Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-04-02

destined for the ordinary uses of the socie,y.l
The almost exact uniformity in the fashion
and color of their dresses produced singi-
lar samencss in the appearance of ,hIn all
hut this was more particularly the case with
the females, whose neat, prim dresses Of
ncvcr-varving slate color, white linen kerr
chief and snowy caps, surmounted by their
low, plain bonnets, from which peepcd their
thin, pale vislgos, all simingly marked witt,
preston, n,irht have disposed an ordinary
spectator, as they were moving about the
field as silent and .esturclcss as a band of
automatons, to look upon them with sensa-
tons much resembling those VIC experience
in beholding flock of wild-fowls, we're an
inspection of one is an inspection of the
whole. A closer observer, however, IN cx-
aiming the faces and figures of each, would
have discovered that here, as well as else
where, Nature had not forgotten to be par
tia in the distribution of her favors and that
here, as well as elsewhere, were those on
whom the gift of personal beauty had not
been so altogether charity bestowed and
amoag the latter class there was particularly
one whose rounded, Symmetrical person, fair
and bloomin. face, and intelligent and sweet
ly expressive countenancc, all srikingly con-
trastcd with the dropping forms, plain fea-
lures and passive, unmeaning looks of most
of her unattractive companilns.
Just as the last rays of the sinking sun
were fading from the lofty summit of the
distant kcarsargc, the word was pissed for
the people to leave work and return TO
their houses. As the company were promis-
cuously, though in their usual quiet and un-
sociablc manner, retiring from the field, one
of the men, a dnrk-cyca, compactly built
young fellow of about twcnty-onp, bearing a
large basket of apples upon his shoulder,
con'rived to cross the path Of the young
Quakeress just desert While doing this,
and when directly before her at il few yards
he made a seemingly accidental misstep,
which suddenly brought his basket to the
ground, and sent its contents rolling over the
grass around, till they met the feet of the ap.
preaching maiden, who Instantly paused and
smiled a, the little mishap which had thus
oddly interrupted her in her course. The
young man Immediately threw himself upor
his knees among the scattered fruit, as i
intent only on gathering it up but, while hi,
hands we're busily employed for that pur.
pose, his eyes turned with quick, cagcl
loo. upon the face of the girl.
"At the elm tree, MARTHA" he said, in {
low, hurried tone "meet me at the elm
tree, DIT the lower end of the orchard, i'm
mediatcy after worship"
sit is dangerous--dangcrous, Seth" re.
piled the maiden, slightly col ring, and cast
ing an uneasr g.ance around her.
"Now ] do bescech thee, Martha" h,
persisted imploringly; al iAYe matters o
moment to irpart to thee, and it may be the
last tmc--yca, it will be, if thee refuse m,
nov. Will thou not como, then p
'Perlaps,' answered the girl, after he
stating pause, in which she threw look O
inquiry and concern upon the youth, ba
seemed to suppress the question which ros,
TO her ips-"perhaps, if can get from tho
buildings unnoticed. But thee need no
have spilled thy apples for SO poor pur
pose, Scth.'
So saying she hastily turned away, AM
with quckencd scps pursued her course af
ter her rHtrtating companions, while tn
other now proceeded in earnest to pick VI
his scattered apples. This beng completes
he was about to rise, when, looking aroun
him, he encountered the gaze of man peer
ing at him from under the low-hanging bran
chcs OLA neighboring apple-lrec. A glanc
,nniccd TO apprsc the young man Of tn
character and object of the interoper; 70
in the thick dumpy figure, lit,le hookc
nose, whitish, gloating eyes and i!l-omene
counicnancc of the man, he at once recog
nized one of the leaders of the society, am
the one of all others whose notice at thi
iuncture he would have been most anxiou
to a avoid.
"Wcll. make the most Of it, thou vii
seeker of accusations" Indignantly mnttcr
cd the young mln between his teeth, as
with look of dciilncc, he shouldercd hi
basket and proceeded homcward, folowc
at short distance by the object of his aver
sion, who did not seem inclined to make an
immediate use of such discoveries as he migl
have made with his eyes, for the distanc
prccIudcd the possibility Of his hearing
word that had been uttered.
i But, before proceeding any further wit
our story, it may now be as well, pcrEap'
to speak "A little more particularly Of tn
different characters we have Introduced, an
advert to such circumstances of previous oc
currcncc as may be necessary for full I'm
Outstanding of the situation in which the
relatively stood towards each other at tn
time chosen for their Introduction.
Seth Gilmore had been an orphan amo,
from his childhood. At the death Of his la.
remaining parent, he was taken home by a
uncle, an old bachelor Of considerable pro
perry, to which it was supposed the bo
would eventually succeed. But, in the ccur
SC of a year or two another and much olde
nephew was taken hcme; and, being of
selfish, intriguing disposition, he soon con
trived entirely to supplanr the former in tn
affections of tn" chang"ahc uncle, who, nj
long after, was inluc,lto give the unollcnd
ing little Seth to the Shakers Of the establish
mcnt of which we ar spc king. Here con
tnuing to remain, h. !. came, as nc gre
| up, noted among tine family for his faithful
ness, activity and capacity for business; an
D., before he had arrived at the age Of twent,
. he was acknowledged by all to be one of I'll
most skilful and efficient hands on the farm