Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-04-14

1sf-H ~ ~ AINNNt - 0NNN rNNNs 7 ON
te rscsr ual. . RODE aBJ temporary roof OF
Tsse slabs dTvulri upon = batr.oado of logs,
fnsming a los bot, sD8 before ihc entrance ID
this II the mpr1eni ~ ms Appearance. stood a
~csnsn snd SLOWLY dressed Young man. both
vuaenilr confused at The sudden sppafiiioa of
the Picker and Pier. NJ ewes had scarce
rtsicd en- the latter. when. from standing Al
tss hslcSi bclgif. with his fifc ra,scl - n to
beet sire otter 10 TIC osnb. he suddcnl, rnsu,p
ca hs s,oping and cute, mion. sei his rac
against The rock. and cau.e forward 10 give me
tn@ hand.
" Ny daughter Ne sad. more So tho W.
OF eApisnslion than introduction. aud wiz ,,1,
'aA'ns 'Vfubcf notice OF the Foune man whose
presence seemed 80 2nweloome he pouted me
a draugbi irusn tie kcF he had , nt,
ted TO the water isihag ciose trI
m, 60 49, 'upo.. The ground.
m.e ano 8" .eial appearance Of the
,g.,rs 40. >es,~-a directly opposite M,
-. .eni' .a-lon for more Than a single
...,oe, ga my whole attention was soon alb
sorbed by the daughter Of my singular host,
who. crossing from the platform 10 the hut,
divided her attention between q haunch Of ven
sion roasting before a burning log OF hickory,
and the arrangement, OF n lew most primitive
implements for our coming supper. She. was
slight, like her father. Ia form, and, as far as
j had been able To distinguish lis blackcnei
features, resembled HIM 10 the general outline
BtI, Ia The place Of his thin and determined
mouth. hef lips were round and volup,Dous;
api though her eyo Looked as IA, might wskc,
u expressed, even ia the presence Of her
moody father, 4 drowsy and soft Incidence,
common enough TO the Asil,ics, but seldom
seen in America. Her dress was coarse and
cariess, but she was beautiful with every pos.
sible advantage, aud, Whether married or not,
evidently soon 10 become q mother.
The venlson was placed before us on the
rock, and the young man, unInyiied, and with
rather an air Of brayado, out hiulselfa steak
from The haunch and broilcd 1t on the hickory
Goals, wtis ue daughter KEEP, as near as atten-
tion 10 her fsilrr's wants would permit. bu,
neither joined Us IN eating, nor encouraged my
attempts nj conversation. Tho Picker and
Piler ate IN silence, leaving me TO my own
carver, and, finishing his repas, by a deep.
draught from the kcg which had been the
means OF our acquaintance, lac sprang upon
his fee, and disappeared.
The wind has changed, said the daughter,
looking up a, the smoke, "and he has gone to
the western edge 10 start a new FIRE. It's n
full half mile, and he'll be gone an hour"
This was said with a look at me which was
anything but equivocal. ! was de drop. !
took up the rife of the Picker and Pier, for
getting that there was probably nothing 10
shoot in \ burning wood, aud rcmsrking that
/ would have a look for a deer, jumped up the
water fall side, and was Immediately hidden
by the rocks.
had no conception Of the scene that lay
around me. The natural cave or hollow Of
rock in which the hut lay embosomed, was the
centre of an area of perhaps an acre, which
bad been lellcd in the heart of the wood be
fore /, was set on fire. The forest encircled
u with blazing columns, whose capitals were
apparently los, in the sky, and curtains OF
tfuanns ny a "ii"'''d-h iau aS IL dashed into
violence, the intense brightness of the specta-
ole, outran all Imagination. The pines, on
fire TO the peak, and straight as arrows, seem
ed 10 resemble, at one moment, the conflagra-
non OF an eastern city, with innumerable min
.arets abandoned To the devounng element.
At the next moment, the wind, changing its
direction sweep, out every yestige of smoke.
and extnguished every tongue of flame. aud
thc tall trees, in clear and lamoless ignition,
standing parallel IN thousands, resembled
SOM binding temple ofthe gonii, whose col.
umns efmiraculous rubies, sparkling audibly
outshone the day. by single glances, my eye
penetraiedn n,o aisles of blazing pillars, extern,
ding FAR into the forest, and the next instant
like a tremendous surge, alive with serpent,
of fire the smoke and flame swept through it
and il seemed 10 me as If some glorious s,ruc
'turc had been consumed 10 Tie passing of
thought For a minute, again. all would b,
still cxcePt the cTacklin ofthe flores of the
Asood. and with the first stir of the wind. lAt
n shower Of flashing gems. the hrigh, coal
raiaed down through the forest, and Tor a mo
meet the earth Plowe1 under The uces as il IL
whole crust were alive with one bright ignition
With the pungency OF the smoke and heat
and the variety and bewiidomeni of the spec
iacle, ! found my eyes and brain growing eiddy
Hhe brook ran cool below, and the heat In,
dried the leaves IN the small clearing, and wit
the abandonment OF amfn overcome with th
sultrness ofsummer, | lay down on the uyulot'
bank, and dipped my head and haihed my eve
IN the running water. Clnse 80 lis surface Their
was tao; a particle OF smoke IN the air. aRd, en
oeedineiy refreshed win its temperate COO
ness. Law for some time in luxurious ease. II,
ing IN vain 10 fancy the Water tia, snowe
without. Frost and cold were never NOR
difficult 30 realize ia midsummer, though with
Ia . hundred rods. probably, a sleeping mai
would freeze 70 death IN an hour.
81 have a better bed for YOU la the shau,y,
rsid the Picker and Pilei, who had approache
unhesrd 10 she noise oithe Ares, AMI saddenl
stood over me.
He took up his nae which ! had laid again.
a pros'fate log. asd looked anxiously toward
che desoen foshe hat.
81 am liule Inclined iur sleep" | answ erd.
and perhaps you will give mo an hour ofcos
yensuon here. The scene is new 81 me-
81 have another CUES, To dispose Of" he AZ
swered," and We shall be more out oflhe smok
near the shaa,y."
4 Was NOT surprised. a. | pumped upoa d
platform. 10 hnd him snguly separating b