THE　GREAT　STONE　FACE
  One　afternoon；　when　the　sun　was　going　down；　a　mother　and　her
  little　boy　sat　at　the　door　of　their　cottage；　talking　about　the
  Great　Stone　Face。　They　had　but　to　lift　their　eyes；　and　there　it
  was　plainly　to　be　seen；　though　miles　away；　with　the　sunshine
  brightening　all　its　features。
  And　what　was　the　Great　Stone　Face？
  Embosomed　amongst　a　family　of　lofty　mountains；　there　was　a　valley
  so　spacious　that　it　contained　many　thousand　inhabitants。　Some　of
  these　good　people　dwelt　in　log…huts；　with　the　black　forest　all
  around　them；　on　the　steep　and　difficult　hill…sides。　Others　had
  their　homes　in　comfortable　farm…houses；　and　cultivated　the　rich
  soil　on　the　gentle　slopes　or　level　surfaces　of　the　valley。
  Others；　again；　were　congregated　into　populous　villages；　where
  some　wild；　highland　rivulet；　tumbling　down　from　its　birthplace　in
  the　upper　mountain　region；　had　been　caught　and　tamed　by　human
  cunning；　and　compelled　to　turn　the　machinery　of　cotton…factories。
  The　inhabitants　of　this　valley；　in　short；　were　numerous；　and　of
  many　modes　of　life。　But　all　of　them；　grown　people　and　children；
  had　a　kind　of　familiarity　with　the　Great　Stone　Face；　although
  some　possessed　the　gift　of　distinguishing　this　grand　natural
  phenomenon　more　perfectly　than　many　of　their　neighbors。
  The　Great　Stone　Face；　then；　was　a　work　of　Nature　in　her　mood　of
  majestic　playfulness；　formed　on　the　perpendicular　side　of　a
  mountain　by　some　immense　rocks；　which　had　been　thrown　together　in
  such　a　position　as；　when　viewed　at　a　proper　distance；　precisely
  to　resemble　the　features　of　the　human　countenance。　It　seemed　as
  if　an　enormous　giant；　or　a　Titan；　had　sculptured　his　own　likeness
  on　the　precipice。　There　was　the　broad　arch　of　the　forehead；　a
  hundred　feet　in　height；　the　nose；　with　its　long　bridge；　and　the
  vast　lips；　which；　if　they　could　have　spoken；　would　have　rolled
  their　thunder　accents　from　one　end　of　the　valley　to　the　other。
  True　it　is；　that　if　the　spectator　approached　too　near；　he　lost
  the　outline　of　the　gigantic　visage；　and　could　discern　only　a　heap
  of　ponderous　and　gigantic　rocks；　piled　in　chaotic　ruin　one　upon
  another。　Retracing　his　steps；　however；　the　wondrous　features
  would　again　be　seen；　and　the　farther　he　withdrew　from　them；　the
  more　like　a　human　face；　with　all　its　original　divinity　intact；
  did　they　appear；　until；　as　it　grew　dim　in　the　distance；　with　the
  clouds　and　glorified　vapor　of　the　mountains　clustering　about　it；
  the　Great　Stone　Face　seemed　positively　to　be　alive。
  It　was　a　happy　lot　for　children　to　grow　up　to　manhood　or
  womanhood　with　the　Great　Stone　Face　before　their　eyes；　for　all
  the　features　were　noble；　and　the　expression　was　at　once　grand　and
  sweet；　as　if　it　were　the　glow　of　a　vast；　warm　heart；　that
  embraced　all　mankind　in　its　affections；　and　had　room　for　more。　It
  was　an　education　only　to　look　at　it。　According　to　the　belief　of
  many　people；　the　valley　owed　much　of　its　fertility　to　this　benign
  aspect　that　was　continually　beaming　over　it；　illuminating　the
  clouds；　and　infusing　its　tenderness　into　the　sunshine。
  As　we　began　with　saying；　a　mother　and　her　little　boy　sat　at　their
  cottage…door；　gazing　at　the　Great　Stone　Face；　and　talking　about
  it。　The　child's　name　was　Ernest。
  〃Mother；〃　said　he；　while　the　Titanic　visage　smiled　on　him；　〃I
  wish　that　it　could　speak；　for　it　looks　so　very　kindly　that　its
  voice　must　needs　be　pleasant。　If　I　were　to　see　a　man　with　such　a
  face；　I　should　love　him　dearly。〃
  〃If　an　old　prophecy　should　come　to　pass；〃　answered　his　mother；
  〃we　may　see　a　man；　some　time　or　other；　with　exactly　such　a　face
  as　that。〃
  〃What　prophecy　do　you　mean；　dear　mother？〃　eagerly　inquired
  Ernest。　〃Pray　tell　me　about　it！〃
  So　his　mother　told　him　a　story　that　her　own　mother　had　told　to
  her；　when　she　herself　was　younger　than　little　Ernest；　a　story；
  not　of　things　that　were　past；　but　of　what　was　yet　to　come；　a
  story；　nevertheless；　so　very　old；　that　even　the　Indians；　who
  formerly　inhabited　this　valley；　had　heard　it　from　their
  forefathers；　to　whom；　as　they　affirmed；　it　had　been　murmured　by
  the　mountain　streams；　and　whispered　by　the　wind　among　the
  tree…tops。　The　purport　was；　that；　at　some　future　day；　a　child
  should　be　born　hereabouts；　who　was　destined　to　become　the
  greatest　and　noblest　personage　of　his　time；　and　whose
  countenance；　in　manhood；　should　bear　an　exact　resemblance　to　the
  Great　Stone　Face。　Not　a　few　old…fashioned　people；　and　young　ones
  likewise；　in　the　ardor　of　their　hopes；　still　cherished　an
  enduring　faith　in　this　old　prophecy。　But　others；　who　had　seen
  more　of　the　world；　had　watched　and　waited　till　they　were　weary；
  and　had　beheld　no　man　with　such　a　face；　nor　any　man　that　proved
  to　be　much　greater　or　nobler　than　his　neighbors；　concluded　it　to
  be　nothing　but　an　idle　tale。　At　all　events；　the　great　man　of　the
  prophecy　had　not　yet　appeared。
  〃O　mother；　dear　mother！〃　cried　Ernest；　clapping　his　hands　above
  his　head；　〃I　do　hope　that　I　shall　live　to　see　him！〃
  His　mother　was　an　affectionate　and　thoughtful　woman；　and　felt
  that　it　was　wisest　not　to　discourage　the　generous　hopes　of　her
  little　boy。　So　she　only　said　to　him；　〃Perhaps　you　may。〃
  And　Ernest　never　forgot　the　story　that　his　mother　told　him。　It
  was　always　in　his　mind；　whenever　he　looked　upon　the　Great　Stone
  Face。　He　spent　his　childhood　in　the　log…cottage　where　he　was
  born；　and　was　dutiful　to　his　mother；　and　helpful　to　her　in　many
  things；　assisting　her　much　with　his　little　hands；　and　more　with
  his　loving　heart。　In　this　manner；　from　a　happy　yet　often　pensive
  child；　he　grew　up　to　be　a　mild；　quiet；　unobtrusive　boy；　and
  sun…browned　with　labor　in　the　fields；　but　with　more　intelligence
  brightening　his　aspect　than　is　seen　in　many　lads　who　have　been
  taught　at　famous　schools。　Yet　Ernest　had　had　no　teacher；　save
  only　that　the　Great　Stone　Face　became　one　to　him。　When　the　toil
  of　the　day　was　over；　he　would　gaze　at　it　for　hours；　until　he
  began　to　imagine　that　those　vast　features　recognized　him；　and
  gave　him　a　smile　of　kindness　and　encouragement；　responsive　to　his
  own　look　of　veneration。　We　must　not　take　upon　us　to　affirm　that
  this　was　a　mistake；　although　the　Face　may　have　looked　no　more
  kindly　at　Ernest　than　at　all　the　world　besides。　But　the　secret
  was　that　the　boy's　tender　and　confiding　simplicity　discerned　what
  other　people　could　not　see；　and　thus　the　love；　which　was　meant
  for　all；　became　his　peculiar　portion。
  About　this　time　there　went　a　rumor　throughout　the　valley；　that
  the　great　man；　foretold　from　ages　long　ago；　who　was　to　bear　a
  resemblance　to　the　Great　Stone　Face；　had　appeared　at　last。　It
  seems　that；　many　years　before；　a　young　man　had　migrated　from　the
  valley　and　settled　at　a　distant　seaport；　where；　after　getting
  together　a　little　money；　he　had　set　up　as　a　shopkeeper。　His
  namebut　I　could　never　learn　whether　it　was　his　real　one；　or　a
  nickname　that　had　grown　out　of　his　habits　and　success　in
  lifewas　Gathergold。　Being　shrewd　and　active；　and　endowed　by
  Providence　with　that　inscrutable　faculty　which　develops　itself　in
  what　the　world　calls　luck；　he　became　an　exceedingly　rich
  merchant；　and　owner　of　a　whole　fleet　of　bulky…bottomed　ships。　All
  the　countries　of　the　globe　appeared　to　join　hands　for　the　mere
  purpose　of　adding　heap　after　heap　to　the　mountainous　accumulation
  of　this　one　man's　wealth。　The　cold　regions　of　the　north；　almost
  within　the　gloom　and　shadow　of　the　Arctic　Circle；　sent　him　their
  tribute　in　the　shape　of　furs；　hot　Africa　sifted　for　him　the
  golden　sands　of　her　rivers；　and　gathered　up　the　ivory　tusks　of
  her　great　elephants　out　of　the　forests；　the　East　came　bringing
  him　the　rich　shawls；　and　spices；　and　teas；　and　the　effulgence　of
  diamonds；　and　the　gleaming　purity　of　large　pearls。　The　ocean；　not
  to　be　behindhand　with　the　earth；　yielded　up　her　mighty　whales；
  that　Mr。　Gathergold　might　sell　their　oil；　and　make　a　profit　of
  it。　Be　the　original　commodity　what　it　might；　it　was　gold　within
  his　grasp。　It　might　be　said　of　him；　as　of　Midas　in　the　fable；
  that　whatever　he　touched　with　his　finger　immediately　glistened；
  and　grew　yellow；　and　was　changed　at　once　into　sterling　metal；　or；
  which　suited　him　still　better；　into　piles　of　coin。　And；　when　Mr。
  Gathergold　had　become　so　very　rich　that　it　would　have　taken　him　a
  hundred　years　only　to　count　his　wealth；　he　bethought　himself　of
  his　native　valley；　and　resolved　to　go　back　thither；　and　end　his
  days　where　he　was　born。　With　this　purpose　in　view；　he　sent　a
  skilful　architect　to　build　him　such　a　palace　as　should　be　fit　for
  a　man　of　his　vast　wealth　to　live　in。
  As　I　have　said　above；　it　had　already　been　rumored　in　the　valley
  that　Mr。　Gathergold　had　turned　out　to　be　the　prophetic　personage
  so　long　and　vainly　looked　for；　and　that　his　visage　was　the
  perfect　and　undeniable　similitude　of　the　Great　Stone　Face。　People
  were　the　more　ready　to　believe　that　this　must　needs　be　the　fact；
  when　they　beheld　the　splendid　edifice　that　ro