Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-11-12
FREEHOLD N J. THURSDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER r. 1857

" uoe Adu k5u ptaCS Wucu ue IOuuQ tRell
rooms empty; and looking into the STE
Eble, discovered their horses had likewise
disappeared. Suspecting that thev in
tended playing him some trick, Harold
forthwith saddled his nag and rode afte,
them.
| 1t was sometime before he reached Their
they having so much the start Of him
and even then he preferred keeping then
in sight, and following at distance, tc
Joining them at once. But his brothers
heard the tramping Of his nag; and feel
ling convinced that he was coming to claim
his share of the treasure, Eric said to the
Others, We are three against one-why
should we divide into four that which we
can keep for us three 2"
His brothers understood him but to
well, and at once acquiesced; and three
wicked wretches agreed to slay Harold il
the woods and thus appropriate the trea
sure, which they had sworn to their faith
er to divide in equal shares between them
Accordingly they slackened their speed
SO that Harold was obliged to come ur
with them; when they acknowledged the
errand they was on, and spoke so fair
that he entertained not suspicion oil
their per6dious design. The brothers re-
marked, with some satisfaction, that Ha.
rold had not provided himself with any
implements for digging; nor had he even,
in his hurry, taken any weapon of defence
with him.
AT last they reached the forest, and af
ter rambling about good deal, they fin
ished by recognizing the avenue of juniper
trees their father had mentioned, where
they left their implements, in order to
ride on the faster. least the moons face
should be yelled by some large clouds
that had been futtering about, before they
had ascertained the exact spot where they
were to dig.
AS soon as this was done, they would
return to fetch them, leaving Harold to
watch by the tree, as, having no tools
With hitsas esfero was no danger of his an.
ticipating them, and carrying OFF the trea
sure.
Just as they had penetrated into the
very heart of the wood, and had described
the withered oak with the one green
bough, Eric who rode foremost, stood
face to face with what appeared a hunts
man, clad in green, who took hold of his
bride, as if to impede his farther pro.
gress, saying, Lordling, will you do an
honest work, to help poor wearied soul
out of this wilderness %
Eric shook him off impatiently, conclu.
ding him to be either beggar or an out
law, especially as he was accompanied by
other foresters, who were lurking behind
him. Just then his horse neighed, and
paved the ground violently; when Eric
feeling convinced he had reached the
right spot, and exasperated at the pre-.
sence Of these men, which threatened to
impede his grasping at the treasure, ut
tered an oath and a curse-and bidding
the huntsman go to the devil, replied that
he was not born to do the work of any
man.
E "Then ride on, Sir Eric, andsto the
fiend's work instead, " muttered the hunts
man.
Eric's horse reared and plunged, and al
once set off into a mad gaIlop. But his
brothers thinking the horse had been on
ly startled by the stranger, and would
soon be mastered by his rider and return
kept their post by the side of the tree
when the green huntsman approached, in
turn, Baldwin, who rode next in the mar
row pathway, repeating the same demand
on his services, in the same words.
Baldwin, no less fiery in temper thar
his selder brother, shook him quite as
roughly, both in word and deed; wher
the huntsman bid him ride on, varying
the formula only by substituting the name
of Baldwin for that of the elder brother
"How the deuce does he know my
name n thought Baldwin, as his stee6
branched eff with a degree of Aeetnes
that took away his breath.
1t is now Guys turn. Be wiser thar
they, lordling," said the green huntsman
grasping his bride, and do an hours
work"
Silence, clown r. Numbered GUY" d
I'll trample you under my horses hoofs.
/ Ride on, Sir Guy rejoined the hunts
man; : and ride until you are tired"
And by the pace at which the horse Sc
off that seemed likely to come to pass be
fore long.
The green huntsman now approached
Harold's nag and made the same re
quest.
Why not :" said Harold, provided i
be nothing that Christian should no
do.
Then help US" said the green hunts
man. to find the bow and arrow an,
hunting horn which King Arthur-Go,
save bis soul l--lost in the forest. Alas
we have spent years in this vain search
and few are the passers by to whom W,
can appeal for assistance; and of thos,
few not one has ever been able to sue
coed.
/ Harold now remembered the legend b,
had heard in bis childhood about Kin,
Agthur's retaiEers wandering about il
the forests in expiration Of sins committee
during their lives; yet having no fear o
spirits uparmed though hs was, be simpl,
replled