Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-07-11

Furnishing him summarily, began to lose, ev-
cry day or two, valuable stock, which was
wantonly shot down sometimes IN sight Of
their houses; and il soon began to be re-
marked that every animal LOST IN this way,
had been shot in the eye! This was Instant
ly associated, Of course with Jacks well
known prediction for that mark in hunting,
and a perfect storm of Indignation followed.
A meeting was at once convened at "the
s,ore,' of which the planter was the chair
man; and at it, by an unanimous vote, a re-
solution was passed condemning Jack Long
to be whipped and driven out of the country,
and Hinch with his Regulators appointed TO
carry il into eflec He could hardly con-
tain himself for joy; for now, whatever ex.
irene his piiless r,alignity nigh, choose to
indulge itself in, he had no fear Of aflerclaps
or questioning. The meeting had been "A
mere form al any rate. But these formali-
ties are all powerful everywhere and un.
settled and elementary as was the condition
Of society here, this ruf1ian leader of rullians
felt the necessity Of acting under their sane
ton, though he himself had dictated it. lie
would and could have consummated his pur-
poses without il; but the faint life of con-
science within him-by species of logic pc
culiar TO i,self-ielt relieved of the grieyous
responsibility of such a crime, in the sense
of participating with so many others. Ma
ny ii man has gone to the devil in crowd,
who would have been Mortified at undertake
ing the journey alone.
1t was the third day after this meeting
Jack, during all these prosecutions had de-
ported himself with the most stolid in
difference. Avoiding all intercourse with
settlers, he had continued to hunt with even
more assiduily than usual, and was in great
measure ignorant of the unenviable no,orie-
~ he was enjoying. He had heard some-
thing of the charge with which his character
had been assailed, but attributed them all to
Jealous ennity he had incurred at the shoot
ing match. He could understand perfectly
how one man could hate another who bea,
him in shooting, and thought it natural
enough; but he could not understand how
that hatred nigh, be meanly and desperately
vindctive, and therefore gave himself no I'M
easincss about it. He was only anxious that
his wife should not hear and be annoyed at
any of these things, and preserved his usual
cheerfulness of demeanor.
He had Just returned from hunting, and
laying aside his accoutrcments, partook of
the simple meal her neat housewifery had
prepared for him; then stretching himself
upon the buffalo robe on the floor, romped
with his two rosy checked boys, who rolled
over his great body, and gambolcd and
screamed in rioious joy around HIM; but
mother wanted some water from the branch
and the troc mus, be given over while Jack
would 90 aud bring it. So jumping up, he
left the lttle-folks pouting wilfuly as they
looked after him from the door, and started.
This stream was only about a hundred yards
from the house, and the path eadind to it
was through dense high thckct. 1t was
against Jacks religion ever 10 leave his
house without his gun but the wife whom
he loved above all the universe of sentiment
and everything else, was IN "A hurry for the
water, and the distance was so short he
sprang gaily on, with the vessel in his hand,
leaving the rifle behind. The water had
been dipped up, and he was returning along
the narrow path closely bordered by brush,
when he ielt light tap on each shoulder,
and his career strangely impeded. lie had
just time to perceive that lasso had been
thrown over him, which would confine his
arms, when he saw himself suddenly sur.
rounded, and was rushed upon by number
of men. He instantly recognized the voice
of IIincb, shouting, "down with him Drag
him down !" as the men who had hold of the
asso about his body jerked nj it violently in
the effort to throw him. All his tremendous
strength vas put forth in one convu|sive cf-
fort, which, would have freed him, but that
the Internal moose had fallen true, and bound
his arms.-As il was he dragged the six stout
men who held it after his frantic bounds near
y to his own door, before he was Frustrated
aud then it was by heavy blow deal, him
over the head with the tut of gun. The
last objects which met his eyes as he sank
down, were the Mortified faces Of his two
children and wife looking out upon him
The blow deprived him of his senses for
some time, and when he recovered he found
himself half stripped, and ashed to a tree a
short distance from his housc.--Hinch in
front of him, with knotted rope in his hand,
his wife on the grounl, wailing and clinging
with pneous cntreaty round the monsters
knees, his children weeping by her. and out
side this eroupe a circle OF men with guns in
their hands. That fearful wakening was a
new birth TO Jack Long! His eye took in
everything at one glance. A shudder, like
that of an oak riling TO its core, sprang along
his nerves, and seemed to pass ont al his feet
and through his fingers, leaving them as rigid
as marble; and when the blows of tlle hide.
Gus hooking devil before him fell upon his
white flesh, making it welt in purple ridges,
or spout dull black currents, he felt them no
more than the dead Intel of his door would
have done aud the agony of that poor wife
shriling frantic echo to every harsh slash
ing sound. seemed to have no more effect
upon his ear than it had upon the trees
above them. which shook its green leaves to
the self.same cadence they had held yes,er-
day in the breeze. His wide opened eyes
we're glancing camly aud scrutinizingly into
the faces of those who stood around-thosc
features are never 10 be forgotten for while
Hinch lays on the stripes with all his furious
strength, disappearing as they fell, that glance
dwells on each face with a cold keen, search
ing intensity, as if il marked them to be re-
membered in hell The mans air was aw-
ful-so cancenlrated-so slill-so enduring |!
lie mover spoke, or groaned, or wrilhed-bu,
those intense eyes Of his the wretches
couldn', stand them, and began to shuttle and
get behind each other. But i, was too late !;
he had them all--,cn men! They were
registered.
We will drop the curtain over this horri-