Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-01-23
5elrtt 4flistcIIanp.
TIE POWER OF MERCY.

| lIIA L " w LII VI WI LnOlS
Quiet enough, in general, is the quaint old
town Of Lamborough. Why all this hustle to-
day Along the hedge bound roads which lead
to it, cnris chalses, yehicrs Of every d. scrption
are jogging along filled with countrymen; and
here and there the scarlet cloak or straw bonnet
of some female occupying chair, placed some
what unsteadily behind them, contrasts gally
with the dark coats or grHy smock frocks Of the
front row from every cottage of The suberbs
some individuals join the stream, which rolls on
increasing through the streets till it reaches the
castle. Tue ancient moat teens with idlers, and
the hill opposite, usually the quiet domain of
score Or two of peaceful sheep, partakes of the
surrounding agitation.
The voices of the multitude which surrounds
the court house, sounds like the nurmur of the
sea, till suddenly it is raised to a sort of shout
John West, the terror Of The surrounding coun-
ty the sheep stea' 'er and burglar, had been found
guilty.
"What is the sentence :" is asked by hun
dred voices.
The answer is, "Transportation for ife."
But there was one standing aloot on the hill ,
whose inqnirlng eyes wandered over he crowd
with indescrbabe anguish whose pad cheek
grew more and more ghaslly at every denuncla-
ton OF the culpri', and who, when at last the
senetnce was pronounced, fell insensible upon
the green'sward. 1t was the burglars son.
" hen the boy recovered from hs swoon, it
was late in the afternoon; he was alone; the
faint tlnkIing of the sheep bell had again replac-
ed the sound Of the humon chorus OF expectation,
and dread, and jesting ;al was peaceful: he could
not unde rstand why he lay there, feeling so weak
and sick He raised himself treInulnusly and
looked around; the turf was cut and spolt by the
tramplng Of many fret. All his life of the last
few months hnated before I'ls memory his resi-
dGnce in his fathers hove was utfirnly com.
radcs, the desperate schemes he heard MS he pre-.
tended to sleep on his lowly bed. their expedi-
tons at night mnsked and armed, their hastv Te-
turns, the news Of his fathers capture, his own
town, the court, the trial, the condemnation.
The father had been harsh and brutal parent,
but he had not positively illused the boy. Of
the Great and Merciful Father ot the fntheress
the child knew nothing. lie deemed himself
alone in the world. Yet grief was not his per
vading fe ling, nor the shame of being known as
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burned within him. He thought of the crowd
which had come to feast upon his fathers agony
he longed to tear them to pieces and he pucket
savagely handful of the grass on which h.
leaned. Oh, that he were man that he coult
punish them all - all-the spectators first. tht
constabIes, the Judges, the jury, the witnesses,
one of them especially, a Clergyman named Lev
ton, who had given his evidence more positively
more clear, than all the others Oh, that h,
could do that man some injury, but for him hi
father would not have been identified and con
vlcted.
Suddenly thought occurred to hlIh--his eve
sparkled with fierce delight II know wher
he lives," he said to himself, " he has the farm
and parsonage of Miwood. will 90 there a
once, it is almost dark already. will do as
have heard father say he once did to the Squire
will set his barns and h's house on fire. Yes
yes, he shall burn for it,-he shall get no NOR
fathers transported.
To procure box Of matches was an easy
task, aud that was all the preparations the bo
made.
The autumn was far advanced A cold win,
was beginning to moan amongst the almost Ieal
less tre"s,and George Vests teeth chrtered, an
his ill-clad limbs grew numb as he walked aIon
the fields leading to MiIlwoud. ''Lurky it's
dark night; this fine wind will fan the fam
Ecely," he repeated to himself
The clock was striking nne but all was qne
as midnight; not soul stirring, not light i
the parsonage windows that he could see. II
dared not open the glte lest the click of the late
should beray hun so he climbed softly over
but scarcely had he dropped on the other side
the wall before the loud barking of u dog starte
HlIll' Ie CO"eFeu UOWh ofilDu Lne nay -rlCl
scarcely daring to breathe, expecting each il
stant that the dog would spring Upon him.
was some time before the boy dared 10 at r. an
as his courage cooled, his thirst for revenQ
somewhat subsidized also, till he almost dele
mined to return tn Lamborough but he was tc
tired, too cold, too hungry --besides the woma
would beat hun Tor staying out so late. VIII
could he do? where should he go? and as tt
; sense of his lonely and fororr position returne
so did also the affectloltate remembrance Of h
: father, his hatred of his accusers, his desire
satisfy his vengeance and, once more, courag,
: GUS through anger, he rose, took the box fro
: his pocket, and boldly drew one of them aero
4 the sand paper. 1t famed he stuck it hasti
n in tho stack against which he rested lit on
: Aickered little, and went out. In great tr
d pldation young West once more grasped Ii
!, whole Of the remaining matches in his hand al
g ignited them, but al tile same instant The d,
y barked. He hears the gate open, step is clo
n TO him, the matches are extinguished, and Ii
!, lad makes desperate effort to escape,-but
/ strong hand was land on his shoulder, and de,
e calm voice inquired
g "What can have Urged you to such crime
e Then, calling loudly, the gentleman, witho
y relnquishing his hold, soon obtained the help