Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-22
VOLUME XII. NO. 9.

ed over it may be with the glitter of mammon,
with the dross of selfehness, one little particle
of love, which keeps them from being altogeth-
er vanity. But am preaching Tell me, I
say, have you rid yourself altogether of lover'
Old Sue sat still and thought. Her mind
went back through the path of weary years, to
the days when happy child she had elung with
affection to those who cherished her under their
roof who called her their darling she traced
her own life as she grew up wayward beauty;
her love poured out in its wealth and tenderness
upon one her parents deemed unworthy her
rebellion and forsaking all for love of him who
was to be father and mother to her her few
short years of happiness and terrible awaken.
ing as the earth received to its bosom her love-
her only joy, save an infant life which only
kept her grief from laying herself by his side
in the grave
oid sue buried her,n,oe in her hands and wept
as the memory of these times CANA GO r;v;di,
upon her. The eyil-eyed looked gloomily.
But memory would not stop here-as his
death and as her treasures birth. It told over
her wrongs. The consciousness of finding her
self without money, and consequently without
friends In great city the long days of travel,
with the precious little one in her arms. to the
home of her child the winters night that
heard her timorous knock at the door and
The one at her side looked smlingly. The
tears had dried, and foulest hate seowled forth
from her face
And the same wild night heard father.
curse upon his offspring it saw woman faint
and fool-worn go forth with its winds and
storms it hushed child's ory forever, and
wrought long months of disease upon the moth
er. From that bed of sickness, Memory told
her how she rose with VOWS of vengeance, but it
did not dare to dwell upon the unnatural crimes
which followed, of vain endeavors to escape re-
morse, of her flight over the sea, Of the years
she had wished to die.
She rose from her seat-trembling and pale
for she had dared to think upon her sinful past.
She had parents love and it had cursed in
stead of blessed her; chld's love had blossom
ed in her heart, but it was rudely killed and its
death terribly avenged She had no other love
all was unfriendiness and hate.
" Are you ready to go1'' said the old man
calmly He knew that she was his.
' Let me first warm myself before my Jour
ney," replied she. And she gathered all the
faggots into the middle of the room, and kindled
them. The room blazed in moment, As the
flames leaped fierce and hot
I" am ready" said she.
That night good John Benton came riding
from Plymouth. As he approached old Sues
hut he saw the fire burst forth from its windows,
and Strangest of all, two shadowy forms glidsd
far away above the burning flames, flying int
the darkness of the night, while gust of wind
mightier than ever he had before felt, almost
blew him from his horse.
These things he averred to the crowd vino col
lected round the burning dwelling, and what
confirmed the narration was, that no bones could
be found among the ruins--neither was old Sue
Ward seen any more.
This is story believed by many persons to
the present day, and on account of which, ev-
cry old house thereabouts has a horseshoe nail
ed to its door, and this maxim prevails;
CHERISH LOVE LEST YOU BECOME VANITY,