Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-24
BY VIM. f. HER.
THE BROWN MUG.
ny sEBA SMITH.

dertul gorge winch makes tHc lIdNtlSI tnc
first time he approaches it, stop and hold
his breath, and look up the mountains on
the right hand and on the left, and down
the deep valley that sweeps away below him,
and feel if he never did before an overpow-
ering sense of the might and majesty OF the
eternal. We had wandered down the val
lev of the clear, swift flowing Saco; had
tarried few hours at the beautiful village
of Fryeburg; had been into the little mu-
scum attached to the academy, and tried to
hold at arms length the long gun that shot
the Indian Chief Paugus The sight of
this gun gave us strong desire to behold
the scene OF that memorable and tragca
conflict, where the brave Lovewel and his
devoted followers, in the heart Of the will
derness, fifty miles from any white inhabi-
tants fought through the long summer day
with Paugus and his warriors, till but few
were left TO tell the news of that bloody en-
counter The place was scarcely a mile
distant, and, taking guide, we repaired
to the spot. How could we do otherwise,
when we called to mind the, ballad that has
embalmed the memory Of that unfortunate
but heroic little band.
"With footsteps slow shall travellers go
Where Lovewell's Pond shines clear and bright,
And mark the place where those laid
Who fell in Lovewells bloody fight"
So says the old ballad. The name Of the
bard is lost, but he was a true prophet
travellers do go and visit LovewelPs Pond,
and we went among the rest. We stood on
its quiet margin and had the various scenes
of the battle pointed out to us; the place
of ambush, the onset, the retreat to the wa
ter's edge, and the very spot where Cham
berlain is supposed to have stood when he
levelled his long fowling piece and brought
Paugus down. As saith the old ballad
"'Twas Paugus led the Pequat tribe;
As runs the fox would Paugus run,
As bowls the wild wolfwould he howl,
A large bear-skn had Paugus on.
But Chamberlain of Dunstable,
One whom a savage ne er shall Stay,
Met Paugus by the waters side,
And shot him dead upon that day"
We stood and unused awhile upon the mel
ancholly fate of Lovewell and Wyman and
Frye, and their brave companions i'll arms,
and then turned silently away and pursued
our rambles down the valley of the Saco.
We had been upon our excursion about
a week, sometimes camping out in the
woods, and sometimes emerging into an
opening, and stopping at some farm house
to pass the night, when we found ourselves,
one afternoon, approaching small but tidy
looking dwelling, not many miles from Sa-
co village. The place looked inviting and
our stock ofprovisions was low.
"Come, Joe," said ], "let us try our luck
here for something to eat"
"Agreed" said Joe, ''for l begin to feel
as hungry as bear"
The house stood few rods from the
road, and as we turned up the lane that led
to it, we were suddenly challenged by a
little sandy colored dog, which came rum
ming toward us, growing and barking flu
riously, showing his teeth and bristling the
hair on his shoulders like young wolf
"Let us shoot him." said Joe, "and go
about our business" And he actually be-
gan to make motion to that effect, for he
had little touch of the harum-scarum a.
bout him; but | forbid it at once, and told
him to put up his rifle. At that moment
an old lady appeared at thesdoor and called
Jower stoutly away, who readily obeyed
her and retreated behind the house.
"Good woman" said l, as we came up
to the door, evil you allow us to rest a
half hour in your cottage =
'Oh certainly, an hour and half if you
have mind" said the old lady looking at
us sharply through her spectacles. Come,
come in my door is never closed against a
civil caller"
With that we followed the old lady into
her little parlor, which was furnished in the
most simple and plain mode of country life,
but exhibiting, in marked degree, an air
of neatness and comfort. The chairs she
handed us were of round strait posts, with
high backs, and the seats woven from the
bark Of the elm finely stripped and twisted
The unexpected floor looked white and
clean enough for table. A few ordinary
pictures hung round the room, which bore
such decided marks of age, that / at once
inferred that they were relics of generations
that had gone by. A single oaken chair oil
antique appearance, somewhat. deliberately
carved, stood against the wall between the
two front windows, and over it hung small
looking glass in an oaken frame, that look
ed as though it might have reflected the
faces of several successive generations.
A modest looking fair-faced girl, appa
renty about sixteen, sat in the corner of The
room with sewing work in her hands, a;
we entered she arose and courtesied to III
with evident diffidence, and resumed he
work.
"Good woman" said l, "would it be con
venient for you to furnish us with bit o
lunch! Amy thing at hand-no matte
what-we have been in the woods all day
and have not yet dined."
"To be sure" said the old lady, "sucl
as we have will be at your service in few
minutes. We've nothing very dainty o