Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-04

then came the thought of that inevitable mar
riage and now hated groom, and wildly before
her mind rose the image of her beloved and
gentle one from whom they would forever part
her. She hesitated no longer, but calmly and
resolutely went about preparing for her fight.
Attiring herself suitably for her design, she
laid loose mantle and large hood on the bed in
readiness for her departure, and then, seating
herself by the window, absorbed in painful re-
verie, she watched the rapidly declining sun.
1t had sunk below the horizon, and the twilight
shadow was deepening fast, when she arose has
tily donned her cloak and hood, and with one
brief, earnest prayer to Heaven for guidance
and protection-one quick, passionate burst of
tears at the thought of her gentle mother-she
left her childhood's home forever. Great was
the surprise of the Son-ot- the-F Forest when, at
that strange hour, appeared before him, like
some celestial vision, the form of his pale mis-
tress but, ere he could utter word, she spoke.
in tone that was almost stern in its deep, calm
sadness,-
am yours now, and forever. Nay"--an-
swering the expression of his face-"no ques-
tions now. Let us fly; and at once, while we
may"
She withdrew into the edge of the forest,
while he procured his gun and its auxiiaries,
and hastily made few indispensable prepara-
tions, and they started on the route which he,
divining family somewhat of the cause of this
sudden movement, had quickly decided upon.
When they had proceeded short distance, and
Alice had hurriedly told her, tale, they knelt
down on the messy sod, and in the stiffness and
shadow of the ancient forest, uttered a brief
and solemn vow-a VOW binding and holy as
minister ever consecrated-and without which
bond between them, without its tangible claim
to her lovers protection the sensitive girl would
have hesitated to 60 on, even in her desperate
and haste-requiring extremity. Their course
lay westwardly, toward a point on the shore of
the Sound where the young Indian knew they
would find canoe to transport them to the
main land. 1t was long and wearying journey
that lay before thcm-on foot, of necessity, and
by tortous and untravelled route; but love,
and the fear of being discovered gave them
strength, and they went on unfagging. The
afternoon of the third day saw them at the
margin of a clear and beautiful pond, with a
single green island, shaded by two or three
young trees. on its CLASSY bosom. Here the
Son-of-the Forest proposed they should rest un-
til the following morning. Hitherto they had
paused hut few hours at night, when Alice
slept while her lover watched beside her and
for far briefer space in the broad light of day,
when she, in her turn, kept guard while the
young chieftains weary eyelds closed in slum-
ber. Now, however, they felt that they might
venture to take the reposo they sorely needed,
the little island offered them resting place Sc
cure from the wolves and other wild animals
which rendered the forest unsafe The Son-of-
the-Forest hod swan thither with his fair bride,
had passed over safe and dry his gun and am
muniton and their slender stock of food, fol-
lowing again through the water himself; and
the two wanderers were resting in the mild rays
of the setting sun, when the young Indian bent
down to pluck moss of rare beauty for lis
companion, a face almost demoniac in its ex-
preston OF triumphant hate, parted the thick
bushes on the opposite shore, and gun, bear
ing deadly charge, was pointed with unerfing
aim at his head But, simultaneously with the
spring of the gun, its unconscious mark had
suddenly cham ed his position, and the fatal
lead was buried deep in the bosom of Alice
With low groan she fel. backward to the
ground; but, in that tragical minute she hat
seen and recognised the face upon the bank
TheA Son-o of-the-Forest noting needing naugh
hut his dying love, bent over her in agony, sup
porting her dropping head. "Promisc me- sh
said in broken, gasping tones, raising to his he
eyes, straining their earnest gaze through tn
fast-gatherng film; "promise me, beloved, tha
you will never seek revenge for my death. -
For an instant he hestated-it was hard cx
action at that moment, especially to one of hi
Indian nurture-yet he promised Gone thin
more, dearest. Say that you will never forsak
the faith have tried to teach you-that yo
will not cease to pray to our Great Father till
is truly yours-and SO, we may meet again.
This promise was readily and earnestly given
and then, in anguish unutterable, he presse
his lips to that beloved brow-and withdre,
them from the dead Throughout the who]
of that dreary night he lay with his cheek lear
ing against the marble one of his murdere
bride, motionlcss as the rigid form his arms ell
circled-in the depth of this sudden and terr
BILE aflliction, thoughtless Or careless of bis ow
safety and ever and anon, through those Ions
gloomy hours, that face upon the shore, no
haggard with remorseless sorrow, looked fort
in the faint starlight upon the little ise Ea
ly in the following day, the young chief a
beneath its green sod the "White Flower of IL
North the name by which Alice was know
among his tribe, in alluson, probably, to Il
northern origin of her people. Carefully al
lovingly he smoothed down that lonely gra,
and laid together the verdant turf over its su
face then, with his Matched he cut down o
Of the slender trees, that the golden Octob
sunlight might freely rest upon it, His mour
, full task ended, with heart almost bursti
E with sunnressed hut nassionata omot;on
: threw himself upon the spot where his wor
: lay buried, and he was still extended there VIII
: night fell upon the scene--the destroyer of
his hopes, from his lair, regarding him with
: expression resembling pity upon his wan
troubled face.
| Fifteen years had rolled by since the event
, have just narrated, and the principal actors