The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-04-16

soon as he saw her fingers close over the paper he
threw down the work over her hand, and , with thu
eagerly whispered Injunction, Read and gire m,
token, whipped of to look at something else which
seemed suddenly to have caught his attention.
Feigning some Grand out, Martha soon rose ant
disappeared on her way to her private chamber
In lew minutes the stranger returned to finish hi,
inspection OF Martha's work, during which, though
as busy and laxative as ever, he might have been
seen TO throw many keen and anxious glance to-
wards the door through which the fair absentee was
expected to return. AT length she made her APP
pearance A close observer would have at once
noticed that during her absence she had been agi-
tated by powerful emotions, and had wept pro-
fusely and yet through the subsidiug shower the
first smile that had lit up her face for month was
stealing over her lovely features, while any thing
hut displeasure marked the general expression OF
her glowing cOuntenance.
On entering the room she went Immediately TO
an eldress, and, with the air of one slightly annoy
ed asked if she had not better hint TO the man the
propriey ofhis now retiring; and, having received
permission to do so, she approached him, and, with
look which he seemed readily TO understand, OBJ
served:
'Thy visit has been very acceptable, and thy
communications shall be needed; but we think that
now, perhaps, thee would find more to divert thee
among the men in the field
With some careless remarks in good keeping
with the character he had been acting, the man
Immediately left the apartment and proceeded to
the field where the men were at work. and where,
in chatting with them, trying his hand occasionally
at their work and rambling over the premises, he
spent the remainder of the afternoon, apparently
highly delighted with his situation.
When the family assembled for supper, however,
the fellow was unaccOunubly missing; hut the Sha-
kers, having seen so much of his erralc movements
and surprising him still to be somewhere about the
farm or buildings, did not seem TO pay much atten-
ton to the circumstance, or think it worth their
while TO institute any search for him; and their
evening meal through all the different departments
Of the family, passed off with customary quietness
After finishing THEN repast, as usual the whole
family, Just as the stars were beginning to twinkle
in The clear blue of the November's sky, took their
way 10 the house Of worship, which was an unen-
closed building opening TO the main road, branch
of which turned up and ran directly by the doors.
Tho ceremonies of worship, also, were attended
with no unusual occurrence, aud, being concluded,
the ASSEMBLY, broke up TO return 10 their respective
lodges. But on opening the doors and coming out
upon the steps, the foremost of the company, to
their surprise, behcld horse and chaise drawn up
within II few yards of the door allotted 10 the use
of the females, the door for the males being some
thirty feet toward the other end of the house. by
the side of the horse man, young and fhshionably
dressed, us far MS his appearance could be Judged
of in the starlight, stood holding the rcins and whip,
with his face turned toward the door, and in the
seeming attitude of waiting. The women came
hcstaing down the steps and, there coming to
stand, began tinidly and silently to stretch forward
their heads and peer at the mysterious stranger
The men, also, coming out and seeing the mex
pccted ysllant and his equipage stationed across
the path Of the women, began, with low whispered
inquiries Of one another TO gather towards the spot.
In this stage Of the affair, Elder Higgins, who had
purposcd to remain in the house till all had retired
that he might pass un0bservcd TO the room where
lie was expecting the next moment to meet the VIC
tim of his designs, got impatient at the tardy move
ment of the people, and came bustling through the
ihrong with light in his hand TO ascertain the
cause of the delay, when the stranger suddenly
turned round and confronted him. The instant the
light struck upon the face of the latter, the rcco-
ing Elder uttered convusivc shrek, and, with
wildly garng eyes and chatlering teeth. sunk down
upon the ground in horror and alright at the ap-
partition which he believed he had beleld. A com
motion was now observed among the budding and
startled females, and the next moment Il light fig
ure rapidly made her way to the front of the crowd.
9 II isl she exclaimed in low, eager accents. 1T
Is! OH it is he!' she repeated, and, springng for
ward threw herself into the arms of the stranger,
who, lightly swinging her into the seat Of his veh!-
Gle, turned again towards the crowd
'Vipern he exclaimed, advancing with brandish-
ed fist close to the appalled, and nearly PROSTATE
Elder; wiper thou art bnledn
With this he turned quickly abont, eapcd MIN
by into his sea-, BY the side of the fair companion
he had just placed there, applied the whip TO his
horse, and dashed forward for the main road, leav-
ing the whole assembled family Of Shakers stand
ing aghast and bewidered with asionishmcn and
perpexiiv at what had so suddenly and explicably
passed before them.
As dreadfnIly frightened as the guilt-smiiten e.
der had been, he was yet the first to comprehend
the mystery and rally for the rescue.
THE fendn he fercely cried, leaping up and
pointing with frantic gestures after the carriage
'0h the fend!--he aposta,c-lhe reprobaie, the
goddess reprobaie, is carrying of Martial Pursue
him! stop him! catch him. save her from the vii
liam Run run for your lives, or they will escape
usl
Reused by the commands and the eager and fu-
rious manner of their leader, the men, followed by
the women, rushed promiscuousy down the road
in pursuit of the fugiiives: but scarcely had they
rout and gained the main road where il became en-
closed by fences, when rope suddenly sprang
from the dust across the path against the legs or
upTtcd feet of the foremost rank Of the pursuers;
and the next instant platoon Of Shakers were roll
ing and sprawlng upon the ground, while those in
the rear, unable to check their speed in time 10
save themselves, rank after rank came successfully
tumbng and Hounderng down upon the backs of
their fallen companions, till nearly the whole beyy
were PROSTATE and scrambling on all fours in the
road.
At this juncture the wild, rafting laugh of the
missing VI gabond was heard behind the stone fence
against one end fihe misunderstanding spring rope;
and the next instant gaily dressed young man
leaped nimbly over the fence into the road, and
made brief pause few PAGES ahead of the fallen
and confused forces of the pursuing enemy.
May be. friends, he said in half joyia, half
commissioning tone, he glanced at the disorderly
plight of his recent entertainers, may be you do ~
know me with my Sunday clothes on Well, well,
good people, perhaps it is rather provoking case
hut here is about twenty yards Of good new rope
will leave ,ou by way of reparaiion for your hos
pitality this afternoon and Your tumble this eve
ming. is the best can do by you now, believe,
though if you shoald ever cage another such rare
bird as the one just flown ycnder. and should be in