Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-12-25

Brilliant prospects, indeed for poor man; no
hurry about paying for the land not in market
yet, and no disturbance of actual settlers. Only
dollar and quarter an acre, for the best land
on the footstoo, and no trouble to bring it under
the highest state of cultivation. So thought
Smith, and SO he might think.
A few days after his arrival Smiths choice
was made, and large tract of fine land was
known to the neghbors, for miles around.as the
claim of Lafayette Smith, just come in from
York State.
Smiths claim was well selected large body
of tlmber-a beautiful grove il was surrounded
on all sides by prairie land Of the best quality,
gently undulating, and coursed through by a
narrow stream Of water, hid by its grassy banks
hung over by profilson of wild flowers, that
in. its silent walk had been for ages the guardian
of the wood, and preserved the noble brother
hood of trees from the iavages Of autumnaI
hies, sweeping with dreadful desolaton over
the plains, dcvouring with burning eagerness,
each thing within its reach, tapping with
hungry tongues of flame, the very clouds from
out the sky, but to vomit forth sooter blacG-
ness.
Lafayett's claim was at once respected, and
in few days solemny ratified by all the claim
ants round, by general gathering on the prem
lAes to raise Smiths house OF logs, which made
good his tile, and manifested his actual inten.
ton as a settler Smiths settlement was nu
sham for specuauon-it was real--and he was
not to be ousted oil slight pretences now.
Smith discoursed largely at the raising, on his
favorite topics, and Mrs. S. did her best in the
way of dried apples and fried cakes for supper
In tact,he squalters lett fully impressed with The
acquisition OF man Of importance to their num-
Der, and would have been ready, to man, to
have voted for him tor justice Of the peace,if the
country had been organized and elections called
tor. Everything went on smoothly; never was
family happier for time, not with what they
had,lor they had never yet had made anything.
but with what they we're to make
Already Smith felt himself land holder, a
proprietor of the soil, real lord of creaton,and
with the amlable mother of his children, looked
forward from the door of his cabin over his vast
aud beautiful domains TO he time when Il host
of young Smiths and Smiths in.law should take
possession around him Of paterna acres in abun-
dance, and all rejoice in the bouniifuI provision
of their provident and far-seeng sire, who ever
had watchlul eye to their welfare.
Indeed, 1t was not provoking the Imagination
beyond lis limits, to suppose, at no distant day.
a smart little village might spring up on SO lovely
a site, with its school house, aud its church.
rearing up modest spne to greet the lovely
sunlight breaking through the Eastern clouds,
casting its fresh morning glance on as bright a
scene as ever gIaddened natures bosom, or won
her sweetest smiles; glorifylng in the dignifed
and euPnOnlous appellation of Smi:hvile, or
Smiths corner, if you please, with its post coach
and trl-weekly mail and then came the assoc-
lions, and Smith was happy man in his rev.
cries.
But Lafayette Smith was doomed man j..
He never made anything from the beginning,
and he never could. The fall came on,and with
it came the blight of all his hopes the choke
damp of all his aspirations, the earthquake that
shook down all his castles, the Ague! All the
Smiths were taken nearly at the same time some
OF them only chilled, some shook outright, limbs
quivered beyond all control, and their teeth chat.
tered in concert. Oh it was q scene, the Smith
family on their ague day. Smith was discoura.
ged, perfectly disheartened, but for last resor
sent for the Doctor-a steam doclor-one who
practced after the wise councils and beneficial
theory of the great Dr. Thompson! Lafayette
Smith was too knowing q man to be imposed
upon by the apothecarles, the alopathists anC
mineral doctors, he had seen enough Of saliva
ton, and imagined touch of mercury was do
ing job in his own bones the way they suffered
taken when a child. He had heard too, tina
Napoleon expressed an opinion uDfavorable t
thesregnlar profession. Other great men, too
had regarded line science as nothing more tha
a bundle of learned trash 1t also was par
of his philosophy that nature had furnished som
weed or root, some vegetable specific for ever
alIment of the mortal frame. One would hay
thought, if his belief was true, that the ancier
alchensts, searching after universal remed,
were truly on the wrong track, and failed in tn
discovery by seeking in the bowels of the eartt
. among salts, earths, and minerals, instead {
the roots and herbs of creation. Nature wa
wise, and proyident, and perfect, and acquane
with all diseases, had not nsg ecled go nporaI
matter as a specific, and Of course it was
yegetable-of coulse it was
Well the doctor came, counted the heads
/, the comp al ming ones--all he wanted was II
number, the prescription was the same, stereC
typed edition Of the same articles; and he steel
| ed up his drugs accordingly. And such mes.
r Such quantity of boiling roots and weeds, ar
{ leaves worthy the anathemas of Basil Vale
n tine, and fit subject for the pious exhortatons
n that reverend father of mineral medicine. percl
| ing from his 'Tliumphal car Of Antimonyp
t Smith was encouraged. The doctor promi
+ cd wonders-nrucles-in the way of cure al
: sudden restoration to perfect health The boz
@ wen round each one took the allotted drauu
d and the doctor stayed to see the operation. Al
> such an operation! Shades Of boneset and
;. bella mandrake roots and sanguinara candle
sis
$ Years rolled on; Smith worked hard
If crops were good and everything seemed pro
+" porous. Every year Smith thought he shou
y be able to secure his title that fall but VIII
1t his crops came of, and he had paid his exper
l. es-sIore bills made literally, building and fe