Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-05-30

country seat on the banks of tho North Tyne in
Northumberland. The house was rebuilt and
furnished with everything elegant and costly:-
and amongst others, service of plate supposed
to be worth Gl000. He went to London an
nualy with his family, during few of the winter
months, and at these times there were but few
left at his country house, At the time we treat
of, there were only three domestics remained
there; a maid servant whose name was Alice,
kept the house, and there were besides, an old
man and boy, the one threshed the corn, and the
other took care of some cattle; for the two
plougmen were boarded in houses of their own.
One afternoon, as Alice was sitting spinning
pedler entered the hall with comcul looking
pack on his back.
Alice had seen as long pack, and as broad
pack; but pack equally long broad and thick,
she declared she never saw. 1t was about the
middle of winter, when the days were short, and
the nights cold, long, and wearisome. The ped
Ter was handsome, well dressed man, and very
likely to be an agreeable companion for such
maid as Alice, on such q night as that yet AL.
ice declared from the first she did not like him
greatly, and though he introduced himself with
little ribaldry, and great deal of fattery in.
terlarded, yet when he came 10 ask nights
lodging, he met with peremptory refusal he
jested on the subject, SAID he. believed she was
in the right, for that it would scarcely be safe to
trust him under the same roof with such a sweet
and beautiful creature-Alce was an old maid
and anything but beautiful--He then took her
on his knees, caressed and kissed her, but all
would not do. No, she would not consent 10 his
staying there.
"But are you really going to put me away to-
night?"
eyes"
"Indeed, my dear girl you must not be so un-
reasonable-I am come straight from Newcas-
tie, where have been purchasing fresh stock
of goods, which are so heavy, that cannot trav-
ell far with them, and as the people around are
all Of the pooror Sort will rather make you
present of the finest shawl in my pack before
go further"
At the mentioning of the shawl, the picture OF
dehberation was portrayed in lively colors on
Alices face for little; but her prudence over
came. "No, she was but servant and had or
ders to harbor no person about the house but
such as came on business, nor these either un-
less well acquainted with them"
"What worse can you or your master or any
one else be, of suffering me to tarry until the
morning?"
81 entreat you do not insist, for here you can
, not be-"
I,sssE able 20 carry my goods furts,e
to.night."
"Then you must leave them, or get horse
to carry them away"
"Of all the sweet inhexible beings that eve
were made, you certainly are the chief But
cannot blame you-your resolution is Just and
right. Well well, since no better may be,
must leave them and 60 in search of lodgings
myself somewhere else, for fatigued as | am,, ii
is as much as my life is worth, to attempt to car
ry them further"
Alice was rather taken at her word she wan
ted nothing to do with his goods the man was
dispeased at her, and might accuse her of steal
ing some of them-but it was an alternative she
had proposed, and against which she could start
no plausible objection-sos she consented, though
with much reluctance.
"Bnt the pack will be better out of your way,''
said he I" and safer, if you will be so kind as 10
lock it by IN some room or closet" She then
led him into very low parlour, where he plac-
ed it carefully upon two chairs, and thereupon
went his way wishing Alice good night.
E When old Alice and the pack were left to-
gether in the large house by themselves, she
felt kind of underlined terror come over her
mind about it. "What can be in it," said she
10 herself, &" that makes this so heavy? Surely
when the man carried so far, he might have car.
ried it farther too 1t is confessedly queer
pack I'll 60 and look at it again, and see what
think is in it; and suppose should handle it
all around, may then perhaps have good guess
what is in it.
Alice went cautiously and fearfuy into the
parlor and opened wall press-she wanted
nothing in the press, indeed she never looked in
to it, for her eyes were fixed on the pack, and
the longer she looked at it, she liked it the
worse; and as to handling it, she would not have
touched it for all that it contained. She came
again into the kitchen and conversed with her
, self She thought of the mans earnestness to
leave it-of its monStrous shape, and every cir
cumstance connected with it-they were all
mysterious, and she was convinced in her own
mind, that there was something uncanny, if not
unearthly, in the pack
What surmises will not fear give rise to in
the mind OF woman! She lighted moulded
candle, and went again into the parlor, closed
the shutters, and barred tem-but before she
came out, she set herself upright, held in her
breath, and took another steady and scrutiniz-
ing look at the pack. God of mercy! She
saw it moving, as visibly as she ever saw any
thing in her life. Every hair on her head stood
upright Every inch of flesh on her body crept
like nest of pismires. She hastened into the
kitchen as fast as she could for her knees bent
under the terror that had overwhelmed the heart
of poor Alice. She puffed out The candle, lighted
it again, and, not being able to find candle
stick, though dozen stood on the shelf in the
fore kitchen, she set it in water jug, and ran
out to the barn for old Richard. "Oh Richard |!
Oh, for mercy, Richard, make haste and come
into the couse, come away Richard" "Why,
what is the matter Alice ? What is wrong?"-
"Oh, Richard, a pedar came into the hall en-
treating for lodgings. Well, l would not let
him stay on any account, and behold, he is gone
off and left his pack" "And what is the great