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　then　walk　out　into　the　country　for　an　hour　or　more；　then　back　to　his　room　and　more　law　until　midnight　by　the　light　of　his　tallow　dip。

But　this　was　not　an　ordinary　daybeing　one　that　he　had　long　waited　for　and　was　destined　never　to　forget。　At　dusk　the　evening　before；　the　post…rider；　so　tired　that　he　had　scarce　strength　of　wind　to　blow　his　horn；　had　ridden　into　town　bringing　the　mail　from　Philadelphia；　and　in　this　mail　there　was　great　news　for　him。　It　had　kept　him　awake　nearly　all　of　the　night　before；　it　had　been　uppermost　in　his　mind　the　entire　day　in　school。　At　the　thought　of　it　now　he　thrust　his　watch　into　his　pocket；　pulled　his　hat　resolutely　over　his　brow；　and　started　toward　Main　Street；　meaning　to　turn　thence　toward　Cross　Street；　now　known　as　Broadway。　On　the　outskirts　of　the　town　in　that　direction　lay　the　wilderness；　undulating　away　for　hundreds　of　miles　like　a　vast　green　robe　with　scarce　a　rift　of　human　making。

He　failed　to　urge　his　way　through　the　throng　as　speedily　as　he　may　have　expected；　being　withheld　at　moments　by　passing　acquaintances；　and　at　others　pausing　of　his　own　choice　to　watch　some　spectacle　of　the　street。

The　feeling　lay　fresh　upon　him　this　afternoon　that　not　many　years　back　the　spot　over　which　the　town　was　spread　had　been　but　a　hidden　glade　in　the　heart　of　the　beautiful；　awful　wilderness；　with　a　bountiful　spring　bubbling　up　out　of　the　turf；　and　a　stream　winding　away　through　the　green；　valley…bottom　to　the　bright；　shady　Elkhorn：　a　glade　that　for　ages　had　been　thronged　by　stately…headed　elk　and　heavy…headed　bison；　and　therefore　sought　also　by　unreckoned　generations　of　soft…footed；　hard　eyed　red　hunters。　　Then　had　come　the　beginning　of　the　end　when　one　summer　day；　toward　sunset；　a　few　tired；　rugged　backwoodsmen　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race；　wandering　fearless　and　far　into　the　wilderness　from　the　eastern　slopes　of　the　Blue　Ridge　and　the　Alleghanies；　had　made　their　camp　by　the　margin　of　the　spring；　and　always　afterwards；　whether　by　day　or　by　night；　they　had　dreamed　of　this　as　the　land　they　must　conquer　for　their　homes。　　Now　they　had　conquered　it　already；　and　now　this　was　the　town　that　had　been　built　there；　with　its　wide　streets　under　big　trees　of　the　primeval　woods；　with　a　long　stretch　of　turf　on　one　side　of　the　stream　for　a　town　common；　with　inns　and　taverns　in　the　style　of　those　of　country　England　or　of　Virginia　in　the　reign　of　George　the　Third；　with　shops　displaying　the　costliest　merchandise　of　Philadelphia；　with　rude　dwellings　of　logs　now　giving　way　to　others　of　frame　and　of　brick；　and；　stretching　away　from　the　town　toward　the　encompassing　wilderness；　orderly　gardens　and　orchards　now　pink　with　the　blossom　of　the　peach；　and　fields　of　young　maize　and　wheat　and　flax　and　hemp。

As　the　mighty　stream　of　migration　of　the　Anglo…Saxon　race　had　burst　through　the　jagged　channels　of　the　Alleghanies　and　rushed　onward　to　the　unknown；　illimitable　West；　it　was　this　little　town　that　had　received　one　of　the　main　streams；　whence　it　flowed　more　gently　dispersed　over　the　rich　lands　of　the　newly　created　State；　or　passed　on　to　the　Ohio　and　the　southern　fringes　of　the　Lakes。　　It　was　this　that　received　also　a　vast　return　current　of　the　fearful；　the　disappointed；　the　weak；　as　they　recoiled　from　the　awful　frontier　of　backwood　life　and　resought　the　peaceful　Atlantic　seaboardone　of　the　defeated　Anglo…Saxon　armies　of　civilization。

These　two　far…clashing　tides　of　the　aroused；　migrating　racethe　one　flowing　westward；　the　other　ebbing　eastwardJohn　Gray　found　himself　noting　with　deep　interest　as　he　moved　through　the　town　that　afternoon　a　hundred　years　ago；　and　not　less　keenly　the　unlike　groups　and　characters　thrown　dramatically　together　upon　this　crowded　stage　of　border　history。

At　one　point　his　attention　was　arrested　by　the　tearful　voices　of　women　and　the　weeping　of　little　children：　a　company　of　travellers　with　pack…horsesone　of　the　caravans　across　the　desert　of　the　Western　woodswas　moving　off　to　return　by　the　Wilderness　Road　to　the　old　abandoned　homes　in　Virginia　and　North　Carolina。　Farther　on；　his　passage　was　blocked　by　a　joyous　crowd　that　had　gathered　about　another　caravan　newly　arrivednot　one　traveller　having　perished　on　the　way。　Seated　on　the　roots　of　an　oak　were　a　group　of　young　backwoodsmenswarthy；　lean；　tall；　wild　and　reckless　of　bearingtheir　long　rifles　propped　against　the　tree　or　held　fondly　across　the　knees；　the　gray　smoke　of　their　pipes　mingling　with　the　gray　of　their　jauntily　worn　raccoon…skin　caps；　the　rifts　of　yellow　sunlight　blending　with　the　yellow　of　their　huntingshirts　and　tunics；　their　knives　and　powder…horns　fastened　in　the　belts　that　girt　in　their　gaunt　waists：　the　heroic　youthful　sinew　of　the　old　border　folk。　One　among　them；　larger　and　handsomer　than　the　others；　had　pleased　his　fancy　by　donning　more　nearly　the　Indian　dress。　His　breech…clout　was　of　dappled　fawn…skin；　his　long　thigh　boots　of　thin　deer…hide　were　open　at　the　hips；　leaving　exposed　the　clear　whiteness　of　his　flesh；　below　the　knees　they　were　ornamented　by　a　scarlet　fringe　tipped　with　the　hoofs　of　fawns　and　the　spurs　of　the　wild　turkey；　and　in　his　cap　he　wore　the　intertwined　wings　of　the　hawk　and　the　scarlet　tanager。

Under　another　tree　in　front　of　a　tavern　bearing　the　sign　of　the　Virginia　arms；　a　group　of　students　of　William　and　Mary；　the　new　aristocrats　of　the　West；　were　singing；　gambling；　drinking；　while　at　intervals　one　of　them；　who　had　lying　open　before　him　a　copy　of　Tom　Paine's　〃Age　of　Reason；〃　pounded　on　the　table　and　apostrophied　the　liberties　of　Man。　Once　Gray　paused　beside　a　tall　pole　that　had　been　planted　at　a　street　corner　and　surmounted　with　a　liberty　cap。　Two　young　men；　each　wearing　the　tricolour　cockade　as　he　did；　were　standing；　there　engaged　in　secret　conversation。　　As　he　joined　them；　three　other　young　menFederalistssauntered　past；　wearing　black　cockades；　with　an　eagle　button　on　the　left　side。　The　six　men　saluted　coolly。

Many　another　group　and　solitary　figure　he　saw　to　remind　him　of　the　turbulent　history　of　the　time　and　place。　　A　parson；　who　had　been　the　calmest　of　Indian　fighters；　had　lost　all　self…control　as　he　contended　out　in　the　road　with　another　parson　for　the　use　of　Dr。　Watts'　hymns　instead　of　the　Psalms　of　David。　Near　by；　listening　to　them；　and　with　a　wondering　eye　on　all　he　saw　in　the　street；　stood　a　French　priest　of　Bordeaux；　an　exile　from　the　fury　of　the　avenging　jacobins。　There　were　brown　flatboatmen；　in　weather…beaten　felt　hats；　just　returned　by　the　long　overland　trip　from　New　Orleans　and　discussing　with　tobacco　merchants　the　open　navigation　of　the　Mississippi；　and　as　they　talked；　up　to　them　hurried　the　inventor　Edward　West；　who　said　with　excitement　that　if　they　would　but　step　across　the　common　to　the　town　branch；　he　would　demonstrate　by　his　own　model　that　some　day　navigation　would　be　by　steam：　whereat　they　all　laughed　kindly　at　him　for　a　dreamer；　and　went　to　laugh　at　the　action　of　his　mimic　boat；　moving　hither　and　thither　over　the　dammed　water　of　the　stream。　Sitting　on　a　stump　apart　from　every　one；　his　dog　at　his　feet；　his　rifle　across　his　lap；　an　aged　backwoodsman　surveyed　in　sorrow　the　civilization　that　had　already　destroyed　his　hunting　and　that　was　about　sending　him　farther　west　to　the　depths　of　Missourialong　with　the　buffalo。　His　glance　fell　with　disgust　upon　two　old　gentlemen　in　knee…breeches　who　met　and　offered　each　other　their　snuff…boxes；　with　a　deep　bow。　He　looked　much　more　kindly　at　a　crave；　proud　Chickasaw　hunter；　who　strode　by　with　inward　grief　and　shame；　wounded　by　the　robbery　of　his　people。　Puritans　from　New　England；　cavaliers　from　Virginia；　Scotch…Irish　from　Pennsylvania；　mild…eyed　trappers　and　bargemen　from　the　French　hamlets　of　Kaskaskia　and　Cahokia；　wood…choppers；　scouts；　surveyors；　swaggering　adventurers；　land…lawyers；　colonial　burgesses；all　these　mingled　and　jostled；　plotted　and　bartered；　in　the　shops；　in　the　streets；　under　the　trees。

And　everywhere　soldiers　and　officers　of　the　Revolutioncome　West　with　their　families　to　search　for　homes；　or　to　take　possession　of　the　grants　made　them　by　the　Government。　In　the　course　of　a　short　walk　John　Gray　passed　men　who　had　been　wounded　in　the　battle　of　Point　Pleasant；　men　who　had　waded　behind　Clark　through　the　freezing　marshes　of　the　Illinois　to　the　storming　of　Vincennes；　men　who　had　charged　through　flame　and　smoke　up　the　side　of　King's　Mountain　against　Ferguson's　Carolina　loyalists；　men　who　with　chilled　ardour　had　let　themselves　be　led　into　the　massacre　of　the　Wabash　by　blundering　St。　Clair；　men　who　with　wild　thrilling　pulses　had　rushed　to　victory　behind　mad　Antony　Wayne。

And　the　women！　Somethe　terrible　lioness…mothers　of　the　Western　jungles　who　had　been　used　like　men　to　fight　with　rifle；　knife；　and　axenow　sat　silent　in　the　doorways　of　their　rough　cabins；　wrinkled；　scarred；　fierce；　silent；　scornful　of　all　advancing　luxury　and　refinement。　　Flitting　gaily　past　them；　on　their　way　to　the　dry　goods　storessupplied　by　trains　of　pack…horses　from　over　the　Alleghanies；　or　by　pack…horse　and　boat　down　the　Ohiohurried　the　wives　of　the　officers；　daintily　choosing　satins　and　ribands　for　a　coming　ball。　All　this　and　more　he　noted　as　he　passed　lingeringly　on。　The　deep　vibrations　of　history　swept　through　him；　arousing　him　as　the　marshalling　storm　cloud；　the　rush　of　winds；　and　sunlight　flickering　into　gloom　kindle　the　sense　of　the　high；　the　mighty；　the　sublime。

As　he　was　crossing　the　common；　a　number　of　young　fellows　stripped　and　girt　for　racingfor　speed　greater　than　an　Indian's　saved　many　a　life　in　those　days；　and　running　was　part　of　the　regular　training　of　the　youngbounded　up　to　him　like　deer；　giving　a　challenge：　he　too　was　very　swift。　　But　he　named　another　day；　impatient　of　the　many　interruptions　that　had　already　delayed　him；　and　with　long；　rapid　strides　he　had　soon　passed　beyond　the　last　fields　and　ranges　of　the　town。　Then　he　slackened　his　pace。　Before　him；　a　living　wall；　rose　the　edge　of　the　wilderness。　Noting　the　position　of　the　sun　and　searching　for　a　point　of　least　resistance；　he　plunged　in。

Soon　he　had　to　make　his　way　through　a　thicket　of　cane　some　twelve　feet　high；　then　through　a　jungle　of　wild　rye；　buffalo　grass　and　briars；　beyond　which　he　struck　a　narrow　deertrace　and　followed　that　in　its　westward　winding　through　thinner　undergrowth　under　the　dark　trees。

He　was　un