Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-01-13

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eye that looked as though he was in earnest.
"But surely you don't mean any such
thing 2" said Debby, trying to pull the rein
from his hand. 'lts too bad TO try TO fright
en- ne 50 here"
"We mustn't daily about it, said the
stranger, holding the rein tightly "you see
| am in earnest by this drawing a pistol
from his pocket and pointing il; toward her.
"Ohl mercy" said Debby, "you may
haye-the money, if you will let me 90"
The money is all ! want, - said the strar-
ger, "but there must be no more dallying
the sooner you hand ii over the better.
Debby at once drew forth the bill and at
tempted to hand it to the stranger, but her
hand trembled so, it dropped from her fin
gers just before 1t reached his, aud at that
moment a little gust of wind waited it back
gently toward the brook. The stranger
leaped from his horse and ran back two or
three rods to recover it. Debby was not so
far gone in her fright but that she had her
thoughts about her and seizing the rein of
the strangers horse, she applied the whip to
both horses At once, and was instantly off
upon a quick GAMER. The man called to her
TO stop in a loud, threatening tore, aud nj
once fred his pistol at her but as she did
not feel the cold lead, she did not stop or
turn even enough to give him a farewell
look. The remaining five miles Of her Jour
ney was soon passed over and as she came
out into the settlement and passed the dwell
lings of her neighbors, many were the heads
that looked from the windows and the doors,
and great was the wonderment at seeing
Debby riding home so fast, and leading such
a fine strange horse.
Her father, who had seen her come over
the hill, met her some rods from the house,
exclaiming with looks of astonishment,
"What npon earth have you here, Debby {!
Whose horse is THAR
"Why, Debby, what has thee been doing!"
said Mrs Wilder, who was but a few steps
behind her husband "ihee doesn't look
well what is the matter ?"
As soon ms they we're seated in the house,
Debby tod them the whole story, and Mrs
Wilder's eyes were full of tears during the
whole recital. When she had rested a little
aud the gush Of feeling began TO subside,
Mr. Wilder felt so rejoiced at his daughters
escape, that he began TO feel in excellent
spirits. He led the strange horse TO the door
and began to examine him.
"Wcll Debby," said he, "since you've got
+ home safe at last, we may begin TO talk about
business a little now. The hundred dollar
bill is gone but Tm thinking, after all. you
hasn't made a very bad bargain. That's the
hkeliest horse I've seen this many a day. |
!, don't think it would be a very difficult mat
{ ter TO sell him for two hundred dollars. Al
any rate, I'll take the horse for the hundred
' dollars, and you may have the saddle for the
r twenty dollars you was to have out of IT,"
"And the saddle-bags, too, | suppose y
D said Debby, feeling a little disposed to join
! in the joke.
"Yes, and the saddle-bags, too" said Mr.
: Wilder "no, stop, we'll see what is in them
I first, y he continued, untying them from the
e saddle. "Oh, there's lots of shirts, aud
I stockings, and handkerchiefs, and capital
good ones too. Yes, Debby, the saddle-bags
are yours these things come in very good
e time for Joseph, you know"
< Dolby colored, but said nothing.
"Now, William" said Mrs Wilder, "thee
is a little too full Of thy fan"
i "No fun about it, said Wilder, replacing
e the articles in the leather bags. "Here, Deb
by, take 'em and take care of 'em."
5 Debby took the saddle-bags to her cham
Der, not a little 'gratilied with the valuabl,
articles of clothing they contained. She
empticd the contents upon the bed aud OF
examining to see if every thing was out, sh,
discovered an inside pocket in one of tn,
c bags. She opened it and drew ;herefrom al
y elegant pocket book. On opening the peck
ct book she found it contained a quantity o
bills. She counted, and counted, and he
heart beat quicker and quicker, for befor,
she got through she had fifteen hundred dol
lars in good bank money.
Debby kept her own counsel. In a few
&c days it was rumored that Joseph Nelson hat
purchased an excellent little farm in tn,
Is neighborhood, that had been offered for SALE
" some months since at a thousand dollars, anC
o was considered a great bargain.
Joseph" said Mr. Wilder, the next tim'
they met, 81 am astonished to hear that yo,
, have been running in debt for a farm sucl
!, times as these. l think you ought to hav,
l. worked three or four years and got some
), thing beforehand, before running in debt 81
much"
G 'But | havn't been running in debt, sal,
O Joseph.
n Haven't you bought Sanderson's farm 4?
o said Wilder,
e Eyes, ! have" said Joseph,
d cat a thousand dollarsl p said Wilder.
eyes, said Joseph, "but ! paid for it al
down. | don't run in debt for any thing"
h Mr. Wilder was too much astonlshed L
is ask any further questions.
Joseph Nelson made an excellent farme
aud respectable man he was industrious
d and got rapidly beforehand and Mr. Wilde
was always proud of his son-in-law, 1t wa