Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-11-18

'"o euiu VI Vio u'Shts save tnat ~ lntervaN
their own cheerful voices rose. On a sud-
den the oar Of the farmer struck against some
heavy substance; and an exclamation Of sur.
prise was uttered, for no rock, either hidden
or just rising above the surface, existed in
that quarter. They ceased rowing, and
looking earnestly over the side Of the boat,
saw clearly human body floating sullenly
on the wave. The curate, not without
shrinking, caught hold of the garments, as
tho boat now struck the form, and drew it, all
near and distinctly, within their view. II
was fearful sight, and the girl shrieked, and
covered her face with her hands; not so the
father, whose eye grew on the corpse he
bent farther and lower over the side of the
boat, and laid as strong grasp on the mat
ted and faded garments as il they were those
Of a drowning man, whose life he was saving.
The pastor gazed on his companion and then
on the dead, in establishment, and recoiled
instinctively; for the features we're black
and swollen and-what is perhaps the most
thrilling to behold-they were eyeless; and
the mouth was open and lipless, and the wa
ter gurgled through il distinctly. ave mus,
secure this body" said the low but earnest
voice of the father. "For Gods sake do no,
take it on board" said the daughter. "Il
must be done," was the stern and brief re.
ply; ''it must have Christian burial -
and with the great exertions of the two men,
and after having more than once slipped
from their hold, it was at last lifted on board
The hand ofthe farmer was grasped on tia,
of the corpse and to the quick eye of the Gu
rate the brilliant ght of the moon, falling on
the living and the dead, revealed the cause
of the farmers eagerness to redeem their
prey from the waves. The cold and swol-
len hand was covered with Jewels; and this
was not all; for around the breast, closely
fastened by sash, the hand of the captor
soon drew forth very small silken bag, that
on being opened, offered several rare and
precious stones to the sight. 1t was never
known who the drowned man was, or TO wha,
selthat had been lost, probably in storm,
or struck against sunken rock, he had be-
longed; but in the unhappy disclosure tina,
aflerward took place, it was discovered tina,
he was Spaniard, and had come from South
America. A man of superior condition he
had evidently been by his dress. Had the
party of discoveries been poor fishermen, OF
smuggers, there had been some palliation for
spelling the body; but it was strange as well
as shameful, that wealthy man, of far
character, should thus, in the dead of night,
seek TO rifle the kingdom of the dead. The
boat lay motionless on the sea; the oars
hung idly over the side; and not word was
spoken, Tor no one dared TO speak, while the
father slowly wrung from the clammy fingers
their glittering ornaments, with a delbera-
ton and GOODNESS that ought only to have be-
longed TO practscd villain; and then. de.
posting the rings in the small bag that con.
tanned the other stones, he placed 1t careful
y IN his bosom. The feelings of his child
we're spared the horror of this sight, for, UNI
able to bear the aspect of the dead, she turn.
ed her look Gxedly on the wave; once only
on averting it for an instant, she caught a
glimpse of the heartless work: her father.
with fixed and pale aspect, bending over
the fearful and eyeless dead, and transfer
ring ITS possessions to his own bosom she
uttered stuffed scream, but was saved the
more miserable feeling of despisng her pa
rent, for she thought he was only rescuinp
these valuable things in order to save them
Tor the right owner. But the curate had
known human nature better even in his con-
finedsphere and when the farmer raised his
head, and fixed his full eye upon him, with
out uttering word, he read in that glance
more of the dark and mysterious history of
the human heart, than the deathbed SCIENCES
Of repentance, guilt and fear, of his scanty
parish had ever given him. In silence they
took their oars, and now pulled more rapid
ly toward the land and there they summon
ed two or three fishermen to convey the bur-
then they had rescued to neighboring cot
tagc; this being done, they parted for the
night. The feelings of the youthful pastor,
when he entered again his peaceful dwelling
and chamber, we're of strange and mingled
character; he would have sought repose,
but 1t fled from him; and harrassed, and wea-
ried, he rose with the early dawn, and OPEN
ing his window that looked out on the ellen,
he sat beside it, inhaiug the fresh and pure
air. He had loved, hitherto, on rising from
his bed, to open the southern window that
looked out on the deep; but this morning he
withdrew from the spot, land turned his glance,
with sickening feeling, from the calm, blue
surface of the sea his love for that scene
was at this moment changed into loathing.
An hour had scarcely elapsed, and the ten
ants were but just risen, when low knock
was heard at the door below and quickly
after the farmer entered the apartment. His
night too, had been sleepless, it was evident,
for his features were disturbed and haggard,
and his eye quick and restless. He closed
the door fast, and sat down beside his com.
panion, and took his hand, and spoke in a
broken and hurried tone. The latter listen.
ed painfully and sadly, for why should this
mans words be deprecating and beseeching
no crime had yet been committed; it was
still in his power 10 restore the rich property
to the magistrates, and, when the body should
be surveyed, to allow the spoil to be produc-
ed also. But the rich man, who might call
the whole valley his own, whose barns and
storehouses were full, had had fearful con.
flict with himself; all night had striven with
the demon Of rapine, and had at last yielded
wholly. The sight of the rare and precious
stones, that he had laid on his table, and paz.
ed ON again and again, was resistless il wa.
for his daughters sake, he said to himself