Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1838-07-10

large drops on Lis forehead. 'CaptAn Melville.
y u might Ere st tina, bird al doomsday ADD yea
would not burt feather Of iis wing. Thni bird
Is my Iatho's 7Trit and know why &c has come.
Well sm ready As he uttered these words,
hs eyes seemed to be lighted up with unearth-
y FIRE
VIVA, DO you mean. Thompson :" said the as.
lonshcd Captain IN soothing tone. "l our faith.
ers sprit VIDA, nonsense IL this Come, cts
have no more OF such foolish talk"
"Ca IT not foolish, Captain Melville. II ~
ruth what say. That bird which you shot At
twice and which flew away uunurcd, is my poor
murdered fathers spirit. Yes, tie old man has
come for the at last; aud 1t will not be long be-
fore join him."
why, the is worse than folly, Thompson lit
IS nridHess. What do yoa meant What caa
understand by such incohereut language ~
Captain Melville, know that am not always
in my right mind. My brain IS scared to the cen
.rc--but am not mad now. | have something
which lies heavy OF my heart, and which should
like TO get clear OF. ! wish to make my sins
known to the world--and ssk II favor, that
you will let all hands be- called ! have dismal
tale to tell and should like to have my shpmates
hear it. |, may do them some good at any rate
It can do nobody any harm
There was no need of calling all hands-for We
were all then standing in tho waist, trying to catch
the strange discourse which wns passing between
Thompson aud the Captaln--aud quickly obcyed
the mate ssgnsl aud gathered round Thompson
on The quarter deck, who thus commenced his tale
"My father was a respectable farmer in Now
Hampshire and was lis only son-BJt | was
from my youth possessed of a fierce ungovernabc
| temper and when about fifteen years Of age, my
(, nj baVip MD ba nv
for some trlhng fault, took solemn and wicked
oath would never work on his farm again, and
that at some future day, would be revenged and
Gearlessy have kept my oath. ran away and
went to sea. For eight years was absent from
! home, during which had visited almost oil parts
| globe. BY this time my revcngeiul feelings be
came soNened down, and wished once more TO be-
hold my parents, particularly my mother who was
always kind and indulgcnt ! accordingly return
ed to my native village. saw my parcns-so-
! lourned with them for several weeks and nothing
| occurred 20 damp the pleasure of my VISIT. uhtIl
| one fatal evening, accompanied my father to a
husklng fiolic IN the neshborhood. The flowing
bowl (accursed be its pernicous contents,) passed
briskly around, and by the time our Work was com
| pleted, about midnight we oil became somewhat
more merry. Indeed my father had 80 far patta
ken Of the intoxicating draugh,, that he could hard
|
way home, although my brain whlrled round, aud
could hardly walk steadily myself.
When we mad got about half way home VIC
came to a cross road which my father insisted. wac
the right path and no argument on nv part could
convince him hat he was wrong. WITH all TIC
pertinaclty OF drunken man. he Insisted on pursu
) ,ng that route, and when attempted to prevent
! him. he struck me a ui9leat btoD ia The face. The
reused the demon within me. "Ila :! snld j. Oh
! man, blow You will fed to your sorrow tina
am man now, and no longer to be abused b'
! you as was when a boz" Upon which s'ruc'
s my poor inebrated father to the earth with blow
of my fst-and then the recollection Of former Ia
a iurcs unayenged rushing into my mind seized
stake from the fence and struck hm several time
over the head. as he lay on the ground.
But the fatal crime hardly committed ere
/, bitterly repented what mad done. | called hlt
n by name but he returned no answer. hung Owe
= his body, aud saw by the light of The moon, th
y blood streaming from his dsGgnred vlsoge.
would then have given worlds to have recalled hir
TO life for an awful voice seemed to whisper ~ ~
eor "kc IS your father r. felt Of biz head, bu
g 0lls found ina, his ekull was crushed, and tn
d grating Of the bones sounded harshy on my ear
i then knew that be was dead and had receive
g his death blow from the hand of his son
d took the corpse IN my arms and wept over
u FOR more than an hour. At length felt the neeei
e. sity Of doing someihieg 20 avoid ucurung the su'
" picon Of guilt and carried II to the foot of pr
p cipire which WAS uchr where 1 laid It among som
IL rocks aud then proceeded TO the house enie
e ed without noise, and retired to my room, bot %
81 to sleep. Ia the morning my mother entered ~
~ apartment aud inquired for my father aiscte
~ great surprise and alarm At he absence ond assufc
% her that he having manifested great desire TO g
- home had oniwaiked me, and thought be ~
10 snug.y Deposited in bed before arrived. ] eaiie
- upon some Of the neghbors, and requested the
stance 10 search for my iather who 10 due tan
d. was found al the bottom Of the preeipce, Win b
e skull fngh,fIlly fractured. No suspicious fesi'
- on me and the old man was laid 10 toe grave. sn'
a that time have never knoSn comioft--a "or
20 has been gnawIng al my heart. see my ia'a
o. ir my dreams and sometimes when J an ava
10 he stand. before me. inp5gh1 o ! could q1ll q
D. sceue Of ny crime the mage Of my murdered pare
> would no longer haunt Dot no-ho is 60
s,sntiy with me. Last night, while -. upon d
be ainl.ass. fell into tro~se. sB5 saw h 90 20 O
% shape ofs bird. that hitied sfouHd % to-dsy-s