Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-27

women into the barn to milk the COWS. Soon
after | heard, children round the barn, as
though they were in pursuit of something with
a dog. soon found that skunk was their OBJ
ject, under the barn. However, when the wo
men had finished milking theircows, the children
were all ordered into the house, this day being
Sunday.
'To my sstonshment and surprise, the two
men, who had gone on to the other NOW, now
came over where was, and told me they could
not find a place to hide j; and indeed, said
they we do not like to be SO far off, for it APP
pears to US that we shall be taken if wearel 7
How felt under this situation you will read
lily conceive, by supposing yourself in my
place, and people expected into the barn every
minute to fodder their cattle jumped out
of my place, told them to lie down in moment,
covered them over with hay, and returned into
my place, just as the young men came into tho
barn to take care of the cattle.
They came on to the NOW where we were
lying, and took the hay from it for their cows,
but made no discovery and yet notwithstand-
ing all this, one of our men, by the name of
BuRREL, whom had covered over with hay,
was asleep before the young men went out OF
the barn, and snored so loud as to be heard !;
but the men did not know what noise it was,
nor where it came from.
Immediately after these men had left the
barn, again jumped out of my hole, went to
Burrel, who had uncovered his head entirely.
walked him, and expostulated with him in the
severest terms.
We lay quiet all the forenoon, without any
accident during this time I endeavored to make
some arrangements in my own mind for my
future conduct. | concluded that should be
able to reach the State of Rhode-Island the next
morning, when Ishould be no longer obliged to
travel under cover of the night; when | could
again mix with society, without viewing them
as my open and declared enemies.
We heard the various bells rigning at Dor
chester meeting g-house for the exercise of the
day. The forenoon meeting was finished and
the first bell for the exercises in the afternoon
was ringing, when number of men came into
the barn to put horse into the chaise standing
on the barn-hoor. The streets were full OF
people going to the Westinghouse. A number
of children came likewise into the barn with
the men, and climb on to the NOW, where we
lay secreted looking for hens nest. At this
moment Burrel began again to snore. which
brought the children Immediately to the spot
where he lay, and his head being uncovered,
they saw it, and cried out Daddy, Daddy,
here's the skunk here's the skunk = 1t hardly
appeared credibly to the old gentleman that a
skunk should be on the hay-mow ; he therefore
manifested some doubt as to his children's re-
port but they were determined he should be-
lieve them, and affirmed it again with warmth
1t certainly is skunk, Daddy, for it has go
ears
The peculiar manner in which this was ut
tered, made the people on the barn floor thinl
something uncommon was there. They accord
ingly assembled the NOW, to the number o
eight or nine, in order to satisfy themselves con
cerning this matter. By this time Burrel
awakening, saw he was discovered, and bega1
to pull the hay over his head Those VIII
were on the NOW saw it, and were now con
vinced that the children, in fact had seen some
thing that had ears. They took the pitch-forl
and moved the hay which lay over these tw
men, and Immediately saw that they were con
victs, escaped the preceding night from tn
Castle.
The barn was instantly filled with peopl
from the street, on the alarm being given O
these men.
Through the whole scene, from the frs
opening of the barn by the men who weE
about putting the horse into the chaise, till tn
time, my feelings were of the keenest kind
When had succeeded with all the plans for es
' cape thus far when had endured, with s
: much patience, a course of such incredibl
I labor, as what | performed in breakin
through the boomb-proof; when had, further
y more, overcome the difficulties of making tn
sentry prisoner, Of preserving him fror
death, of finding the land we sought throug
- the thickest shades of night, and the uncertain
. ty of being drifted out of our course by &C
= verse tides; and then, by a retrograde cours
3 of Incidents to be deprived of the object,
- which all these labors were directed, was
=, prospect which filed my mind with the keer
est anxiety, and kept my fears in a perputu;
: state of alarm
: Il heard the children around the hay-mo
; with the utmost pain. heard Burrel's sno
u ing with indignation and horror now a
y, ;, most gave myself over for lost But whi
= were my sensations when the people ascendC
- the NOW and discovered these two convict
/ plainly seeing who they were by their dress
;" However, all hope of escape was not los
- thought it yet possible to remain undiscove
~ ed, if the two conyicts behaved with any pr
'0 dence, seeing we were so far under the ha
80 The question was asked, What had become
1t the other prisoners who had made their escape
Burrel answered that he should not tell, b,
if they were any where in that barn, TIN
f1 :, were right down there pointing with his fl
~ ger to thespot where we in fact were. Wi
y this information, they began the search agai
AZ pitching the hay from the spot, till they car
o' down to the place where we had been socreto
., The feeble twig upon which my last hop
~ remained, was now broken, and sunk into
state of despair. All my fond hopes were lC
y in moment, and found myself only fall
h' into state of greater wretchedness, in t
~ room of being liberated from my former m
n, cry
l The whole posse were now carried to pu
er | lie house. and kent there until n puard IN,