Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-07-15


with Father Morris, and the wise man, had he
been there, and looked at the shattered hopes,
which, like beautiful ruins were scattered over
that life, and at the standard wrecks upon the
shore, would have exclaimed anew, ssall is
vanity and vexation of the spirit.''
But poor Alice thought only of losing her
story. Seeing the mood Of her grandfather,
she sat down by his side and leaned her head
upon his knee. The trembling hand was by
the power Of habit involuntarily laid upon it
buf the touch recalled his wandering thoughts,
and he said
81 must follow soon, Ally: My old COM
panions in arms are almost all dead. My ar
NOR is worn and rusty, and l must soon lay it
aside, but L will not disturb your young heart
with sad thoughts. Go bring my pipe, and
will tell you story of old times, but it will be
about this same Major Safford-I can think of
no one else this afternoon
sI'd rather hear about something else,
thought Alice, but she never thwarted her
grandfathcr's wishes.
So lighting his pipe from the embers of the
kitchen fire, she returned with her knitting
work, and resumed her seat.
s'You see Ally" said the old man, after TAX
ing few whifs from his pipe, and knocking
the ashes thercfrOm, holding it in his hand a
moment, and glancing at his snug little cottage
and garden which rustled amid the shrubbery
like birds nest in the green leaves Of tree !;
sEYou see, Ally, matters were not always as
pleasant and peaceful as now. In the early
settlement of Vermont there were stirring
times amid these green hills, and it was. not
without many bloody fray and fierce battle
that we settled down SO quietly under sour
own vines and fig trees,'' as the minister says
in his prayer"
ssYou had to fight the Indians, 1 SUPPOSE"
said Ally.
ssTen times worse than that, dear child, we
had to fight the York tories. cannot explain
it all to you, for it is long story, and would
puzzle your little head, but to make it short,
We see, the folks over the Hudson thought
they had claim to the lands this side, and
they sent out to England and obtained, as they
said, royal authority to the claim. They then
sent officers here with parchment rolls, and
papers they called deeds, and threatened to
turn US out of our homes, and from the lands
we had with so much labor cleared.
Well, the Green mountain boys, with Ethan
Allen at their head, determined to resist, and
you know, for you have often heard me tell
how they fought.
But speaking of those times reminds me of
what l meant to tell you when I begun, that is
a sort of love story, in which the major and
myself were Interested -
At these words Alice dropped her knitting
work, though it was not in the scam needle,
and looked up with much interest, ssin which
you were interested, did you say, grandpa7''
eyes, child, when was young and foolish
and easily taken with pretty faces and the
love part would not be worth repeating now
only as connected with the courage of the ma
jor.'
ssOh, tell the whole, grandpa, I don't like
half stories..
ssWell, well, don't interrupt me, and will
proceed. I said the courage of the old major.
1t requires some courage to enter battle,
and stand there as a mark to be shot at by the
enemy, and feel that your body may be food
for carrion, but to defy the minister in his pull
pit, with all his church to back him, requires
more still.'
ssI thought it was love story, grandpa
ssHave patience, child, and I'll come to the
pint at last. Well, you see, our minister was
a tory, and though he didn't say so in plain
words, I've no doubt but what he believed in
the divine right of kings. at any rate, he
had 9. great deal to say about the "powers that
be. being ordained of God,'' and he always
prayed for our lawful sovereign, as he termed
King George, and that GIVE might be his true
and loyal Subjects" But Stafford was staunch
king, any day, could he have chance. So
there grew up mortal enmity between the
parson and the young man, and when the for
mer, with all his dignity and dignifies, viz =
powdered wig, three cornered hat, and silver
knee buckles walked the streets, Stafford pey-
er bowed but walked straight along, as if he
scorned obedience to one who would bend the
knee to an earthly king. But he still contin-
ued TO go to meeting, and would sit as patient
ly through the long sermons aud loyal prayers.
as good old deacon Burr, himself. The truth
was, this same deacon had one daughter, and
prettier girl than Polly Burr, never entered
village church: or, might say, graced a
palace. She had roguish black eye, and her
hair curled naturally; you never saw it in pa
per, even in the morning, and then she was so
neat and trim in her girgham short gown and
white petticoat, and at meeting she looked
pretty enough to make a young mans heart
ache.
e.She was the belle of the village, and at
quiltings, and paring-bees, and dances, she