The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-06-19

"Will you grant me one prayer?" saId ,
Tom, in a tone of supplicatins endearment,
drawing his unresistins brother closer to ;
him.
"One PRAYER" said Bill, II a whisper.
zone prayer, What could you ask that
would not do for YOU, il it were in nv pow
err"
"Do YOU promise 10 grant IT ,"
What is /, You mean :" asked the hunter,
in anxious wonder.
"Take yonr rifle replied Tom with a faint
smile, land put an end TO INV >rtfrring>''' ~
Tom" cried the latter springing up in
horror.
Put an end TO NV suilcrincS," said the
unhappy man. imploringlv- Bill brother
if vou have ever loved me, prove ii now-d-i
not leave the 10 lmgcr here in slow torture
Il will save Won, should it cost me nv life"
said Bill. This very afternoon will return
with help" =
That is impossible" replied the unhappy
man. sadly shakin. his head The nearest
settlement Is at least fifteen ;,nlc> from here
! in straight line: hut the WAY YOU would
have to take, to avoid all the riffs and rha>ms
would make it twcntv-and even if you were
to come and bring with Won fifty men-what
good could they do me? Both ny legs are
crushed, and the nearest rlnrtor lives IN Lit
:, tie Rock. hundreds of miles from here. Bill
+ will Won leave me living here for hours, only
t Ia see me afterwards perish mi>erahlv: -
= ASK my own life Tom, and will cheer
n fully giee i to .a,u. hut to ask thing 50
, drea,Ittl OF me; can, must save vou-I
u have a hatchct-Ic can cut this tree in riccc>
i can"
- Can Won heal wrr'rrs Ike these - said
IL Tom, nterr''rtin- him, and h. pointed will
:. his fingers To his crushed limln> 1t was in
rr deed a dreadful sight. and his brother >ank
>c shu,lhcring on his knees.
al Il cannot murder you," he groancd fort
ri family
le And 10 you call it murder: oh. iIll :,
ir l., continued. III Won have the sli@htc'. IL
r> nf what suffer. Won would not let me implor
liz YOU in VAIN
-c. Il will rive Won the riic-.lo not max" m
IL brothers murdcrcr,~ cried Bill in wild al
air guish.
ter .Nv right arm i hrok EN- cannot even
en- | would"
-r "Tnrl :" -,'',''rrl forth tn" strong man. 4
hc cast himself hr>icic his brother. what Is
cl vou ask of me
,<c What did you lately 10 with Nr>tor,whc
an the bear had torn out his rntrail>:"
~ IL shot him ."
nos ''lIr was vour favorite hound
w Bill answered only in >ol'>.
.pt And did Won love him more than Won lov
;,h me-" asked Tom, in tone almost of ofrcprnacI
h;s "Oh. why did not listen tn vnur warnin
when we came last evening 10 this unhapT
m, spot? Why did not fly from those wrthe
or ed trunks, which stood threatening ever
where around us. Why
ill ''Bl =" said the unhappy man. interrup
No inr him, will YOU put an end To nv >u:le
,ns insS:
10. Il will :" rrrlicl fill. wcepin9 upon h
brothers reck The two held each other
i"h last. enleavnrc,l To push him gently from hi
his the other claSpcd him the clostr: Day ne
II" iawned in the east and the suns rav> "ild
ed the branches OF the trees.
his Let us part said Tom. in Whisper, :"
: a man
the He now pushed his brother kindly fro
had him, and the latter rose.
fih- well, thcn--bc it o. he cried. Il :
lar YOU are richt-rcsciic is impossible. ! kn'
also That would have required the same
prv Won in such a case. and YOU would not HI.
un- refused me. PRAY once more TO G"l-anrl
rht- pray for me too, that he may forgive me
in this deed ~
ring BIZ staggered forth to fetch his rifle:
returned however, with firm and >tcadi
that step. carving the weapon in his left hand
lous with Tie right ne swing hiiiHHSs;'f over I
ned. trunks which Law scattered around. and il
glcd few moments. stood again near his broth
who locked up aiEectionatcly in his face.
tone Il arn read :" said Tom, with smile; Il
is 50 do not tremble-aud may God reward Won
this faithful strvicc-fareweil,
Iy- Turning aside his face, he reached out
ging left. uniniurcd han'.
It: Brother" cried the young hunter, bor
up. down with the fearful conflict Of emot
which ragged within his soul. '.brothcr!'
still he sank once more upon his breast
the They held each oiher in a ccrivnl;ite ci7
the when Tom, at last. said in a whisper, BE
,ther no longer and with suldcn bound,
cdly hunter leapc1 to his feet. lifted the rifle TO
heat cheek and the next moment lay sense
he hear the dead body of his brother.
hers Little remains to be narrated. WHY Sho
n a we describe hcw, when at last h;s .",l>es
right turned h heapc,i branch after :rfarrcll a
runk his brothers corpse, that the wolves and T
inter theirs might not feast upon those beloved
mains: How he staggered onward AMI
,hcld ,,cd bF rtraraers, wrestlef for months v
and. death, IN the wild fantasies Of fever?
rove. entugh of the terrible. Not long dill
q / IL