Green fields and whispering woods; or, The recreations of an American "country gentleman"; embracing journeys over his farm and excursions into his library . the outlines of his form against thesky which was revealed throughan opening in the boughs, and Icould plainly perceive that he hadno dread of me, and that hisgreeting was given in all friend-liness. I could have clasped himto my heart, I was so gratefuland so glad; and as he repeatedhis soft and low hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo, I burst into tears. But that awful feeling that had had possession of me,blood-curdling and soul-freezing as it had been,
Green fields and whispering woods; or, The recreations of an American "country gentleman"; embracing journeys over his farm and excursions into his library . the outlines of his form against thesky which was revealed throughan opening in the boughs, and Icould plainly perceive that he hadno dread of me, and that hisgreeting was given in all friend-liness. I could have clasped himto my heart, I was so gratefuland so glad; and as he repeatedhis soft and low hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo, I burst into tears. But that awful feeling that had had possession of me,blood-curdling and soul-freezing as it had been, was gone!That voice in the wood, whether it was the owl himselfthat spoke, or a blessed spirit that spoke through him, hadproduced a wonderful effect upon me, — a total revulsionof feeling had occurred, and my perturbed spirits werepresently restored to their wonted calm. Neither prowlingwolves, nor stealthy lynxes, nor gliding snakes, had longerany terrors for me, and love and admiration for the bird ofwisdom took deep root in my heart. Do you remember that little dialect poem (by Col. Hay,I believe) of Tiliman Joy^ wdiich tells how the old man re-. 106 AN ILLUSTRATION. turned to his home from the war bringing with him a coloredboy who, once upon a time, when Joy had fallen woundedupon the field, had saved his life at the imminent risk of los-ing his own, and not without having, as Tilman himselfexpresses it, his black hide riddled with balls . At homethe somewhat fastidious gentry there resident, took it intotheir heads to send the boy out of the community, and, asit appears, met and passed resolutions to that effect. Theold man comes among them at the meeting and speaks hislittle piece, relating how he had lain there on the ground,under the murderous fire of the enemy, his life oozing outwith his blood, and with no thought of any earthly relief,when, of a sudden, he felt himself lifted and borne rapidlyaway to a place of safety. Twas that boy — that Tim! he exclaims; and
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