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

want of more rope--but can't stay to chat an
longer at this time. So good bye, thee and thou
So saying, and leaving the discounted Shaker
TO gather themselves up in The best way they could
he bounded forward few rods, leaped upon
horse which stood tied in n nook in the fence ant
galloped off after the reccding carriage now ratin
away in the distance
'And what then?' asked, perceiving that TIT
narrator had come TO Il stand, with the air of on,
who had arrived at the end Of his story 'Wha
next happened"
'Why, nothing very unnatural, believe re
piled my host with numerous smile, unless you
you make it out from the fact that an old Justice o
the Peace, living some eight or ten miles from thu
scene of action, was called up that night to do I
little business in the marrying line
And the bride on the OCCASION asked, some
what puzzled to comprehend the development, 'tht
bride was your heroine, Martha, or course; but tn.
bridegroom Not Seth, surely, for he was drown
ed, you know
Perhaps, friend, answered my host with wag
gish gravity, perhaps he was not drowned as much
ms some after all; but, rising TO the surface after
his plunge, and seeing the wicked attitude of the
Elder, suddenly changed his plan, and, so sinking
under again with some little sham of drowning
came up silently under n neighborng clump Of
bushes-crept away with the loss of his shoe and
broad -brin-went to young farmer of his acquain-
tance-exchanged his wet Quaker gear for a de-
cent suit of clothes, and SET off for the residence OF
his late uncle where he arrived the next day, and
TO his agreeable surprise found himself in pos
session OF of the hest little farms on the Merri-
mac, and where in due time he, in conjunction with
a young friend, concocted the plan which you have
seen executed.
"A romantic coming out, upon my soul' ! ex-
claimed in delight; sand you knew the parties
are they still aIive' and do they reside in this vi
entity would 60 almost any distance to see
them
You would have no very serious Journey to per-
form for that purpose, | imagine he replied sig
nifcanty
why '-How'' | asked, still in doubt respect
ing the full development
why, verify, my friend, said my host, casting
an arch look at my perpexed countenance, and
speaking in the Quaker dialect, verify, thee art
not so shrewd guesser as ! had supposed thee,
else thee had smell the rat long ago
Stupid! cried; stupid, indeed But see
it all now--the hero, Seth, is now before me, and
the heroine, the good Martha
Run away he interrupted laughingy, 'run
away, as you might have noticed, perhaps, at the
beginning of the description by which she was in
troduced; hut the hero, being more modeslly de-
scrbed, made out to stand the racket without run
ming
'One more question only said i; the young
friend, who, in the character Of vagabond, took
your lette, TO Martha and SO finely managed the
affair."
Was also from this neighbohood,' he replied
9 You noticed, perhaps, as YOU came along, mile
or two back, iwo-s,cry white house, with an Of
flee in the yard =
Il did, thinking i, a very neat establishment !
answered.
WELL he rcjoincd, that is Though, per-
haps, Esquire Wentworth would not thank me loI
telling of his FRANKS when he first started life as
lawyer. II was the making of the man, however,
people seeing how cleyerly he had managed love
case, concluded he would be no slouch ut n law
case, if he had one. lie rose rapidly after that
But enough Of this. Seth and Martha, my chill
drcn, he continued, calling to his eldest boy and
girl, still up, and reading in the kitchen zone Of
you take mug, the other candle, and go down
aud draw us n mug Of the best cider you can find
in the cellar. This Shaker story has made my
throat as dry as n TN trumpet