The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-05-26


TO their f,stness when their full number was known
10 equal a doznn Whatever was their motive how
ever they continued their flight their pursuers the
while pressing holly in their rear.
It was toward morning when two individuals emerg-
ed upon the edge Of an abrupt hill, many miles FROM
tho lastness OF the refugees One Of them was the
captain Of The reiugees-his pursuer was the Injured
husband. Both the companions Of the outlaw had al
ready been oyeftaken and slain. The eugerness OF
the husband had outsripped the pace of his CON-
panons, and after pursuit Of hours, he was now on
the point Of coming up with the refugee
The rapid pace Of the two men, pursuing and pnr-
sued brought the latter to the edge OF Tho abrupt mn
before he was aware of il, and he saw at glance
that further flight was impossible. lilo could near
the shouts of the others far behind IN the forest, ana
he resolved to grappe with the foremost pursuer and
by destroying him effect his escape before the others
came up lie turned at bay. The rifles OF both the
comba tants had been discharged in the pursuit, and
they now stood face to face, with no weapons but
their huntng-knives. moment they gazed at
each other with all their mutual hate sparkling in their
eyes.
''Villan -murderer-truitor hoarsely CALCULATED
the husband, pale with passion, as he darled nj the
refugee.
Tho outlaw made no answer, but he scowed a
mortal defiance at his foe, and drawing his knife, n
waited the onset ofhis antagonist Aud II was ter
rble For few moments 30 ince>sant were their
Ihruss each other and rnpdly were these hrnss
mutually part led that the eye could not follow the
motions Of the combatants' Now one--now the other
seemed to have the advantage. The dry leaves flew
in showers around the contendng foes, and the dust
rose in clouds hiding them often from sight, Not
word was spoken Ivy either combatnnt AT length,
after two slight wounds on either side, des-
perate thrust made by the husband, his knife struck
against the iron Luckle of his antagonists belt, and
was shivered into pieces. The refugee saw his ad-
vantage and raised his knife 10 strike. As last hope
his pursuer grasped his wrist; desperate struggle
ensued. Both were men Of grent personal proweSs,
hut the outlaw having already received wound in
L., Ina IL ,l The.
After u protracted contest he yielded, and in fierce
effort made by the husband to obtain the knife, lew
from the refugees hand TO the distance of some yards
by this time they had inpercephby been drawn to
the very edge of tho hill where rugged precipice of
some fifty feet, shot perpendcuIarIy downward be.
meath them. Gathering every energy for HE last en-
deavor the pursuing husband stove to force the out
law over the precipice, and he had partially succeed
ed in it when he felt the gravelly bank giving away
beneath Them With one hand he hastily grasped
twig and with the other, making gigantic effort, he
thrust his zionist over the Precpce, so that the
outlaw dangled in the air, having no support bot the
hold he kept upon the left a!rn of his antagonist All
hope for the refugee was over, but no determined
that his foo should perish with him. Moments pass
ed away, at every one Of which the bank gave away
and more. The utmost efforts of the victor to
shake of the dying man were IN yain and he felt that
mis- last hour lie heard no more oven the
Shouts of his friends and with sickening sensation
he felt they had either lot their way, or deserted
him. Could they only have come up he might have
been saved lie felt the twig begin TO yied-he had
already slipped half off the bank and tho struggles
Of the d, ing man were becoming moLan desperate ev
cry moment. He gazed at the sulVVe1ow Broken
limbs of trees, and uprooted pines lay mingled pro-
miscuously together, that TO fall into the abyss
would be cert ain destruction The countenance OF
the outlaw already wore demoniaca smile in CON
temptation of the ruin to which he was dragging the
young man. And that bridegroom--was there hope
for him? Alas all was gone. lie gave one thought
of his bride-one look toward heaVen-one prayer to
a., al Itl
tastrophe he felt had come. Suddenly, however, a
sharp report of rife, rung wildly in his ears, and
al the same instant he felt the hold off the outlaw
lax from his lle.upened his eyes only to behold
tho dying shooting like an arrow down the abyss
only to soc his man. lied body lying shattered
the trunks Of the trees below In moment he was
drawn away from the bank and claspod in the arms
of his companions who, coming up at the very last
moment had, by shooting the outlaw in the heart,
rescued their friend from horrld death.
It was a glad night that one at the little farm
house, after the return of the hardy adventures from
their expedition. Mary was by this lime completely
recovered, and happier evening never was spent by
two fond young hearts than by the young bridegroom
and bis bride.
TIE refugees were from that time exlirpaed in the
vicinity But their memory yet survives, and though
the incidents of this tale depending hitherto on radi-
ton for preservation ARE now known 10 few yet there
nre still living, some time ago, one OF TWO
to,terng patrarchs, whose eyes would kInde, and
whose breath would come quick as they told Of the
outlaws fate.
The spot whero the fhstness Of tho refugees
located is deep in Of those tang ed swamps which
skirt the shores Of M-riyer, and which are almost
impervious to the sunshine and iupenetrable to the
foot of man. 1t is many long day since the writer
of this little sketch penetrated to il under the guild
ance of an old woodSman; and he will never forget
The refreshing draught he took at the little spring Of
cedar water hard by the sight of the tenement. The
rude cabin which the outlaws had constructed, had
for ten years lain ro,ting on the ear.h the wild deer
had trotted gaiy the spot where it once stood
young sarngs, and then rugged trees had sprung up
within the circuit Of its fallen walls and only few
decaycd tiubers crumbling with age, and covered
with moss, betokeued the position Of the dreaded
hablation.
The hill ON which the final encounter Of the
taants took place is, to this day, shown, not far
from little creek, emptying into the NJ river,
some miles from Chichester. II ia still bold, rug
ged broken precipce, though within the last forty
Wears it has fallen away considerably, through the
lion Of the snow and rain. The little avne into which
the outlaw fell is now haifflled up with slides of
earth from the prccpice above. Tradition however,
s, preserves the spot where the last conflict
occurred; and well do we remember the eugerness
with which in our boysh days we listened, as we
stood on the very brow Of the HILL to old veterans
.tI.- ,1Tt ha Anath uIrn