Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-02-28
CHAPTER II.
THE ROBBERS CAVE.

but they can form but little idea of what it was
in 1865. AT that period it was lone wilder
ness. Beyond Eleventh street. there was not a
solitary house, five except one that stood at the
corner of Twelfth and Hilbert streets this was
an old fashioned building, built by Swede and
was not long since torn down to make room for
the march of improvement. In the centre of
this square, or rather field, was cluster oftrees
beneath which, strange as it may appear to mod
ern ears, gang of robbers had dug out large
commodious cave, in which for many years they
lived unknown, and were not even suspected by
the authorities. AT that period, however, their
power was seldom called into requisiton. Up
to as late period as 1929, the marks of this
cave were visible in deep hollow, near to which
for many years. the late Stephen Girard kept a
quantity of lumber used for the purposes of
building and many times have we visited the
square and gazcd upon the sept, once the scene
Of murder, strife and outrage.
1t was in a room partitioned of from the main
hail. so called, of the cave, that our hero, for so
we must call him, awoke to consciousness. As
he opened his eyes, they rested upon the stern
features of a man who was contemplating him
with the most intense interest There was some
thing in his basillsk gaze that made him shudder,
not with fear, for that was feeling unknown to
him but a superstitious dread somewhat allied
to that which we presume one suffers under the
influence of an evil eye
"Well, sir, so you have come to your senses at
last, after marring as good nights work as was
ever planned"
81 did my duty-nothing more"
"Your duty? Aye, so reasons youth and in
experience when you arrive at my age young
ster, you will then know what it is to talk of du-
ty-bah boy, duty is a bye-word for the trick
ster and cheat To do what we like, and when
we like is the motto of freemen !"
at is the motto of thieves and rouges"
"Umph If [ did not know you brave | would
call you fool and because your name is Sey-
mour, the son of John Seymour, of Seymour Hall
I spare your life nor will add more bones to
those which moulder, and are ground to dust by
the tooth of time, there, beneath your feet-why
do you start---ha ha you turn pale WE'LL
well, you are weak yet"
at is not the mere mention of bones, or Of
death that pales my cheek, but that you--you, the
captain of band of robbers, should know me !"
"Know you ! I did not say that knew
your father to know him is to account for his
sons wandering alone, at the dead of night, far
from his home. To know him is to know that
that son has been driven forth by his fury, and
hated simply because he resembles his poor moth
er Look up, boy aye, your mother and my
sister p
"Your sister ~
"Aye, my gentle, heart-brokcn sister 1t was
your father, boy, who made me what l am and
would you, if the pure blood of your virtuous
mother were not coursng its way through your
veins. John Seymour---boy, though he is your
father"
"Wilson---for that is your name, l know it
now---let my fathers fault be silent between us !;
you, | know he has wronged for myself, though
struck to the ground, branded with every epithet
that is base and insulting, yet will not have
his errors canvasssed and commented upon
here "
"Why have you been used thus ??
"That know not but have been driven
from my home---he has forbid me never to put
foot in it-and have sworn-yes, Wilson, l
have sworn-ncver to cross the Threshold of my
fathers house, unless"
"You have made provision then :"
81 have and that is when he is unable to
curse his son, or sensible ofhis error and inius-
tice to one who has ever been a kind and dutiful
son."
"You are right, Seymour, you are right he
is still your father my feelings are not yours :;
have long since forgiven him it was when
hand to hand and foot to foot we fought, the
mark he bears upon his face was carved by this
very dagger---nay, start not it was fair and
open fight we were equal in strength as we were
in weapons. repaid then and there the wrongs
he inflicted upon me. We are apart now, and
forever"
eyes, and so must you and l. You will not
keep me prisoner ?"
"No, it is now midnight, by five o'clock you
shall be set free until then, farewe---but stop,
need ask of you, Seymour, the promise of Sc
crecy ?"
"No, you need not"
IT'S well by five o'clock you will be at
liberty"
We have now regularly brought our hero be-
fore the reader and, up to this point, we ques-
ton if his history has not created some little feel
ing of curiosity /; the mystery which we have
thus far thrown around him was more the result
Of circumstances under which he was first intro
duced than any deliberate object of our own
Henry Seymours father married poor, though
virtuous girl, by the name of Jane Wilson, by
whom he had one son. His temper was wild and
impetuous he was ever jealous, full of doubts
and horrid imaginings in regard to the virtue and
character of his wife. Such, indeed, was the
nature of his despotism that his home was rem
dered every thing but a pleasant one. His treat
ment of his wife was base and unmanly and
she, whose virtues and suferings should have