ButErnestturnedsadlyfromthewrinkledshrewdnessofthatsordid
visage，andgazedupthevalley，where，amidagatheringmist，
gildedbythelastsunbeams，hecouldstilldistinguishthoseglorious
featureswhichhadimpressedthemselvesintohissoul。Theiraspect
cheeredhim。Whatdidthebenignlipsseemtosay？
“Hewillcome！Fearnot，Ernest；themanwillcome！”
Theyearswenton，andErnestceasedtobeaboy。Hehadgrownto
beayoungmannow。Heattractedlittlenoticefromtheother
inhabitantsofthevalley；fortheysawnothingremarkableinhis
wayoflife，savethat，whenthelaborofthedaywasover，hestill
lovedtogoapartandgazeandmeditateupontheGreatStoneFace。
Accordingtotheirideaofthematter，itwasafolly，indeed，but
pardonable，inasmuchasErnestwasindustrious，kind，and
neighborly，andneglectednodutyforthesakeofindulgingthis
idlehabit。TheyknewnotthattheGreatStoneFacehadbecomea
teachertohim，andthatthesentimentwhichwasexpressedinitwould
enlargetheyoungman’sheart，andfillitwithwideranddeeper
sympathiesthanotherhearts。Theyknewnotthatthencewouldcomea
betterwisdomthancouldbelearnedfrombooks，andabetterlifethan
couldbemouldedonthedefacedexampleofotherhumanlives。
NeitherdidErnestknowthatthethoughtsandaffectionswhichcameto
himsonaturally，inthefieldsandatthefireside，andwhereverhe
communedwithhimself，wereofahighertonethanthosewhichall
mensharedwithhim。Asimplesoul-simpleaswhenhismotherfirst
taughthimtheoldprophecy-hebeheldthemarvellousfeaturesbeaming
adownthevalley，andstillwonderedthattheirhumancounterpart
wassolonginmakinghisappearance。
BythistimepoorMr。Gathergoldwasdeadandburied；andthe
oddestpartofthematterwas，thathiswealth，whichwasthebodyand
spiritofhisexistence，haddisappearedbeforehisdeath，leaving
nothingofhimbutalivingskeleton，coveredoverwithawrinkled，
yellowskin。Sincethemeltingawayofhisgold，ithadbeenvery
generallyconcededthattherewasnosuchstrikingresemblance，
afterall，betwixttheignoblefeaturesoftheruinedmerchantand
thatmajesticfaceuponthemountain-side。Sothepeopleceasedto
honorhimduringhislifetime，andquietlyconsignedhimto
forgetfulnessafterhisdecease。Onceinawhile，itistrue，his
memorywasbroughtupinconnectionwiththemagnificentpalace
whichhehadbuilt，andwhichhadlongagobeenturnedintoahotel
fortheaccommodationofstrangers，multitudesofwhomcame，every
summer，tovisitthatfamousnaturalcuriosity，theGreatStone
Face。Thus，Mr。Gathergoldbeingdiscreditedandthrownintothe
shade，themanofprophecywasyettocome。
Itsohappenedthatanative-bornsonofthevalley，manyyears
before，hadenlistedasasoldier，and，afteragreatdealofhard
fighting，hadnowbecomeanillustriouscommander。Whateverhemay
becalledinhistory，hewasknownincampsandonthebattle-field
underthenicknameofOldBlood-and-Thunder。Thiswar-wornveteran，
beingnowinfirmwithageandwounds，andwearyoftheturmoilofa
militarylife，andoftherollofthedrumandtheclangorofthe
trumpet，thathadsolongbeenringinginhisears，hadlately
signifiedapurposeofreturningtohisnativevalley，hopingto
findreposewhereherememberedtohaveleftit。Theinhabitants，
hisoldneighborsandtheirgrown-upchildren，wereresolvedto
welcometherenownedwarriorwithasaluteofcannonandapublic
dinner；andallthemoreenthusiastically，itbeingaffirmedthatnow，
atlast，thelikenessoftheGreatStoneFacehadactuallyappeared。
Anaid-de-campofOldBlood-and-Thunder，travellingthroughthe
valley，wassaidtohavebeenstruckwiththeresemblance。Moreover，
theschoolmatesandearlyacquaintancesofthegeneralwerereadyto
testify，onoath，that，tothebestoftheirrecollection，the
aforesaidgeneralhadbeenexceedinglylikethemajesticimage，even
whenaboy，onlythattheideahadneveroccurredtothematthat
period。Great，therefore，wastheexcitementthroughoutthevalley；
andmanypeople，whohadneveroncethoughtofglancingattheGreat
StoneFaceforyearsbefore，nowspenttheirtimeingazingatit，for
thesakeofknowingexactlyhowGeneralBlood-and-Thunderlooked。
Onthedayofthegreatfestival，Ernest，withalltheotherpeople
ofthevalley，lefttheirwork，andproceededtothespotwherethe
sylvanbanquetwasprepared。Asheapproached，theloudvoiceofthe
ReverendDoctorBattleblastwasheard，beseechingablessingonthe
goodthingssetbeforethem，andonthedistinguishedfriendof
peaceinwhosehonortheywereassembled。Thetableswerearranged
inaclearedspaceofthewoods，shutinbythesurroundingtrees，
exceptwhereavistaopenedeastward，andaffordedadistantviewof
theGreatStoneFace。Overthegeneral’schair，whichwasarelicfrom
thehomeofWashington，therewasanarchofverdantboughs，with
thelaurelprofuselyintermixed，andsurmountedbyhiscountry’s
banner，beneathwhichhehadwonhisvictories。OurfriendErnest
raisedhimselfonhistip-toes，inhopestogetaglimpseofthe
celebratedguest；buttherewasamightycrowdaboutthetables
anxioustohearthetoastsandspeeches，andtocatchanywordthat
mightfallfromthegeneralinreply；andavolunteercompany，doing
dutyasaguard，prickedruthlesslywiththeirbayonetsatany
particularlyquietpersonamongthethrong。SoErnest，beingofan
unobtrusivecharacter，wasthrustquiteintothebackground，where
hecouldseenomoreofOldBlood-and-Thunder’sphysiognomythanifit
hadbeenstillblazingonthebattle-field。Toconsolehimself，he
turnedtowardstheGreatStoneFace，which，likeafaithfuland
long-rememberedfriend，lookedbackandsmileduponhimthroughthe
vistaoftheforest。Meantime，however，hecouldover-heartheremarks
ofvariousindividuals，whowerecomparingthefeaturesofthehero
withthefaceonthedistantmountain-side。
“’Tisthesameface，toahair！”criedoneman，cuttingacaper
forjoy。
“Wonderfullylike，that’safact！”respondedanother。
“Like！why，IcallitOldBlood-and-Thunderhimself，inamonstrous
looking-glass！”criedathird。“Andwhynot！He’sthegreatestman
ofthisoranyotherage，beyondadoubt。”
Andthenallthreeofthespeakersgaveagreatshout，which
communicatedelectricitytothecrowd，andcalledfortharoarfrom
athousandvoices，thatwentreverberatingformilesamongthe
mountains，untilyoumighthavesupposedthattheGreatStoneFacehad
poureditsthunder-breathintothecry。Allthesecomments，andthis
vastenthusiasm，servedthemoretointerestourfriend；nordidhe
thinkofquestioningthatnow，atlength，themountain-visagehad
founditshumancounterpart。Itistrue，Ernesthadimaginedthatthis
long-looked-forpersonagewouldappearinthecharacterofamanof
peace，utteringwisdom，anddoinggood，andmakingpeoplehappy。
But，takinganhabitualbreadthofview，withallhissimplicity，he
contendedthatProvidenceshouldchooseitsownmethodofblessing
mankind，andcouldconceivethatthisgreatendmightbeeffectedeven
byawarriorandabloodysword，shouldinscrutablewisdomseefit
toordermattersso。
“Thegeneral！thegeneral！”wasnowthecry。“Hush！silence！Old
Blood-and-Thunder’sgoingtomakeaspeech。”
Evenso；for，theclothbeingremoved，thegeneral’shealthhad
beendrunkamidshoutsofapplause，andhenowstooduponhisfeet
tothankthecompany。Ernestsawhim。Therehewas，overtheshoulders
ofthecrowd，fromthetwoglitteringepauletsandembroidered
collarupward，beneaththearchofgreenboughswithinter-twined
laurellandthebannerdroopingasiftoshadehisbrow！Andthere，
too，visibleinthesameglance，throughthevistaoftheforest，
appearedtheGreatStoneFace！Andwasthere，indeed，sucha
resemblanceasthecrowdhadtestified？Alas，Ernestcouldnot
recognizeit！Hebeheldawar-wornandweather-beatencountenance，
fullofenergy，andexpressiveofanironwill；butthegentlewisdom，
thedeep，broad，tendersympathies，werealtogetherwantinginOld
Blood-and-Thunder’svisage；andeveniftheGreatStoneFacehad
assumedhislookofsterncommand，themildertraitswouldstill
havetemperedit。
“Thisisnotthemanofprophecy。”sighedErnesttohimself，as
hemadehiswayoutofthethrong。“Andmusttheworldwaitlonger
yet？”
Themistshadcongregatedaboutthedistantmountain-side，and
therewereseenthegrandandawfulfeaturesoftheGreatStone
Face，awfulbutbenignant，asifamightyangelweresittingamongthe
hills，andenrobinghimselfinacloud-vestureofgoldandpurple。
Ashelooked，Ernestcouldhardlybelievebutthatasmilebeamedover
thewholevisage，witharadiancestillbrightening，although
withoutmotionofthelips。Itwasprobablytheeffectofthe
westernsunshine，meltingthroughthethinlydiffusedvaporsthat
hadsweptbetweenhimandtheobjectthathegazedat。But-asit
alwaysdid-theaspectofhismarvellousfriendmadeErnestashopeful
asifhehadneverhopedinvain。
“Fearnot，Ernest。”saidhisheart，evenasiftheGreatFace
werewhisperinghim，“fearnot，Ernest；hewillcome。”
Moreyearsspedswiftlyandtranquillyaway。Erneststilldwelt
inhisnativevalley，andwasnowamanofmiddleage。By
imperceptibledegrees，hehadbecomeknownamongthepeople。Now，as
heretofore，helaboredforhisbread，andwasthesame
simple-heartedmanthathehadalwaysbeen。Buthehadthoughtand
feltsomuch，hehadgivensomanyofthebesthoursofhislifeto
unworldlyhopesforsomegreatgoodtomankind，thatitseemedas
thoughhehadbeentalkingwiththeangels，andhadimbibeda
portionoftheirwisdomunawares。Itwasvisibleinthecalmand
well-consideredbeneficenceofhisdailylife，thequietstreamof
whichhadmadeawidegreenmarginallalongitscourse。Notaday
passedby，thattheworldwasnotthebetterbecausethisman，
humbleashewas，hadlived。Heneversteppedasidefromhisownpath，
yetwouldalwaysreachablessingtohisneighbor。Almost
involuntarily，too，hehadbecomeapreacher。Thepureandhigh
simplicityofhisthought，which，asoneofitsmanifestations，took
shapeinthegooddeedsthatdroppedsilentlyfromhishand，flowed
alsoforthinspeech。Heutteredtruthsthatwroughtuponand
mouldedthelivesofthosewhoheardhim。Hisauditors，itmaybe，
neversuspectedthatErnest，theirownneighborandfamiliarfriend，
wasmorethananordinaryman；leastofalldidErnesthimselfsuspect
it；but，inevitablyasthemurmurofarivulet，camethoughtsoutof
hismouththatnootherhumanlipshadspoken。
Whenthepeople’smindshadhadalittletimetocool，theywere
readyenoughtoacknowledgetheirmistakeinimaginingasimilarity
betweenGeneralBlood-and-Thunder’struculentphysiognomyandthe
benignvisageonthemountain-side。Butnow，again，therewerereports
andmanyparagraphsinthenewspapers，affirmingthatthelikeness
oftheGreatStoneFacehadappeareduponthebroadshouldersofa
certaineminentstatesman。He，likeMr。GathergoldandOld
Blood-and-Thunder，wasanativeofthevalley，buthadleftitin
hisearlydays，andtakenupthetradesoflawandpolitics。Instead
oftherichman’swealthandthewarrior’ssword，hehadbutatongue，
anditwasmightierthanbothtogether。Sowonderfullyeloquentwas
he，thatwhateverhemightchoosetosay，hisauditorshadnochoice
buttobelievehim；wronglookedlikeright，andrightlikewrong；for
whenitpleasedhim，hecouldmakeakindofilluminatedfogwith
hismerebreath，andobscurethenaturaldaylightwithit。Histongue，
indeed，wasamagicinstrument：sometimesitrumbledlikethethunder；
sometimesitwarbledlikethesweetestmusic。Itwastheblastofwar-
thesongofpeace；anditseemedtohaveaheartinit，whentherewas
nosuchmatter。Ingoodtruth，hewasawondrousman；andwhenhis
tonguehadacquiredhimallotherimaginablesuccess-whenithadbeen
heardinhallsofstate，andinthecourtsofprincesand