , and that the rushing speed with which sometimes passes along , like a midnight blast , is owing to being belated , and in a hurry to get back to before daybreak .
Such is the general purport of this legendary superstition , which has furnished materials for many a wild story in ; and is known at all the country firesides , by the name of .
It is remarkable that the visionary propensity have mentioned is not confined to , but is unconsciously imbibed by .
However wide awake may have been before entered , are sure , in a little time , to inhale the witching influence of the air , and begin to grow imaginative , to dream dreams , and see apparitions .
mention with all possible laud , for it is in , that population , manners , and customs remain fixed , while the great torrent of migration and improvement , which is making such incessant changes in , sweeps by unobserved .
are like .
Though many years have elapsed since trod the drowsy shades of , yet question whether should not still find the same trees and the same families vegetating in sheltered bosom .
In this by-place of nature there abode , in a remote period of American history , that is to say , some thirty years since , .
was a native of , .
The cognomen of was not inapplicable to .
was tall , but exceedingly lank , with narrow shoulders , long arms and legs , hands that dangled a mile out of sleeves , feet that might have served for shovels , and whole frame most loosely hung together .
head was small , and flat at top , with huge ears , large green glassy eyes , and a long snipe nose , so that it looked like a weather-cock perched upon spindle neck to tell which way the wind blew .
To see striding along the profile of on a windy day , with clothes bagging and fluttering about , one might have mistaken for the genius of famine descending upon , or some scarecrow eloped from .
was ; the windows partly glazed , and partly patched with leaves of old copybooks .
It was most ingeniously secured at vacant hours , by a withe twisted in the handle of the door , and stakes set against the window shutters ; so that though might get in with perfect ease , would find some embarrassment in getting out , -- an idea most probably borrowed by , , from the mystery of an eelpot .
stood in a rather lonely but pleasant situation , just at the foot of , with running close by , and a formidable birch-tree growing at one end of .
From hence the low murmur of ’ voices , conning over lessons , might be heard in a drowsy summer ’s day , like the hum of a beehive ; interrupted now and then by the authoritative voice of , in the tone of menace or command , or , peradventure , by the appalling sound of the birch , as urged along the flowery path of knowledge .
Truth to say , was , and ever bore in mind the golden maxim , “ Spare the rod and spoil . ”
certainly were not spoiled .
would not have it imagined , however , that was one of ; on the contrary , administered justice with discrimination rather than severity ; taking the burden off the backs of , and laying it on those of .
, was passed by with indulgence ; but the claims of justice were satisfied by inflicting a double portion on .
All this called “ doing duty by ; ” and never inflicted a chastisement without following it by the assurance , so consolatory to , that “ would remember it and thank for it the longest day had to live . ”
When school hours were over , was even ; and on holiday afternoons would convoy , who happened to have , or for , noted for the comforts of the cupboard .
Indeed , it behooved to keep on good terms with .
The revenue arising from was small , and would have been scarcely sufficient to furnish with daily bread , for was a huge feeder , and , though lank , had the dilating powers of an anaconda ; but to help out maintenance , was , according to country custom in those parts , boarded and lodged at .
With these lived successively a week at a time , thus going the rounds of , with all worldly effects tied up in a cotton handkerchief .
That all this might not be too onerous on the purses of , had various ways of rendering both useful and agreeable .
assisted occasionally in the lighter labors of , helped to make hay , mended the fences , took the horses to water , drove the cows from pasture , and cut wood for the winter fire .
laid aside , too , all the dominant dignity and absolute sway with which lorded it in , , and became wonderfully gentle and ingratiating .
found favor in the eyes of by petting , particularly the youngest ; and like the lion bold , which whilom so magnanimously the lamb did hold , would sit with on one knee , and rock a cradle with foot for whole hours together .