Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-05-08

| tnefe coul0 DE no greater or more uuparu0na-
BILE enormity committed than to steal among
themselves. He must be warned to quit the
county" was in the mouth of every body, and
he was warned. Jack with great simplicity
gave them to understand that be was not ready
to go-that when he was he should leave at his
leisure--but that if his convenience and theirs
did not happen to agree, they might make the
most of it. This left no alternative but force /;
and as no individual felt disposed to take the
personal responsibility upon himself of q coils
ion with SO unpromsing looking body, Hinch,
eager as he was, did not feel that the eircum-
stances were quite strong enough yet, to justify
the extremes he intended pushing his vengeance
to. Things were not quite ripe, and Jack with
all the hurrah and excitement about him, kept
| even on his way, conquerng and to conquer
/ among the hairy tribes, for soaae weeks longer
/ Singular instances Of the most vile and wan
| ton spite now began to occur in various parts
of the region around. At quick intervals, val
liable horses and mules were found shot dead
close to the dwellings, of the Planters, as it
seemed, without the slightest provocation for
such unheard of cruelty, but merely in base re-
venge for some fancied Injury. The rumor soon
got ont that all these animals might be observ-
| ed to belong to those persons who have made
| themselves most active in denouncng Jack
Long. Then was noticed the curious fact that
ell OF them were shot through The eye' This was
| ct once associated with the remark of Jack,
aud his odd feat in firing through a bullet hole
at the shooting match. This seemed to des-
ignatc him certainly as the guilty nan and as
animal after animal continued to fall, every one
Of them slain in the same way, a pefect blaze
of Indignation burst out on all sides The
whole county was reused, and the excitement
became universal and intesse In the estima-
| ton Of every body, hanging, drawing and Quar-
terng burning, lynching, any thing was too
good for such mcnster. All this was most
industriousy fomented by Hinch and his myr-
midous, until things had reached the proper
crisis, Then a county meeting was got up, at
which one of the Planters presided, and resolu-
tions were passed that Jack Long, as bad
citizen, should be lynchct and driven from the
county forthwith. Hinch, of course, dictated
resolution which he was to have the pleasure
of carrying into eject In the mean time, Jack
had given himself very little troable about what
was said of him. He had kept himself so Gil
tirely apart from every body that he was near
ly in perfect ignorance Of what was going on.
The deer feR before his cncrring rife in as great
numbers as ever The bear rendered up his
shaggy coat, the panther bis tawney hide, in as
frequent trophies To- the unique skill of the
Hunter.
One evening he had returned laden down as
usual with the spells to his hut 1t was snug
little lodge in the wilderness, that home of
Jacks. 1t stood beneath the shade of an island
grove, on hill side overlooking thicket which
hc.dcred a small Stream. No trcsed vines
ran over it. nor garden flowers nodded with
with gaudy crests about it. Bat the gray ST.
very moss hung its matchlcss drapery in long
fringes from the old wide-armcd oak above, and
that mid bht most pcrvading odor which the
winds are sklful to steal from the breath of
leaves, the young grass growing, and the pant
ing langnishment Of delicate wild flowers filed
the whole atmosphere around. These were the
perfumes aud the sights the coy exacting taste
CT bold rover Of The sol.tudes must have The
fresh face Of nature and her breathing, sweet as
childhood's could alone satisfy the senses and
the soul Of one grown thus in love with the
freedom of the Wilderness The round, happy
face of bis wife greeted him with smiles from
the door as he approached, while his little boy
and GIRL nut brown and r,,ddy, strove with EN-
ulous short steps pattcring over the thick grass,
to meet him first. and t!iDging to his fingers,
prattied and shouted to tell their mother Of his
coming He entered, and the precious rife
was carefully deposited oa the accustomed
hooks" of bucks horns nailed against the wall
The smoking meal her tidy care mad prepared
was dispatched and the hunting adventures Of
the day told over Then he threw himself with
bis great length along the hnlfalo robe on tie
floor, to rest and have roInp with the chs
dren While they were climbing over his large
body, and scrambling in riotous JOY about him.
his wife spoke for some water for her domestic
affairs. 1t was hard for the children TO give
up their frolic, but Mnuy's wish was strong
law with Jack Bounding up, he seized yes
sci and started for the stream-t!se little ones
pouting wis.fully as they looked after rim from
the door. 1t was against jacks religion to
step outside the door without bis gum but this
| time Molly was in hurry for the water, there
| was no time to get the gun, and it was but q
short way to the stream. He srrang gaily
| along the narrow path down the hill and reach
! ed the brink The water had been dipped up
| and he was returning at rapid pace through
| the thicket, when, where it was very high aud
bordered close upon the path, he suddenly felt
something tap him On each shoulder, andhis pro.
gross ifnpeded strangely. At the same instant
number Of men rushed from ambush on each
side of him, several Of them holding the end oil
the stout raw-hide lasso, which had been thrown
over him. He instantly put forth all his ire
menduous strength in a coavulsive effort to get
free and SO powerful was his frame that be
would have succeeded but for the sure skill
with which the lasso had been thrown tina,