Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-25

ih"So ediu, may po ohiSSoiS'
" Is it so % whispered Sabine.
Precisely SO. When the posse is in pur
suit; or other danger is anprehended; the snag-
ger skulks, not from fear alone, but for the
purpose of observation, or revenge. Thus,
watching Others movements, have | been shell
tered on some friendly bough, with twenty hui
man foes beneath my feet, and huge black
bear, otherwise my foe, above my head. :
{" A clever companion that, y said Shos55bes
"'Both of us had fed froia u cea2saGasS
to the same resort"
" And which was the widest of the tu think
ye," continued Short.
:" If you judge by our modes of life, and
places of abode fderG nature might have been
imputed to us both
/" Where did you learn that language?'' asked
one who had thought more, and spoken less,
than many Of his companions.
=" Hush Be sient,' answered Clovis, whom
many recent circumstances, and among them
his PRESENT responsible position not the least,
had conspired to raise him to that true man
hood, from tendency to which, in early life, he
had been depressed.
The party moved on in silence. 1t was pain
full and melancholy to do 50. In the still, SOL
emn, darkness of the night; as if alone in a
solitary wilderness; more lonesome for the
presence of others whom he could not see; and
to whom he was forbidden to speak each man
communed with his own thoughts. He could
not do otherise for the mind would perform
its office, and an inward monitor invoked from
each man converse with his own heart How
various were those thoughts How mean-
choly some How thankful were Others of
those men when an opposing twig rudely as
sailed their flesh, and for a moment turned
their thoughts from the inner, to the outer
man. or when some wild animal in the distant
forest howled, or rustled the dry leaves as he
stealhiy, OF hurriedly crossed their path
How much of sweet satisfaction in the recol-
lections of the past, mingled with melancholy
, for the present, was the lot of others. Yet
, there was one in that party whose thoughts,
, how different from the rest No man knew
, them but he, nor could conceive how stupen-
, doua the burthen he bore What volMme in
his heart to review How dreadful the past
, How agonizlng the present How hopeless the
| future! One good act which he was about to
perform, was all that he could sec in store for
, his life to come. How utterly void, and insuf-
2 fcient, to atone for his life that was past!
. Alice Hartman had awakened his conscience.
Q She had striven, and with partial success to
7 teach him his duty to himself and his God
9 She had opened to him new pathway in life ;
the path of virtue and urged him to pursue
S it. He had entered upon it.. and it was to
him a delightful journey SO long as she followed
after, and with her sweet voice, or the recol-
lection of her counsols urged him on. Yet he
: could not but look back occasionally to see if
| she were near, and mentally exclaim, Good
Angel, hasten nearer to me, that | may make
greater speed in this joyous way!"
t Thus his conscience stood when he heard the
conversation between Musgrave and Barker un-
: der the walls of the Third Concessioncs' Church.
/ That conversation revealed to his afrighted con-
r science imperfect visions of sorrow, and self
accusing thoughts, so terrible that he could not
bear to contemplate them; yet he could moi
v drive them hence. He kept them in the secret
. recesscs of his heart, and dwelt upon them
:, while the same awakened conscience that afiict
q cd him urged him with impatient zeal, if what
~ he saw was real, to make all the amends that
is mortal could He nwardly thanked Alice
;, therefor. lie thanked her that she had made
,r his heart sensitive to the terrible gries it was
. compelled to endure. In this mood he jour
neyed on.
The party had not proceeded far before q
70 rushing noise was heard little in advance O
II them, as if score of men had suddenly startet
y up, and wero making q precipitate retreat. TIT
r yielding bougLs were heard to bend, and twig
he to cracklo under their feet as if they fled in af
fright Sabine's men made an instant halt
re and drawing their muskets to their shoulder
ri their gun-locks were heard to set.
m "Hold :" said Clovis rushing into thei
Id midst. g For the sake of Heaven, and all o
at. Heaven on Earth, don't fire. 'they arc onl,
he Moose that have herded here" The party re
IN assured, dropped their frelocks; and lent thei
ears to the retreating sound of the huge animal
a. that still made their way through the forest.
I'd "Oh, had II shot been fred said Clovis il
rd an agitatcd tone; !" all, al worth saving woul
y. have been iirevocably lost. Come on b
r wary and in all things, from this time forth
he be governed by me-"
rs Again they moved onward, intending to hal
IS for the dawn Of the ensuing day, within abou
CO two miles of the Retreat. 10 avoid the chance
It. of discovery by persons who might be passn
CT to, OF from, the Retreat; Clovis deyiatcd fror
no the ordinary course and led the party over
cd rougher, and more toilsome route. In man
or places the ascents were preciptous and difficult
to and in the darkness of the night where the
g crossed deep ravincs, or their pathway le
along the brow of high, and almost perpcndic
he ular cliffs, each man holding his fellow by tn
re hand it was dangerous in the extreme.
or None but n band of brothers, bent on pure
te ly philanthropic mission, could have submitte
lc 50 patiently as they did to tho pers and suffer
ad ings they were compelled to endure. But i
sh them spirit of enthusiasm prevailed which
to comparatively, made their yokcs easy an
d. their burthcns light"
'ss When they reached their proposed haltin
ed place they sheltered themselves alike from oil
is servation, and tho damp night air, in cavern
a ous rock, of which various reptiles and fo
ausit thoy knew OF seemed to care, wild beast