Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-10-15
CHAPTER II.
T II E r EFT R e A 7.

1t is wise provision of Providence which
hides from morlals the 6 book of fate all but
the page prescribed, the present state"
All the life of Milford would have been em-
bittered could the curtain have been withdrawn
which hid from him the future. The happy
moments which he had passed with his young,
beautiful and confdng wife, would have been
turned into the btterest sorrow, had he the
least fear that he should be torn from her side
by the dogs of war let loose by the authority of
England.
Morning and evening spring, summer, au-
tumn and winter had come and gone, and each
day as he went checrfully forth to toll in the
forest home of his adoption, his countenance
was lighted with smile as he thought of his
humble cottage, and when night had drawn
her sable curtains around, how sweet was the
domestic bliss which was his In this case,
" The Eastern sauls" did not lose their
mates " on Eulope's barbarous land !" but
those who were designed for each other were
vending the journey of life together, exhibit
ing those traits of character which are indeed
a cement which nothing but death can dissolve,
if opinions formed from results are worthy Of
forelits Wdvu the hotfs oi nign5 hau 30 far
past as to give cheering hope of safety, then
came the alarm, as with the ship, whose anx-
ious crew are looking with longing eyes for
land home, and friends, and as the man from
masthead cries " ho land ho!' and shout
of joy goes up from all, suddenly the heavens
lower and black portentous clouds fly along the
sky, the sea foams, and the crested waves seem
ready to swallow them up, and the seamen
raise their prayers to Him who can say to the
waves, peace, be still, and they obey.
When the morning came, Milford stood
among the captives where mothers were weep
ing over their children in wild despair, and
children were clinging to their mothers, vainly
asking for help, while the inhuman savages
were delighted with their sharp distress.
But Captain Horton, the ignoble commander
of the savage menals in the British service,
whom they used as hunters do dogs, to hunt
and kill, had some of the milk of human kind
ness in his composition, and ordered the wo-
men and children given up. with which COM
mand the Indians doggededy complied, and
the men, husbands, fathers, sons and brothers,
were compelled to march on their gloomy way
to Canada, leaving Royalton in flames Mil
ford cast one more look at the home which con-
tanned all he held most dear on earth, and then
took up his line of march, resembling more u
walking statue than the brave William Milford.
When all the prisoners were collected, they
urged them on till nightfall, when they encamp-
ed and bound the prisoners. When nothing
was heard in their distressed condition but the
low murmuring Of the forest intermingl led
with the wild screams Of beasts of prey and the
heavy breathing of the savages, accompanied
} by the measured tread of the sentinels who
kept the night-watch, suddenly the forest re-
sounded with the loud din of war. MilforC
sprang to his feet, breaking his bonds with al
most superhuman strength, and was bounding
away with the fond hope of escape, rejoicing il
, the belief that friends had como to his rescue
D when well-directed blow from savage felle(
him to the ground where he lay some moment
| senseIess. When consciousness returned. ant
his dreary powers of mind were capable o
comprehending his real position, the boundin,
t blood was instantly chilled in his veins. as h
saw the tomahawk of an Indian cleaning il
the mooubeams, just ready 10 descend on hi
defenceless head but he was saved from an un
timely death by the very seasonable aid O
: Captain Horton, who caught the descending
9 arm of the savage. The warm blood of two O
/ the slain prisoners was flowing for a doubl
E reason, because they refused to march whe
orders were given, and because two of the say
age sentinels were slain by the fire of the littl
d army under the inefficient Hause who con
IS mauded the few who had collected and gone t
rescue their trieuds.
e Call it not impiOus that Milford prayed I
y Him who governs the world that retributi,
J. Justice might be rendered to nation who woul
,l unchain savage ferocity, aud let loose upc
e the deienceless inhabitants those they had r
ID power to restrain, and whose delight was
blood And who can say his prayer, ascendir
is from burning heart, was net answered as
y reads the history of his country, and lear
is how little band was strengthened against
At mighty foe, and routed them from all the