The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-04-20


of which turned up and directly by the doors.
The ceremonies of wotship, nlso, were attended
with no unusual occurrence, and, being concluded,
the assembly broke up to return to their respective
lodges. But on opening the doors and coming oui
upon the steps, the foremost OF the company,to
their great surprise, bched n horse and chaise
drawn up within few yards of the door allotted
tn the nse of the females he door for the males be.
ing some thirty feet towards the other end Of the
house BY the side OF the horse man, Young and
iaShionably dressed, far his appearance could
be Judged of in the starlight, stood holding tho
reins and whip; with his face turned towards tho
door, and in the seeming attitude Of waiting Tho
women came hesltating down the steps, and, Tiers
coming TO a stand, began timidIy and silently to
stretch forward their heads and peer the mystic.
rious stranger. The men, also, coming out and
seeing The unexpected visitant and his equpage
stationed across the path "f',be women, besan,
with low whispered inquiries of one another, TO
gather towards the spot. In this stage of the affair
Elder Higgins, who had proposed to remain in the
house III! all had retired that he might pass unob
served TO the room where he was expecting the
next moment to meet the victim OF his designs, got
impatient ut the tardy movement Of the people and
came busting through the crowd with light in his
hand TO ascei tain the Of the delay when the
strnnger suddenly turned and confronted him. Tho
instant the ligh, struck upon the face oG the latter
the recoiliug Elder uttered conclusive shrek and
with wildly garing ewes and chaitering teeth, sunk
down upon the ground in horror and alright at the
apparition which he believed he had beleid. A
eommoGon observed among tho budding
and startled females, and the next moment ligh,
figure rapidly made her way TO the iron, of the
crowd.
is he axcn m nd in.l \,
isl Oh! it is he !! she repeated, and sprnging for.
ward, threw herself into tho arms Of the srarger
who, lightly swinging her into the seat OF his We
hicle, turned again towards the crowd.
Viper = he exclaimed, advancing with brandish
ed fist close 10 The appalled, and nearly PROSTATE
Elder, wiper, thou art baffled :
With this he turned auicky about, icnped nirnb.
y into his sent with Ike fair companion he had
Just placed there, applied the whip to his horse,
and dashed forward for the main road, leaving the
whole assembled family Of Shakers standing ughast
and bewildered with astoashment and 7erplexity
at what had 80 suddenly and incxpcabIY passed
before them. - "' ~ r''F
AS d,endfuily frightened the guilt srn,,en Ell
der had been, no WINS yet the first to comprehend
the mystery and rally for the rescue.
'The fend he fcrcely cried, leaping up and
ming with frantic gestures after the carriage
"" tHe menu tine apostate-fhe .roprObate, tho
goddess 4Eeprobaie, is carrying off Martha Pursue
him stop him catch him! her from the vii.
lain Rum run for your lives, they will escape us
| Reused by The commands and the eager and fu.
rious manner Of their leader, The men, followed by
the women, rushed promscuously down the road
in pursuit Of the fhgitives: but scarcely had they
passed the limo Of buildings in this lisorderIy rout
and gained the main road where it became enclosed
by fences, when arope suddenly sprnng frum the
dust across the path against tho legs or unified
feet OF the foremost rank OF pursuers an the neat
instanta platoon ofShskers were rolling and spraw.
ling upon the ground, while those in The rear una.
BILE TO check their speed in time save themselves
rank after rank came successively tumbing and
aoundering down upon the backs OF their fallen
companions, TIL nearly the whole bevy!were pros
lraie and scrambling on all fouls in the road.
Atihis juncture The wild, rafting laugh Of the
missing vagabond was heard behind the sione-ferca
against one end of tho misunderstanding springrope;
and the next instant n gaily dressed young man
leaped nimbly over the fence into the road and
made brief pause few PAGES ahead of the fallen
| aud confused forces of the pursuing enemy.
May be friends he sad in half joviai, half
COMMUNICATING tone, as he glanced at the disorder
ly plight of his recent eniertainerH, may be you
don't know me with my Sunday clothes on? Well,
wei good peoFie, perhaps its RI her provoking
case; but here is about twenty yards of good
rops will leave you,by way of reparption for your
hospitality this afternoon and your tumble this even
ing. 1t is The best can do by you now,I believe,
though if you should ever cage another such rare
bird as the one inst flown yonder, and should be
in want Of more ropo-but can't stay to chat amy
longer at this time. So good by, thee and thou!
So snying, and leaving the discounted Shakers
to gather themselves up IN tho best way they could,
he bounded forward few rods, Ienped upon a
horse which stood tied in nook OF the fence, and
goopcd off after the receding carriage rattling
away in the distance.
'And what th.n? asked, perceving that the
Narrator had como to stand, with the AIR Of one
who had arrived at the end If his story. What
next happened? ......
'Why, nothing very UNNATURAL believe, rep-
cd my host with numerous smile, 'unless you
make it from the fact that old justice of tho
Peace, living some eight or ten miles from the