The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1837-08-15

ont answering him, she turned 10 "P''' 'ie"0
and said ,,1f,d
ST expected ut least to be secure, but il"u
myself mistaked; request an answer '" NY 20
titon, and liberty to withdro"'
Howe cast on the Yong impairment look OF
..o., onoer then tpning to Sarah, he said, with
the smooth sp~vlty of manner so.common 10 INC
unfeelng man of thes world, and difhcuit 10
oo,,snd against, so artfully does it charm away
"Young lady, regret that it is not in my
power to grant your request. The remains you
seek have been disposed of according to law IN
sucb cases, and must not be disturbed. should
be extremely happy to crafty you, but in this,
as l have said, it is entirely out of my power"
Sarah was about to speak again, but with a
bow of dismissal, he requested the young officer
who had handed her the chair, to conduct her
to the boat in which she came. Sarah shrunk
from the offered arm of her conductor, though
much her trembling limbs needed support, and
walked silently to the shore; but just as she was
stepping into the boat, he drew close to her side
and whspered-"Be in that little cove yonder
at midnight, and will help you to the posses
sion of the body you are so DESTROYS to obtain.
Sarah, with a stfed cry of joy, seized his
hand.
"And will you indeed help me? God bless
you."
ssRestrain yourself" he said, 1--WE shall be OBJ
served; sail out of sight of the dam, and at mid
night come as have directed to the cove--the
grave is near by, you can see the tree:"-he hes
itated, but too ate Sarah's eyes had fallen on
that fatal old oak, standing bleak and alone,
spreading its huge branches against the sky, like
the congregated arms of giant executioners.
remnant of rope dangled from one of its gnarled
limbs. Sarah gave one long, piercing look, and
her heart seemed for moment in the clutch of
a vulture; then, with shuddering gasp of hor-
ror, she sprang into the boat, and shut out the
fearful sight with her locked hands.
The same moon that Witnessed the parting of
Hale and his bethrothed, now shone upon her as
she sat by the side of his old father in the boat
that lay upon her oars in the cove, rocking to the
swell of the rising tide, and drifting by degrees
towards the shore. The watchers were anxious
ly looking for the appearance Of the generous
Engishman, within hearing of the sentinel sta
toned near the grave. His heavy, measured
tread at length ceased, and the sound of some
voices came from where he was standing. There
was silence for few moments. A cracking in
the brushwood that skired the cove, and then
the young officer stood on the beach within a
few PAGES of them.
"Quick! pull on shore!" he called out ia sup
pressed voice, 81 have got rid of the sentinel
for half an hour; quick! or we shall not have
time.'
Two or three strokes of the oars brought the
boat to his feet. The old man arose, the very
picture of stern glief the moonlight displaying
the still lneaments ofhis pale face as he grasped
with both of his, the large white hand extended
to assist him on shore. The boatman followed,
and Sarah was lett alone.
1t was fearful half hour to the poor girl, with
the waves moaning like unquet spirits about her,
and the dread sound of shoveling earth and
muffied voices coming from a distance. She
dared not look after the three as they went to-
ward the grave, for her heart sickened at the
thought of again looking on the gaows-t tree with
its horrid appendage.
Asuspenson of the Sounds caused Sarah to
raise her face from the folds of her shawl, where
she had buried it, no living being was in sight
But the black shadow OF the bloody oak had
crept along the waters like vast pail endowed
with vitality, till its extremity lay upon the edge
of the boat, and was nsidiously moving towards
her. With cry of terror, and shudderng oil
over as if the unearthly dew of another world
was upon her, the poor girl snatched an oar and
showed the boat out into the moonlight. Again
she looked up, and the three who had disintered
the dead appeared, bearing him over the bright
grass, wrapped in cloak of the Englishman,
the feet supported by the generous officer, and
the grey hairs of the father streaming over the
bosom of his lfeess son. Noseless thew came
to the shore. There the old man left his bur
then in the arms of the officer, while he took his
seat in the boat; and then his quivering arms
were extended, and the body of Nathan Hale
shrouded in its military winding sheet, was laid
across the lap ofhis father, while his head rested
on the chilled bosom of his betrothed wife.