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al dead。 But there is something left of him though more than a century has passed away： something that has wandered far down the course of time to us like the faint summer fragrance of a young tree long since fallen dead in its wintered forestlike a dim radiance yet travelling onward into space from an orb turned black and coldlike an old melody； surviving on and on in the air without any instrument； without any strings。
John Gray； the school…master。 At four o'clock that afternoon and therefore earlier than usual； he was standing on the hickory block which formed the doorstep of the school…house； having just closed the door behind him for the day。 Down at his side； between the thumb and forefinger of one hand； hung his big black hat； which was decorated with a tricoloured cockade； to show that he was a member of the Democratic Society of Lexington； modelled after the Democratic Society of Philadelphia and the Jacobin clubs of France。 In the open palm of the other lay his big silver English lever watch with a glass case and broad black silk fob。
A young fellow of powerful build； lean； muscular； wearing simply but with gentlemanly care a suit of black； which was relieved around his wrists and neck by linen； snow…white and of the finest quality。 In contrast with his dress； a complexion fresh； pure； brilliantthe complexion of health and innocence； in contrast with this complexion from above a mass of coarse dark…red hair； cut short and loosely curling。 Much physical beauty in the head； the shape being noble； the pose full of dignity and of strength； almost no beauty in the face itself except in the gray eyes which were sincere； modest； grave。 Yet a face not without moral loftiness and intellectual power； rugged as a rock； but as a rock is made less rugged by a little vine creeping over it； so his was softened by a fine network of nerves that wrought out upon it a look of kindness； betraying the first nature of passion； but disciplined to the higher nature of control； youthful； but wearing those unmistakable marks of maturity which mean a fierce early struggle against the rougher forces of the world。 On the whole； with the calm； self respecting air of one who； having thus far won in the battle of life； has a fiercer longing for larger conflict； and whose entire character rests on the noiseless conviction that he is a man and a gentleman。
Deeper insight would have been needed to discover how true and earnest a soul he was； how high a value he set on what the future had in store for him and on what his life would be worth to himself and to others； and how； liking rather to help himself than to be helped； he liked less to be trifled with and least of all to be seriously thwarted。
He was thinking； as his eyes rested on the watch； that if this were one of his ordinary days he would pursue his ordinary duties； he would go up street to the office of Marshall and for the next hour read as many pages of law as possible； then get his supper at his favourite tavernthe Sign of the Spinning； Wheelnear the two locust trees； 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 perish