Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-08-21
miscellaneous.
GOLD WORSHIPPERS.


1t is curious to look back on the fatal and
universal prevalence of Gold Worship recorded
In the history of our race from the time when
Midas became its victim, and the boy chased
the rainbow to find the pot of treasure at its
foot, to the days when the alchemist offered his
all a burnt sacrifice on the altar, until we reach
the present time, when, although the manner of
its worship has changed, the old idolatry re-
mains in spirit the same. One or two anecdotes
illustrative of the passion for gold-worshp may
not prove uninteresting.
The hero of our first story-a chamois hunt
Of the Swiss Alps-was, for many years of his
existence, ar absolute stranger to the very sight
of gold He dwelt in mountain chalet, in the
peaceful contentment and ignorant simplicity of
former ages-lord of his own freedom, with ma
ture for his domain, and the fleet Alpine crea
lures for his subjects. By some unfortunate
chance, however, he moved from this dwelling
of his YOUTH 10 the lower station, and to the
side of pass frequented by travellers, towards
whom he was frequently called on to exercise
hospitality. His services, and the shelter he af-
forded, we've occasionally rewarded with gold,
which, though of little actual use or value to
him as circulating medium, gradually exer-
cised strange fascination over his senses
He boarded his guineas with the doating fond
ness of the miser; he looked on them with
more pleasure than Oh the faces of his children,
and listened to their chink with satisfaction
no tone of household love or sweet Alpine mel
ody could call forth.
1t CHANGED, one day, that our hunter, in the
pursuit of his ordinary avocaton, peceived tiny
cavern hithero unknown to him. He determn-
ed to snatch his hasty noontide meal beneath
its shelter; and in order to enter it, rolled away
block of stone which obstructed the mou tn of
the fissure. To his amazement, its removal pre-
sented to his gaze deep hole, i'll which vase
Of considerable size was buried. He removed
the lid, and there, fresh and bright, as if they
were coins Of yesterday, glitterred before his
the shining PARTICLES Of ore. a ourlotSled with
of long-past ages was before hir.S He TOOK
them in his hands, he clutched them, he stared
al. them with insane delight. lie could not, of
course, divine how they had come to be in their
strange hiding place, or who had placed them
there; the inscriptions on them-the figure of a
lamb, which some few bore-said nothing to
him. There appeared to be something super
natural in the discovery, and he wasted all the
remaining hours of daylight beside the vase
then, as the night closed in, he replaced both
the lid and the stone above the treasure. He
did not attempt to remove it to his own dwell.
ing, nor did he breathe a word of his discovery
even to his wife; but from that hour he became
an altered man,
The love of gold is an absorbing passion, es
pecially when thus embodied and materialIzed
He lived only beside his treasures thther h
bent his steps daily nor left it till the gloom o
evening hid the object Of his idolatry from hi
eager gaze His hunters craft was neglected
, his family pined for food he himself grew gaur
and thin, anxious and susplcious ever dreadin
that his secret might be discovered, restless an
= miserable except when beside his wealth, wher
. want, and hunger, and the sad, suffering face
of those he had once loved, were all forgotten
! Only when the gathering darkness drove hi
!, from his hoard, did he think Of using his fow
. ing piece; and scanty was the provision thr
Y obtained. In order fully and perfectly to col
n template his gold, it was necessary for him
t stretch himself before the entrance of the lit
Y hollow; his head and shoulders to the waist b
- ing thus within the cave, Immediately over Il
+ vase, his body and legs being outside. I'll
S cliff above the opening is nearly perpendcula
- and had been much split and shaken by the fro
e since an avalanche had deprived it of its crow
3? of snow but Of this danger he was needless
I, unconscious One morning whilst lying prom
= repeating for the lteth time his daily countlI
Of the old coins, portion Of the rock detacht
itself slowly, and falling on his waist pinn(
him to the earth, without, however, crushing
h greatly injuring him. lie uttered a loud CT
and made desperate eXertions to raise it al
=. free himself but in vain; force beyond
-, strength to resist had fixed him to the spot
his unhallowed and insane devotion. Imagln
ton can scarcely conceive more fearful dea
y than the slow lingering one of bodily tortu
md rlarvaiion thot rnust bava fOlIowod I
n was of course sought for as soon as misse
- but the spot was unknown even to the mt
practised hunters, and it was more than we
before the body was discovered. The surpri
! and horror of his family can be imagined.
-, They had never been able to comprehend
,f altered conduct and mysterious disappearance
al all was explained, however, when, the hu
n stone being removed, he was found-perha
b from his position MISUNDERSTANDING in
dead fingers the fatal gold.
We relate this incident on the authority of
" Swiss lady who had seen the cave, and who
IN sured us that the simple mountaineers avoid
e.? spot with superstihous horror. To them thu
@ must have appeared to be come strange MAJ
e, in the hidden treasure and so to the calm
a judgement it would seem, when in the ordin,
" course of life we behold, not only the fear
If and painful sacrifices made for the attainment
alt gold, but the court paid, the homage offered
nd its possessors, by those who have no hope