Giving,
then, a stir to the fire, that sent up its sparks among the trees like
a little volcano, he adjusted himself comfortably in his root of a
tree; and throwing back his head, and closing his eyes for a few
moments, to summon up his recollection, he related the following
legend.
THE STORM-SHIP.
In the golden age of the province of the New-Netherlands, when it was
under the sway of Wouter Van Twiller, otherwise called the Doubter,
the people of the Manhattoes were alarmed, one sultry afternoon, just
about the time of the summer solstice, by a tremendous storm of
thunder and lightning. The rain descended in such torrents, as
absolutely to spatter up and smoke along the ground. It seemed as if
the thunder rattled and rolled over the very roofs of the houses; the
lightning was seen to play about the church of St. Nicholas, and to
strive three times, in vain, to strike its weather-cock. Garret Van
Horne's new chimney was split almost from top to bottom; and Doffue
Mildeberger was struck speechless from his bald-faced mare, just as he
was riding into town. In a word, it was one of those unparalleled
storms, that only happen once within the memory of that venerable
personage, known in all towns by the appellation of "the oldest
inhabitant.
Pages:
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531