Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-02-28
PARAMOUNT, 1865.

pile OF rocks, on whose summit they had flourish
ed for hundred years or more the birds had
ceased to sing, and the murmur ofthe evening
breeze, as it wantoned over the scene gave to
that portion of the river Schuylkill, now called
Paramount, wild and picturesque appearance.
Nor was that all the sound of the evening bells,
or the striking ofthe old clock, denoting that the
city of Philadelphia lay within but short dis
lance, contrasted strongly with the silence and
gloom Of the placc-rendered more so by the
veil of coming night, which already began to fall
gently Ger the features of nature. From the
heighth of the mount, the eye could trace the
meanderng course of the Schuylkill, on whose
shadowy banks stood out, in bold relief the tall
and majestic oak. Again would the eye wander
far beyond, and reach some far-of spot, carved
out as it were from the forest trees, within whose
cultivated space stood the lone farm house of
some Swedish settler, with its outbudngs and
barn. the pride of the husbandman, and the depot
of his wealth and monument ofhis industry. Still
as we observed before, there was much beauty
in that wild lone spot,
The sun had now set its golden rays yet lin
gered on the water, and sparkled like the dying
embers Of watch fire No sound, beyond those
alluded to, broke upon the stiffness, save the gay
tones of merry voices from some party ofpleasure
on the Schuylkil, returning to the city. On the
extreme height of the mount there stood, on the
evening we have described, a young man whose
age may have been twenty, certainly not more
than twenty-one He was leaning against an oak,
whose gnarled branches o'ershadowed the spot
for many feet around; within its gloom the youth
stood, seemingly impressed with the stern maj
esty of griefP AS he gazed down into the deep
valley, his eye followed the road as it opened its
way toward the city sigh deep and heavy,
escaped him. eyes, that will conduct me to
Philadelphia, but whittier shall 60 when there!
Without friends and without money, stranger
has much worse chance of nights lodging
there than he would have here, These spread
ing branches will be my canopy ; this green
carpet, natures growth my bed. Yes, here will
Irest, and amid the wild beauties of this lone
spot, and the murmur of the midnight breeze,
forget my sorrows and the cause Of wo." AS
he spoke, he stepped out from the shadow of the
tree and stood at the extreme edge of the preci-
pice Beneath his feet rolled, calmly on, the
waters of the river Schuylkill slight murmur
arose from its bed, but so soft and paintive that
it sounded more like the notes of the Eolian
Harp than the music of a running stream. No
scream Of birds. wingng their homeward flight,
disturbed the harmony that reigned, yet it was
musical all. Paramount was then, as it is now,
glorious spot-rich in all that constitutes land
scape, with its beauty and utmost grandeur. 1t
grew darker and darker, the air more chilly, the
night wind swept DER the summit, and-but
light radated far and wide-the whole hori-
zon grew rich in golden tints the Moon, aye,
the Moon, Queen ofthe Night Silent ruler Of
the skies, in the absence of brighter one, is it
thou Come forth 7 exclaimed the delighted
YOUTH as he stood gazing upon it-'Come forth
in all thy beauty let me gaze upon thee, and
with thee watch away the lingering hours of
night At his bidding, as it were, the moon
came calmly up, showering far and wide its
bright rays, and Iuxuriating i'll holy light BEAM
ing from her golden bed AS she advanced the
blood-red hue changed to silver brightness
AS eGSl on Juudn NILS, WHeH Joyous lHIOngS
With trump and festival sauted thee"
The stars, those gilded milestones of heaven,
paled before their mighty Queen Lost in con-
temptation of the scene, our youth heard not the
sound of carriage wheels, nor the crack of the
whip, nor saw splendid equipage as it rolled a.
long the road nor did he awake from his dream
of blss-for such are the dreams we have amid
the beauties and sublimities of nature-until al
wild shrek came fearlu!ly upon his ear Hell
gazed down from whence it came, and, to his
surprise, saw carriage surrounded by men,
whose manner approaching fully explained their
calling Quick as thought, unconscious of dan
ger, the youth seized his walking-stick and rush
ed down the dangerous declivity with velocity
that created some doubts in his mind if there was
not probability of his losing his own life in the
chivalric attempt to save that of others. Fate,
however, ordained it otherwise.
''No struggling, old man." exclaimed one of
the band Of robbers-for such they were. "No
struggling, or d. N me if don't make short work
with you. Come out, say"
"Spare my life, take my gold, but spare my
life."
''Bah who wants your life? Come out of
this gilded-machine, for we must search ito
They now commenced dragging the old man
out, when scream, the one the youth heard,
came forth from the carriage and young girl
of some eighteen years old, sprung out, and clasp
ing the old man in her arms, exclaimed, in ac-
cents of the widest terror: "Save-oh save my
father I"
The coachman, and servant who rode behind,
male an attempt to protect the old man, but as
there were five robbers their threats soon COM
peeled the faithful attendants to remain silent .du
ring the process of robbing their master and his
daughter The carriage was examined. One of
the robbers, evidently the captain, was in the act
Of taking some trihing trinket from the young
lady his sacrilegious hand was already on her
bosom, when blow from an unseen hand, laid