Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-04-14
THE TRUSTING TREE.

THE TRUSTING TREE.
Journeying one day along muirland road
not far from Stirling, we passed by a very fine
old tree in a field at a short distance. remarked
its beauty, to which Simon assented, but SEEM
ed for while absorbed in recalling recollections
associated with il. At last he said, pausing
and looking back on the tree, "That sturdy old
plant of other years reminds me of an incident
which displayed a striking trait Of character of
the true old Scotch breed. That is, or was cali
ed, the TWISTING Tree; and there country lass
had consented To meet her sweetheart one win
ter night, to arrange matters for the wedding.
The night came, cold and foggy, and the girl,
true TO her appointment, set off silently, in the
hopes Of being back again before she was miss
ed. 1t soon came on heavy fall of snow, and
showed all night. The girl was not to be
found; and all the roads round being not only
impossible but invisible, from the depth of the
drift, whole week passed before any commun-
ication was possible with the neighboring
farms, all which time nothing could be heard
of her. 1t length the news reached her lover,
who was lost and bewdered in contending
feelings Of wonder, fear and jealousy On in
quiry as to the time when his bride had been
last seen, he found il was the night of their as
signation, and the first of the snow. The
Trysting Tree flushed upon his mind, and
thither, with sturdy band of volunteer pio-
lneers, he bent his course. On reaching the
tree, they commenced digging around il, and
soon all came to a solid hammock. Their
spades and shovels were then exchanged for the
simple labor of their hands, with which they
gathered up and flung out the snow by cow
pens; and ere this had been long continued,
| they succeeded in extricating the very girl, ex-
actly eight days from the time she had been
buried. You may guess il was a moment Of
agoni2ing perturbation which preceded the dis
covery that she was alive!
"On coming to the tree, and not finding her
lover there, she drew her plaid tight around
her, and sat down TO await him. She conlect-
ured that the cold had made her drowsy; and
the snow falling thick upon her, when she a.
woke she was unable to move, and felt herself
as ifalive in her grave, and cut off from the lv-
ing world. Her lover was full Of sorrow and
of explanations. he had but thought she
could have ventured out on such a night, he
would never have failed to keep his word, &c.
Every young mans mind will suggest the pro-
per thing to be said on the occasion; but Lizzy,
who could scarcely be suspected of bestowing
any but cold looks at such time, took no no.
tice of him whatever. The country people
who had accompanied him had a supply of cor
dias, and he was loud and earnest in enioining
them to give her something warm Instantly
and glass Of spirits was offered, which she
gravely pushed aside. 'Give me glass of wa
ter said she; 'i's a caud heart that Gamma
warm drink to itsel.'
! "Her Joe was ardent in his addresses but
she repulsed him with endless scorn. Wheth-
er she ever took husband or not, have for
gotten; but ii is certain she never married him. -
INDIAN MARRIAGE PRoMIsE.-A young In
dian failed in his attention to n young suuaw.
She made complaint to an old chief who ap-
nnInfpI n haort tr,ol Ii. - 1t
case before the Judge, and explained the nature
of the promise made to her. s IL consisted of
sundry visits to her wigwam, many little unde-
tnahle attentions & presents, bunch of feath-
ers, and several yards of red flannel. This was
the charge. The iaithless swain denied the
undesirable attentions in toto He had visited
her fathers wgwam for the purpose of passing
away time, when it was not convenient TO hunt.
and had given the feathers and flannel from
friendly motives, and nothing further. During
the latter part of the defence, the Young souaw
tainted. The plea was considered invalid, and
the offender sentenced to give the lady "a vel
low feather, breach that was then dangling
from his nose, and a dozen of coon-skins. %
The sentence was no sooner concluded, than
the squaw sprung upon her feet, and clapping
her hands, exclaimed with joy, "Now me ready
to be courted again"
""uo.-iI 10 a COilIuOH HOLIOn mat these
beautiful little animals suck poison from the
earth. Now, although this opinion is faIla-
cy, the toad is nevertheless, one of the most
useful animals in the world TO the GARDENER
The toad lives entirely on animal food, eats il
alive-and cares not fig for DR.. Graham-
The grubs and insects which he devours are
very injurious to the young plants which are
cultivated for the table. He comes out AT
night when the dampness of the air is agreea-
BILE to him, and when his prey are likewise
wandering abroad, committing their depreda-
tions-and watches them as eagerly as cat
watches for mice. II is said that few dozen
of toads will destroy all the cabbage worms in
whole acre of land that is planted with cab
bages, and be the means of saving the YOUNG
plants from destruction.-Post.
We learn that the Legislature of New Jer-
sey, a. the recent session, passed law, by a
majority OF both Houses, giving to persons OF
color. who are claimed as Glniti,ra sls..a. ~ :.