Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-11-28

| ner 0ehalf, and the klnd woman IVohVS '"-
ploringly into tie face of her husband as she
spoke.
"Never, never will | forgive her. She has
disgruced my name. and she must leave ms
house forever" exclaimed Major Middleton III
answer to his wife's appeal, and not all gM @F-
ther entreaties of the wife could changawe de'
termination and cruel resolve of the husbaih and
the father
In the moining Mrs. Middleton entered Ma
ry's room and laid three dollars in her hand say
ing:
"Mary, my poor child, my heart bleedS Tor
you, but youi father will neither see nor forgive
yon, and says you must leave this ro,f.'
Mary made no answer she shed no tears,
but rising and taking up her child, said with
calm desperation " am ready" A few mo-
mens afterwards Mary and her child, mointed
on horseback behind slave, were on the road
mat leads to Charleston, S. C. In "a wild and
desolatt' place the slave stopped and sanaI
" Massa told me to leave You here Missf
ry, don't cry old woLlan up 90 the nil gfader
will take care of you," and as he spoks he point
ed to curl Of smoke rising from among the
trees OF hill not for distant. Mary dsmlunt-
ed, bade the faithful negro farewell and alone,
deserted and abandoned BY those of her blood,
she sought the cabin on the hill, where she was
received and sheltered by an old widow lady,
who was its sole occupant.
The news of the conduct Of ',iiary's sister and
father towards her was suon known throughout
the whole Of that section of country. Among
others, her selucer heard it, and something ike
compunction touched his heart. He se1lword
to Mary that there was small cottage on his
estate to which she was welcome Necessity
and misery knows no choice, and to the Cottage
accordingly Mary hastened to bury herself in
solitude.
A few months now passed away andiMaior
Middleton lay on bis death bed. He died raw.
ing about his ruined daughter. and exclaimed
that he had treated her too harshly; that he
would make what reparation he could and that
she should have an equal share Of his property.
His dying words proved true. He left no will
and Mary became entitled to an equal portion Of
his estate.
The fortune which thus came into her pos
session, while it placed her beyond the reach Of
want also rendered her the mark for the prolane
rlbaIdry of the loose and dissoute young men
in the neighborhood. Among them was one
named Edward Findlay, who was notorious thro'-
out the surrounding country as being one of the
most abandoned and vicious characters, and
who had hut short time previous retarned to
he vicinity. from the State prison, whether Nc
been sentenced for the period of> five ye1is' -
lav ng seduced young and uusu5SsSs,I7 SSS ."
1fa romantic but feeble turn oI mind T
erns of the neighborhood were his cnnstl \
sort, and at them he spent all his earnin 81,
'hittless and precari9us labor. while \. A-kh,S
beosme more hardened IN "'co, Hhd nsSfe,redny
to commit some desperate act, in order more ful
y to crafty his sensual appetite.
One evening while he was drinking and rev
aling with seine co npanions of congen'al ma
lures, one of them, slapping him on the shoul
uer, called his attention to Mary, and at the samt
time reminded him that her father had died with
out will, and that she inherited her share Of tht
property.
" [ will marry her, if she is n devil" answer
I'd Flndlav, (ret;.rrlug to her fallen condition,
and h, slapped down OF the table the glass
which he held in his hand, with a vebemenct
which proved that he meant what he said. IIl'
laughed AMI separated that night
with n drunken toast to the health of Ned
FrndIay and his future BRIDE, Mary Middle
on.
Mary Middleton listened to the addresses Of
Fndlay. He woned her like sincere man, and
he ignorant aud dlsgraced, looked forward to
narliage rs a haven where she might find COM
,arative rest, at least from the storms which had
hitherto beat upon her. 1t was not strange,
therefore,, that she married him. All went on
moolhIy for while with the welded pair. Soon
owever, the evil spirit of FinGIand began to
manifest itself he had dlssembed long enough,
nd all he cared for now was to ge, possession
f the money in order that he might sqlander IT.
he only obstacle in the way oil his "ota'nlng
le entire control of the property was MS poor
rife. and he accordingly commenced exercising
,wards her course ofthe most barOarous treat
,ept Curses and blows were no" all .that she
ace;ved from hi,.., but she bore them with
Lross which added fuel to the fame OF Find
vs. MISSIONS, and caused him to form the hell
ii resolution of numbering her
E,obt weeks after their marriage, on Sun
nv afternoon, Findlay, in rough 'one' com
,onded his wife and sister who lived WIN hi'n'
get ready and go with HIM on VISIT 10 a
,;,bhor bv the name of Gilchrst, From the
loomy looks of Flndlay, Mary felta strange
resentment of some impending danger to ncr-
elf. and begged to be excused, bit FndIay
wore with an oath that she should g. and she
nally consented. What added to hry's alarm
vas, that before they could reach tie house of
Mr.. Gichrlst, they would be obligd to cross
deem food called st. Stephens GEEK, where
would be easy for FindIey to cdfy out any
vii design which he might have formed against
,er They, however, arrived at M. Gilchrist's
n safety, and extended their visit mp. late in
he evening. Mary's alarm returned IN a four
old degree when Mrs. Gichrist urgd that The
aides should stay all night on account OF the
ateness of the hour, and Findley anFered in n
,urly tone that they "must go" and nde them