The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-08-27

other was an athletick young man, whom
the good people distinguished to be a
hardy woodsman, who sometimes acted
as guide to travellers, and sometimes,
for he had some science, run out pa
tented lands, and was, withall, better ac-
quainted with the country, than any man
in the county. He led the old mans
horse sometimes, and sometimes ran be-
fore to break the road.
The cottagers thought they discover
ed traits of mystery in this; and as
every thing that partook of mystery
BODIED mischief, according to their con-
ceptions, they followed tire midnight
travellers across the barrens with their
eyes, until they disappeared, and then
lay several anxious hours, dreaming of
murder and robbery, and blood. More
than once they thought they heard the
piercing cry of despair mingling with
the roar of the waterfall, and more
than once discovered symptoms in the
dusky room that spoke of death with.
out
But the woodsman was in the village
before sunrise he reported that he
had put the stranger safely across the
Ford, and left him to pursue his journey.
Suspicion was hushed for moment;
for the character of the young man was
good; the traveller was known to have
possessed money, but he had been called
down the river on business Of such ur-
gent importance, that it was necessary
for him to reach the lower Ford that
night, and he had with difficulty pre-
vailed on Hurlbut to accompany him 10
the western road Who the stranger
was, none knew, and thus far all was
fair. But he never reached the Ford,
and no trace was heard of him from
that night. Suspicion once more was
awakened, and Hurlbut maintained,
when questioned on the subject,
guarded and scornful silence. The for
tune tellers were consulted, and they
mathematical the woodsman. Sigas
were attended to, with all the Formally
OF judicial inquiry, and even these con-
demned the unfortunate young man.
When spring came, it was discovered
that a large oak tree, celebrated for its
age and majesty, did not put forth leaf.
II grew near by-road W Which led to the
river below the. fall; and as no other
cause could be assigned for its blyhted
appearance, it was attributed to one
which now met the popular suspicion
among the Germans. They called it
the blasted tree and located the place
wherethe strangers blood was she'd, be-
meath its branches. Nithered hy the
hot breath of murder, they declared
1t should bloom again, whenever the
murderer should be brought TO Justice.
and his blood sprinkIed on its dry roots.
Five years passed away, and old i'm
pressions and vague suspicious grew
stronger as years departed; Hurlbut
was now surrounded by young and de-
pendent family; but superstition had
fixed an indelible mark upon his charac-
ter, and he was followed by the eve of
Jealousy, which watched his motions, his
countenance and his words, while it
stunned his association. The man be-
came restless and unhappy; he ielt SEN
slbly the weight of suilied reputation.
and though he had tIisregarded it for
years, he begun to sink under its in
huence Into noroseness and disquiet,fie.
About this time, some hunts1n en- in the
pursuit Of game which had sheltered in
The blasted tree, cut it down; and 10 /!
from the old trunk fell the withered
bones of human being; they were ex-
amlned by an ahatomist, and declared to
be the perfect parts of the skeleton Of
a man, whom they judged might have
been deposited there four or five years
before. An opening in the trunk, some
distance from the ground, confirmed the
probability of the story The Germans,
and their Neighbours too, caught il up
eagerly; and the fate of the unfortu-
nate woodsman seemed fixed. He fled
the storm he saw. gathering, but in
month returned and surrendered himself
up for trial.
The excitement of the populace ran
high, and as the day fixed for his trial
drew nigh, the hopes of his acquittal
vanished. The mass Of the people
were sure of his guilt, and they collect
ed the evidences against him with an
activity and zeal which savoured rather
Of the spirit Of bitter persecution, than
OF love of justice. leave the reader
to imagine for himself the feelings of
tender wife, and six destitute little chill
dreh, as they looked forward through
the gathering cloud to the day that was
to fix bis destiny, while hasten TO the