except　where　a　vista　opened　eastward；　and　afforded　a　distant　view　of
  the　Great　Stone　Face。　Over　the　general's　chair；　which　was　a　relic　from
  the　home　of　Washington；　there　was　an　arch　of　verdant　boughs；　with
  the　laurel　profusely　intermixed；　and　surmounted　by　his　country's
  banner；　beneath　which　he　had　won　his　victories。　Our　friend　Ernest
  raised　himself　on　his　tip…toes；　in　hopes　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the
  celebrated　guest；　but　there　was　a　mighty　crowd　about　the　tables
  anxious　to　hear　the　toasts　and　speeches；　and　to　catch　any　word　that
  might　fall　from　the　general　in　reply；　and　a　volunteer　company；　doing
  duty　as　a　guard；　pricked　ruthlessly　with　their　bayonets　at　any
  particularly　quiet　person　among　the　throng。　So　Ernest；　being　of　an
  unobtrusive　character；　was　thrust　quite　into　the　background；　where
  he　could　see　no　more　of　Old　Blood…and…Thunder's　physiognomy　than　if　it
  had　been　still　blazing　on　the　battle…field。　To　console　himself；　he
  turned　towards　the　Great　Stone　Face；　which；　like　a　faithful　and
  long…remembered　friend；　looked　back　and　smiled　upon　him　through　the
  vista　of　the　forest。　Meantime；　however；　he　could　over…hear　the　remarks
  of　various　individuals；　who　were　comparing　the　features　of　the　hero
  with　the　face　on　the　distant　mountain…side。
  〃　'Tis　the　same　face；　to　a　hair！〃　cried　one　man；　cutting　a　caper
  for　joy。
  〃Wonderfully　like；　that's　a　fact！〃　responded　another。
  〃Like！　why；　I　call　it　Old　Blood…and…Thunder　himself；　in　a　monstrous
  looking…glass！〃　cried　a　third。　〃And　why　not！　He's　the　greatest　man
  of　this　or　any　other　age；　beyond　a　doubt。〃
  And　then　all　three　of　the　speakers　gave　a　great　shout；　which
  communicated　electricity　to　the　crowd；　and　called　forth　a　roar　from
  a　thousand　voices；　that　went　reverberating　for　miles　among　the
  mountains；　until　you　might　have　supposed　that　the　Great　Stone　Face　had
  poured　its　thunder…breath　into　the　cry。　All　these　comments；　and　this
  vast　enthusiasm；　served　the　more　to　interest　our　friend；　nor　did　he
  think　of　questioning　that　now；　at　length；　the　mountain…visage　had
  found　its　human　counterpart。　It　is　true；　Ernest　had　imagined　that　this
  long…looked…for　personage　would　appear　in　the　character　of　a　man　of
  peace；　uttering　wisdom；　and　doing　good；　and　making　people　happy。
  But；　taking　an　habitual　breadth　of　view；　with　all　his　simplicity；　he
  contended　that　Providence　should　choose　its　own　method　of　blessing
  mankind；　and　could　conceive　that　this　great　end　might　be　effected　even
  by　a　warrior　and　a　bloody　sword；　should　inscrutable　wisdom　see　fit
  to　order　matters　so。
  〃The　general！　the　general！〃　was　now　the　cry。　〃Hush！　silence！　Old
  Blood…and…Thunder's　going　to　make　a　speech。〃
  Even　so；　for；　the　cloth　being　removed；　the　general's　health　had
  been　drunk　amid　shouts　of　applause；　and　he　now　stood　upon　his　feet
  to　thank　the　company。　Ernest　saw　him。　There　he　was；　over　the　shoulders
  of　the　crowd；　from　the　two　glittering　epaulets　and　embroidered
  collar　upward；　beneath　the　arch　of　green　boughs　with　inter…twined
  laurell　and　the　banner　drooping　as　if　to　shade　his　brow！　And　there；
  too；　visible　in　the　same　glance；　through　the　vista　of　the　forest；
  appeared　the　Great　Stone　Face！　And　was　there；　indeed；　such　a
  resemblance　as　the　crowd　had　testified？　Alas；　Ernest　could　not
  recognize　it！　He　beheld　a　war…worn　and　weather…beaten　countenance；
  full　of　energy；　and　expressive　of　an　iron　will；　but　the　gentle　wisdom；
  the　deep；　broad；　tender　sympathies；　were　altogether　wanting　in　Old
  Blood…and…Thunder's　visage；　and　even　if　the　Great　Stone　Face　had
  assumed　his　look　of　stern　command；　the　milder　traits　would　still
  have　tempered　it。
  〃This　is　not　the　man　of　prophecy；〃　sighed　Ernest　to　himself；　as
  he　made　his　way　out　of　the　throng。　〃And　must　the　world　wait　longer
  yet？〃
  The　mists　had　congregated　about　the　distant　mountain…side；　and
  there　were　seen　the　grand　and　awful　features　of　the　Great　Stone
  Face；　awful　but　benignant；　as　if　a　mighty　angel　were　sitting　among　the
  hills；　and　enrobing　himself　in　a　cloud…vesture　of　gold　and　purple。
  As　he　looked；　Ernest　could　hardly　believe　but　that　a　smile　beamed　over
  the　whole　visage；　with　a　radiance　still　brightening；　although
  without　motion　of　the　lips。　It　was　probably　the　effect　of　the
  western　sunshine；　melting　through　the　thinly　diffused　vapors　that
  had　swept　between　him　and　the　object　that　he　gazed　at。　But…　as　it
  always　did…　the　aspect　of　his　marvellous　friend　made　Ernest　as　hopeful
  as　if　he　had　never　hoped　in　vain。
  〃Fear　not；　Ernest；〃　said　his　heart；　even　as　if　the　Great　Face
  were　whispering　him；　〃fear　not；　Ernest；　he　will　come。〃
  More　years　sped　swiftly　and　tranquilly　away。　Ernest　still　dwelt
  in　his　native　valley；　and　was　now　a　man　of　middle　age。　By
  imperceptible　degrees；　he　had　become　known　among　the　people。　Now；　as
  heretofore；　he　labored　for　his　bread；　and　was　the　same
  simple…hearted　man　that　he　had　always　been。　But　he　had　thought　and
  felt　so　much；　he　had　given　so　many　of　the　best　hours　of　his　life　to
  unworldly　hopes　for　some　great　good　to　mankind；　that　it　seemed　as
  though　he　had　been　talking　with　the　angels；　and　had　imbibed　a
  portion　of　their　wisdom　unawares。　It　was　visible　in　the　calm　and
  well…considered　beneficence　of　his　daily　life；　the　quiet　stream　of
  which　had　made　a　wide　green　margin　all　along　its　course。　Not　a　day
  passed　by；　that　the　world　was　not　the　better　because　this　man；
  humble　as　he　was；　had　lived。　He　never　stepped　aside　from　his　own　path；
  yet　would　always　reach　a　blessing　to　his　neighbor。　Almost
  involuntarily；　too；　he　had　become　a　preacher。　The　pure　and　high
  simplicity　of　his　thought；　which；　as　one　of　its　manifestations；　took
  shape　in　the　good　deeds　that　dropped　silently　from　his　hand；　flowed
  also　forth　in　speech。　He　uttered　truths　that　wrought　upon　and
  moulded　the　lives　of　those　who　heard　him。　His　auditors；　it　may　be；
  never　suspected　that　Ernest；　their　own　neighbor　and　familiar　friend；
  was　more　than　an　ordinary　man；　least　of　all　did　Ernest　himself　suspect
  it；　but；　inevitably　as　the　murmur　of　a　rivulet；　came　thoughts　out　of
  his　mouth　that　no　other　human　lips　had　spoken。
  When　the　people's　minds　had　had　a　little　time　to　cool；　they　were
  ready　enough　to　acknowledge　their　mistake　in　imagining　a　similarity
  between　General　Blood…and…Thunder's　truculent　physiognomy　and　the
  benign　visage　on　the　mountain…side。　But　now；　again；　there　were　reports
  and　many　paragraphs　in　the　newspapers；　affirming　that　the　likeness
  of　the　Great　Stone　Face　had　appeared　upon　the　broad　shoulders　of　a
  certain　eminent　statesman。　He；　like　Mr。　Gathergold　and　Old
  Blood…and…Thunder；　was　a　native　of　the　valley；　but　had　left　it　in
  his　early　days；　and　taken　up　the　trades　of　law　and　politics。　Instead
  of　the　rich　man's　wealth　and　the　warrior's　sword；　he　had　but　a　tongue；
  and　it　was　mightier　than　both　together。　So　wonderfully　eloquent　was
  he；　that　whatever　he　might　choose　to　say；　his　auditors　had　no　choice
  but　to　believe　him；　wrong　looked　like　right；　and　right　like　wrong；　for
  when　it　pleased　him；　he　could　make　a　kind　of　illuminated　fog　with
  his　mere　breath；　and　obscure　the　natural　daylight　with　it。　His　tongue；
  indeed；　was　a　magic　instrument：　sometimes　it　rumbled　like　the　thunder；
  sometimes　it　warbled　like　the　sweetest　music。　It　was　the　blast　of　war…
  the　song　of　peace；　and　it　seemed　to　have　a　heart　in　it；　when　there　was
  no　such　matter。　In　good　truth；　he　was　a　wondrous　man；　and　when　his
  tongue　had　acquired　him　all　other　imaginable　success…　when　it　had　been
  heard　in　halls　of　state；　and　in　the　courts　of　princes　and
  potentates…　after　it　had　made　him　known　all　over　the　world；　even　as
  a　voice　crying　from　shore　to　shore…　it　finally　persuaded　his
  countrymen　to　select　him　for　the　presidency。　Before　this　time…　indeed；
  as　soon　as　he　began　to　grow　celebrated…　his　admirers　had　found　out　the
  resemblance　between　him　and　the　Great　Stone　Face；　and　so　much　were
  they　struck　by　it；　that　throughout　the　country　this　distinguished
  gentleman　was　known　by　the　name　of　Old　Stony　Phiz。　The　phrase　was
  considered　as　giving　a　highly　favorable　aspect　to　his　political
  prospects；　for；　as　is　likewise　the　case　with　the　Popedom；　nobody
  ever　becomes　president　without　taking　a　name　other　than　his　own。
  While　his　friends　were　doing　their　best　to　make　him　president；
  Old　Stony　Phiz；　as　he　was　called；　set　out　on　a　visit　to　the　valley
  where　he　was　born。　Of　course；　he　had　no　other　object　than　to　shake
  hands　with　his　fellow…citizens；　and　neither　thought　nor　cared　about
  any　effect　which　his　progress　through　the　country　might　have　upon
  the　election。　Magnificent　preparations　were　made　to　receive　the
  illustrious　statesman；　a　cavalcade　of　horsemen　set　forth　to　meet　him
  at　the　boundary　line　of　the　state；　and　all　the　people　left　their
  business　and　gathered　along　the　wayside　to　see　him　pass。　Among　these
  was　Ernest。　Though　more　than　once　disappointed；　as　we　have　seen；　he
  had　such　a　hopeful　and　confiding　nature；　that　he　was　always　ready　to
  believe　in　whatever　seemed　beautiful　and　good。　He　kept　his　heart
  continually　open；　and　thus　was　sure　to　catch　the　blessing　from　on
  high；　when　it　should　come。　So　now