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〃Friend；〃 said the young Shaker； in some perplexity； 〃thee
seemest to have met with great troubles； and； doubtless； I should
pity them； ifif I could but understand what they were。〃
〃Happy in your ignorance！〃 replied the poet； with an air of
sublime superiority。 〃To your coarser mind； perhaps； I may seem
to speak of more important griefs when I add； what I had well…
nigh forgotten； that I am out at elbows； and almost starved to
death。 At any rate； you have the advice and example of one
individual to warn you back； for I am come hither； a disappointed
man； flinging aside the fragments of my hopes； and seeking
shelter in the calm retreat which you are so anxious to leave。〃
〃I thank thee； friend；〃 rejoined the youth； 〃but I do not mean to
be a poet； nor； Heaven be praised！ do I think Miriam ever made a
varse in her life。 So we need not fear thy disappointments。 But；
Miriam；〃 he added； with real concern； 〃thee knowest that the
elders admit nobody that has not a gift to be useful。 Now； what
under the sun can they do with this poor varse…maker？〃
〃Nay； Josiah； do not thee discourage the poor man；〃 said the
girl； in all simplicity and kindness。 〃Our hymns are very rough；
and perhaps they may trust him to smooth them。〃
Without noticing this hint of professional employment； the poet
turned away； and gave himself up to a sort of vague reverie；
which he called thought。 Sometimes he watched the moon； pouring a
silvery liquid on the clouds； through which it slowly melted till
they became all bright； then he saw the same sweet radiance
dancing on the leafy trees which rustled as if to shake it off；
or sleeping on the high tops of hills； or hovering down in
distant valleys； like the material of unshaped dreams； lastly； he
looked into the spring； and there the light was mingling with the
water。 In its crystal bosom； too； beholding all heaven reflected
there； he found an emblem of a pure and tranquil breast。 He
listened to that most ethereal of all sounds； the song of
crickets； coming in full choir upon the wind； and fancied that；
if moonlight could be heard； it would sound just like that。
Finally； he took a draught at the Shaker spring； and； as if it
were the true Castalia； was forthwith moved to compose a lyric； a
Farewell to his Harp； which he swore should be its closing
strain； the last verse that an ungrateful world should have from
him。 This effusion； with two or three other little pieces；
subsequently written； he took the first opportunity to send； by
one of the Shaker brethren； to Concord； where they were published
in the New Hampshire Patriot。
Meantime； another of the Canterbury pilgrims； one so different
from the poet that the delicate fancy of the latter could hardly
have conceived of him； began to relate his sad experience。 He was
a small man； of quick and unquiet gestures； about fifty years
old； with a narrow forehead； all wrinkled and drawn together。 He
held in his hand a pencil； and a card of some commission…merchant
in foreign parts； on the back of which； for there was light
enough to read or write by； he seemed ready to figure out a
calculation。
〃Young man；〃 said he； abruptly； 〃what quantity of land do the
Shakers own here； in Canterbury？〃
〃That is more than I can tell thee； friend；〃 answered Josiah；
〃but it is a very rich establishment； and for a long way by the
roadside thee may guess the land to be ours； by the neatness of
the fences。〃
〃And what may be the value of the whole；〃 continued the stranger；
〃with all the buildings and improvements； pretty nearly； in round
numbers？〃
〃Oh； a monstrous sum；more than I can reckon；〃 replied the young
Shaker。
〃Well； sir；〃 said the pilgrim； 〃there was a day； and not very
long ago； neither； when I stood at my counting…room window； and
watched the signal flags of three of my own ships entering the
harbor； from the East Indies； from Liverpool； and from up the
Straits； and I would not have given the invoice of the least of
them for the title…deeds of this whole Shaker settlement。 You
stare。 Perhaps； now； you won't believe that I could have put more
value on a little piece of paper； no bigger than the palm of your
hand； than all these solid acres of grain； grass； and
pasture…land would sell for？〃
〃I won't dispute it； friend；〃 answered Josiah； 〃but I know I had
rather have fifty acres of this good land than a whole sheet of
thy paper。〃
〃You may say so now；〃 said the ruined merchant； bitterly； 〃for my
name would not be worth the paper I should write it on。 Of
course； you must have heard of my failure？〃
And the stranger mentioned his name； which； however mighty it
might have been in the commercial world； the young Shaker had
never heard of among the Canterbury hills。
〃Not heard of my failure！〃 exclaimed the merchant； considerably
piqued。 〃Why； it was spoken of on 'Change in London； and from
Boston to New Orleans men trembled in their shoes。 At all events；
I did fail； and you see me here on my road to the Shaker village；
where； doubtless （for the Shakers are a shrewd sect）； they will
have a due respect for my experience； and give me the management
of the trading part of the concern； in which case I think I can
pledge myself to double their capital in four or five years。 Turn
back with me； young man； for though you will never meet with my
good luck； you can hardly escape my bad。〃
〃I will not turn back for this；〃 replied Josiah。 calmly； 〃any
more than for the advice of the varse…maker； between whom and
thee； friend； I see a sort of likeness； though I can't justly say
where it lies。 But Miriam and I can earn our daily bread among
the world's people as well as in the Shaker village。 And do we
want anything more； Miriam？〃
〃Nothing more； Josiah；〃 said the girl； quietly。
〃Yea； Miriam； and daily bread for some other little mouths； if
God send them；〃 observed the simple Shaker lad。
Miriam did not reply； but looked down into the spring； where she
encountered the image of her own pretty face； blushing within the
prim little bonnet。 The third pilgrim now took up the
conversation。 He was a sunburnt countryman； of tall frame and
bony strength； on whose rude and manly face there appeared a
darker； more sullen and obstinate despondency； than on those of
either the poet or the merchant。
〃Well； now； youngster；〃 he began； 〃these folks have had their
say； so I'll take my turn。 My story will cut but a poor figure by
the side of theirs； for I never supposed that I could have a
right to meat and drink； and great praise besides； only for
tagging rhymes together； as it seems this man does； nor ever
tried to get the substance of hundreds into my own hands； like
the trader there。 When I was about of your years； I married me a
wife；just such a neat and pretty young woman as Miriam； if
that's her name；and all I asked of Providence was an ordinary
blessing on the sweat of my brow； so that we might be decent and
comfortable； and have daily bread for ourselves； and for some
other little mouths that we soon had to feed。 We had no very
great prospects before us； but I never wanted to be idle； and I
thought it a matter of course that the Lord would help me；
because I was willing to help myself。〃
〃And didn't He help thee； friend？〃 demanded Josiah； with some
eagerness。
〃No；〃 said the yeoman； sullenly； 〃for then you would not have
seen me here。 I have labored hard for years； and my means have
been growing narrower； and my living poorer； and my heart colder
and heavier； all the time； till at last I could bear it no
longer。 I set myself down to calculate whether I had best go on
the Oregon expedition； or come here to the Shaker village； but I
had not hope enough left in me to begin the world over again；
and； to make my story short； here I am。 And now； youngster； take
my advice； and turn back； or else； some few years hence； you'll
have to climb this hill； with as heavy a heart as mine。〃
This simple story had a strong effect on the young fugitives。 The
misfortunes of the poet and merchant had won little sympathy from
their plain good sense and unworldly feelings； qualities which
made them such unprejudiced and inflexible judges； that few men
would have chosen to take the opinion of this youth and maiden as
to the wisdom or folly of their pursuits。 But here was one whose
simple wishes had resembled their own； and who； after efforts
which almost gave him a right to claim success from fate； had
failed in accomplishing them。
〃But thy wife； friend？〃 exclaimed the younger man。 〃What became
of the pretty girl； like Miriam？ Oh； I am afraid she is dead！〃
〃Yea； poor man； she must be dead；she and the children； too；〃
sobbed Miriam。
The female pilgrim had been leaning over the spring； wherein
latterly a tear or two might have been seen to fall； and form its
little circle on the surface of the water。 She now looked up；
d