Was he born of woman, this alleged De Sauty? Or a living product of galvanic action, Like the _acarus_ bred in Crosse's flint-solution? Speak, thou Cyano-Rhinal!
Many things thou askest, jackknife-bearing stranger, Much-conjecturing mortal, pork-and-treacle-waster! Pretermit thy whittling, wheel thine ear-flap toward me, Thou shalt hear them answered.
When the charge galvanic tingled through the cable, At the polar focus of the wire electric Suddenly appeared a white-faced man among us. Called himself "DE SAUTY."
As the small opossum held in pouch maternal Grasps the nutrient organ whence the term _mammalia_, So the unknown stranger held the wire electric, Sucking in the current.
When the current strengthened, bloomed the pale-faced stranger,-- Took no drink nor victual, yet grew fat and rosy,-- And from time to time, in sharp articulation, Said, "_All right!_ DE SAUTY."
From the lonely station passed the utterance, spreading Through the pines and hemlocks to the groves of steeples, Till the land was filled with loud reverberations Of "_All right_! DE SAUTY."
When the current slackened, drooped the mystic stranger,-- Faded, faded, faded, as the shocks grew weaker,-- Wasted to a shadow, with a hartshorn odor Of disintegration.
Drops of deliquescence glistened on his forehead, Whitened round his feet the dust of efflorescence, Till one Monday morning, when the flow suspended, There was no De Sauty.
Nothing but a cloud of elements organic, C.O.H.N. Ferrum, Chor. Flu. Sil. Potassa, Calc. Sod. Phosph. Mag. Sulphur, Mang.(?) Alumin.(?) Cuprum,(?) Such as man is made of.
Born of stream galvanic, with it he had perished! There is no De Sauty now there is no current! Give us a new cable, then again we'll hear him Cry, "_All right!_ DE SAUTY."
At the call of her mother, Mary hurried into the "best room," with a strange discomposure of spirit she had never felt before. From childhood, her love for James had been so deep, equable, and intense, that it had never disturbed her with thrills and yearnings; it had grown up in sisterly calmness, and, quietly expanding, had taken possession of her whole nature, without her once dreaming of its power. But this last interview seemed to have struck some great nerve of her being,--and calm as she usually was, from habit, principle, and good health, she shivered and trembled, as she heard his retreating footsteps, and saw the orchard-grass fly back from under his feet. It was as if each step trod on a nerve,--as if the very sound of the rustling grass was stirring something living and sensitive in her soul. And, strangest of all, a vague impression of guilt hovered over her. _Had_ she done anything wrong? She did not ask him there; she had not spoken love to him; no, she had only talked to him of his soul, and how she would give hers for his,--oh, so willingly!--and that was not love; it was only what Dr. H. said Christians must always feel.