Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-06-16
MltsreIlaneous.
The objectionable Sin.
ny NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

slow, and even solemn, like wind shaking the
bows of the forest
Father, what is that ?" asked the little bov
leaving his play aud pressing betwixt his father's
knees.
"Oh some reveller, | suppose" answered the
lime burner g some merry fellow from the bar
room in the village, who dared not laugh loud
enough within doors, lest he should blow the
roof of the house of. So, here heis, shaking his
jolly sides al, the foot Of Graylock."
2 Bltfssher, = sada asiss. child, more sensitive
than the obtuse, middle-aged clown, he does
not laugh like man that is glad SO the noise
frightens me
Don't be fool, child !" cried the father,
grufiy; "you will never make man, do be-
lieve there is too much of your mother in you.
have known the rustng of leaf to startle her.
Hark, here comes that merry fellow now. You
shall see that there is no harm in him."
Bertram and his little son, while they were
talking thus, sat watching the lime kiln. 1t was
rude. round, tower-llke structure, about twen-
ty feet high, heavily built of rough stones, and
with hiock of earth heaped about the larger
part of its circumference, so that the blocks and
fragments of marble might be drawnby cart loads
and thrown in at the top. There was an open
ing at the bottom of tho tower, like an oven
mouth, but large enough to admit man in
STOPPING posture, and provided with massive
iron door, With the smoke and jets of fame
issuing from the chinks and creviccs of this door,
which seemed to give admittance into the hill
side, it resembled nothing SO much as the pri-
vate entrance to the Internal regions, which the
shepherds of the Deectable Mountains were ac-
custorned to show to pilgrims.
There are many such lime -kins in that tract
of country, for the purpose of burning the white
marble which composes large part of the sub
stance of the hills. Some of them, built years
ago. and long deserted, with weeds growing in
the vacant grounds of the interior, which is
open 10 the sky, and grass and wild flowers root
ing themselves into the chinks of the stones,
look already like relics of antiquity and may yet
be overspread with the linchens of centuries to
come Others, where the lime-burner still feeds
his daily and nightlong fire, afford points of in
erest to the wanderer among the hills, who seats
himself on log of wood or fragment of mar
BILE, to hold chat wth'the solitaty man. 1t is
a lonesome. and when the character is Inclined
to thought, may be an intensely thoughtful occu-
patton, as it proved in the case Of Ethan Brand
who had lnusel to some purpose, in dsys gone
by, while the fire in this very Kiln was burning.
The man who now watched the fire was Of a
different order, and troubled himself with no
thoughts save tine very few that were requisite to
his business AT frequent Intervals, he flung
back the clashng weight of the iron door, and
turning his face from the nsufferable glare,
thrust in huge logs of oak, or stirred the i'm
mense brands with long pole. Within the
furnace were seen the curling and riotous flames,
and the burning marble, almost molten with the
of the heat; while without, the refec-
ton of the fire qnivcred on the dark intrcGcy OF
the surrounding forest, and showed in the fore
ground bright and ruddy little picture of the
hut, the spring beside its door, the athletic and
figure of the lime burner, and
the haf-fighened child, shrinking into the pro-
lection of his fathers shadow, And when again
the iron door was closed, then re-appeared the
tender light of the half full moon, which vainy
strove to trace out the lndisinct shapes of the
mountains and, in the upper sky,
there was fitting congregation of clouds, still
family tinged with the rosy sunset, though this
far down into the valley the sunshine had van
shed long and long ago.
The little boy now crept still closer to his
father, as footsteps were heard ascending the
hillside, md human form thrust aside the
bushes that clustered beneath the trees.
"Halloo what is p" cried the lime.burner,
vexed at his sons timidity, yet half infected by
it. "Come forward and show yourself like a
mau, or I'll fling this chunk of marble at your
head"
"You offer me a rough welcome" said gloo'
my voice, as the unknown man drew nigh;" yet
| neither claim nor desire kinder one, even at
my own fresde."
To obtain distincter view, Bertram dew
open the iron door of the kiln. whence immedi-
ately issued gush of fierce light that smote full
upon the strangers face and figure. To care
less eye there appeared nothing very remarkable
in his aspect which was that of man in coarse,
brown, country-made suit of clothes, tall and
thin, with the staff and heavy shoes Of a wayfar-
er. As he advanced he fixed his eyes-which
were very brght--intently upon the brightness
of the furnace, as if he beheld, or expected to
behold, some object worthy of note within it.
"Good evening, stranger" said the lime-bu
ner; "whence come you so late in the day."
81 come from my Search" answered the way.
farer " for, at last, it is finished"
"Dfunk or crazy! muttered Bertram to him
self. " | shall have trouble with the fellow. The
sooner drive him away the better"
The little boy, all in tremble, whispered tc
his fa,her, and begged him to shut the door o
the kiln, so that there might not be so mucl
light, for that there was something in the mani
face which he was afrard TO look at, yet coult
not look away from. And, indeed, even tn,
lime-burner s dull and torpid sense began to be
impressed with an indescribabe something il
that thin, rugged, thoughtful visage, with tn
grizzled hair hanging wildly about it, an
those deeply sunken eyes, which cleaned lk
fires within the entrance of mysterious cavern
But, as he closed the door, the stranger turne
toward him, and spoke in quiet familiar wa