Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-03-23


and his hope was that he had adYancedso far that
the dogs, if they came at all would reach the spot
before the two-egged hounds would rise the last
ridge he had crossed, which would enable him to-
settle with the dogs before they should get near
enough to enable them to determine where the
cry Of the hounds should cease. This was all
reasonable, as he knew he had some two hours orl
more the start, and he was sure they would be
compelled to pursue on foot fiat all; hence they
would be miles in rear Of the dogs. With these
impressions he selected the most favorable place
that presented ITSELF and clearing field OF action,
throwing around himself hedge of brush which
he hastily cut from the spot which he chose to oc-
cupy, he soon thought himself secure from any at
tack from the dogs, unless they came too many nj
once, as he was sure he could dispatch them with
his axe while they would be mounting over his
fertilization of brush.
With these thoughts he set down in the centre
of his works to rest, and thought how good the ba
con would have been, if he had obtained it from
the smolle-house 1t was not great while before
he heard tbe cry of hound coming over the hill on
his track and was satisfied that there was but one,
and that his motions were so rapid that he must
entirely distance the men, upon which circumstan-
ces his safety depended; but before he approach
ed he perceived there was still another dog in the
rear, which greatly Iessened his chance He how
ever stood his ground, axe in hand, ready for bat
tie. Soon the forward hound entered the swamp,
and advanced as rapidly as the roughness of the
way would permit. AT last he approached, made
slight pause, as though to survey the foe and his
lbrushy bulwarks, when he made fearful leap to
scale the rampant; but he met by his foe with
in, who with one blow with his axe put an end to
the battle, and to the dreaded cries of the hound
which was poured into the ears of the surround
inc country The head of the dog was cleft in
twain. Soon after this decisive victory, the 9TH
err dog ceased his baying, having either lost the
track, or become discouraged by no longer hear
ing the cry of the forward hound The hindmost
was doubtless young dog, in the process of train
| ING to hunt negroes Ben waited a long time in
suspense; but hearing no further cry of dogs, and
nothing approaching him, he finally felt perfectly
secure, being sure that no two-egged hunter
would find him in his place of conceament, unless
led to the spot by the cry dogs After his alarm
had entirely subsidized, hunger again reminded him
of the bacon, which had cost him SO narrow a
chance for his life; and as he had failed to obtain
it, necessity drove him to substitute piece of the
| old hound which he had so lately slain in battle
With his knife he removed the old dogs hide, and
after striking fire, he had hearty meal upon his
flesh. After refreshment and rest, he left his for
tunate retreat, and pursued his journey as usual.
From the observations which he made in going
down, he was sure that he had got to go far to
the east well as to the north to reach old Viz
ginia, and that he must cross Tennessee between
the two great ranges Of mountains between which
he descended. TO relate all the incidents of his
Journey Of his sulierlngs, his dangers, his escapes
and his daring feats, which would have done hon
or to the days Of knighthood, would be to swell
our narritive beyond reasonable limits. The read
CT must imagine these, while we remark that after
about six weeks of toll, constant alarm, dangers
land suffering, he had retraced his footsteps back
to Virginia, and found himself in the neghborhood
of his former home. But now another set Of diff
cuItics were to be encountered, and new pcrpleX-
ties tortured his mind. Where was his wife? was
she as he left her, faithful and true had she been
given to another, or was she too, sold, as he had
been' These were the thoughts that passed thro'
his mind. But the first great question was, how
he should learn these facts? He felt that if he
could find his wife, he could trust her with the
knowledge of his presence. and with all his plans;
but then how should he obtain an interview with
her. without being discovered by others?
1t was now September; fruits were ripe, and he
was in Virginia, where there were but few dogs to
scent him out; there was therefore no difficulty in
keeping himself concealed without much suffering
from hunger, and he resolved to run no unneces-
sary hazard; he therefore hung about the planta-
tlon in hopes that in few days some way might
open by which he could learn he fate of his wife
and child, or obtain an interview with her, if she
was still there. At night he would hang round to
earn if possible if his wife was on the premises.
One night as he approached near the house and
WulCHGu InC NlCHelI, llC lulClGu ne saw MS wire
in the room; but there being others with her, he
ventured not to approach. When all was silent he
yentured to the door, with view to enter and
make himself known to his wife, if she wa5fhere;
but then, when he considered the danger of such a
step, his heart failed him, and after lingering about
the door for some time he hit upon this eXpedient.
He dropped the handkerchief his wife had given
him at their parting at the door, in hope that she
would find it in the morning, supposing that she
would know it and receive it as sign that he was
in the neighborhood. And the very act of ayiug
the handkerchief at the door, brought to mind Il
thousand recoections Of the part and affected him
to weeping; but he ventured the experiment, and
retired to await the issue.
) To make our narrtive complete, we must now
; carry the readers mind back to the time when Ben
and Betty parted, and give short account of the
wife after the departure of the husband. She re-
turned from bidding her husband farewell, with Il
broken heart, and looked upon her child as the on
y tie that bound her to EARTH and she felt that she
5 held that little object by such lra tenure. About
, six months after Ben went to the south, his old
} master proposed negro marriage between Betty
r and another negro OF his plantation, as more than
t half the profits of 50 ynung and heolty female
slave, would, III his view, be lost unless she could
: again be married. This proposition was rejected
| by Betty, for she not among the degraded
class of slaves, who have lost the feelings and SEN
! sibitles OF humanity. She was well informed and
had as good religious education as most persons
/, who cannot read; and she believed it wrong for
t her to marry again And again she did not like
the negroe proposed, and felt as though she should
= never like another, since her once beloved Bel