Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-18
MAT WARD;
OR,
THE TORY'S DOOM.
A Tale of the Days that Tried Mems Souls
CHAPTER VIII.
A TALE WHICH HAS TWO LISTENERS.

CHAPTER VIII.
A TALE WHICH HAS TWO LISTENERS.
Mark Lincoln, the hero Of our tale, was the
non of wealthy and aristscrstie Epglifnan, 4
who had emigrated to this country some years
previous to the commencement of our story,
leaving his son at a University in Germany for
the purpose of completing his education. He
was one of those stern, unyelding men, who,
when they have once fixed their minds upon
desired object, will often sacrifice their all for
its attainment Mark was his only child, and
hence he lavished upon him his whole affections,
and looked forward to the time when he should
win an honorable name, creditable alike to
Mark and to himself. He graduated with the
highest honors, and after years travel started
to Join his parents in South Carolina, the place
they had selected for their home upon their ar
rival here. In the commencement of the
struggle for our national independence, the
Southern States were possessed of many wealthy
English residents who lived in all the elegance
and luxury which had characterized them in
the Mother country. The aristocratic bearing
evinced towards their interiors in wealth, won
them but little love from the surrounding in
habitants, who had sought our shores as an
asylum where they might be free from the
tyranny of those by whom they were oppressed
in the Old World. Mark inherited bat little of
his fathers disposition. His mother was "a re-
fined and highly educated woman, whose kind
ness and winning address won for her the love
Of all classes of society. Her nature, thoroughly
imbued with the principles of active piety
whose leading precept was ito love thy neigh
bor as thyself,'' was not one to recognize the
rich and exclude her more humble neighbors
from her notice. This often proved a source
of modification to her husband, whose only
pride consisted in the maintenance of the pomp
and splendor of an Aristocracy, and the tracing
back of his ancestry to some of the noblest
names that had figured in the history of his ma
tive land The oft-repeated remonstrances IN
which he endeavored to impress upon her mind
the necessity of ceasng all association with the
plebians, as he termed them, in order to main
tain the dignity of the family name, had no ef-
feet in altering her course.
This disposition, and these traits of charac-
ter the on inherited, and when, on his arrival
at home, he found the Colonies on the eve of a
contest with England, he carefully investigated
the causes which led to the quarrel, and from
his Investigations he formed the conclusion that
by every principle of right and justice his
countrymen were the aggressors, and the yeo-
manry OF our land had duty to perform i'll
resisting their encroschments. These views he
openly advocated in the presence of his father
which bringing upon him storm of indignant
rebuke, resulted in his expulsion from the fam
lily roof. With him to think was to act, and
procuring portion of money which he had
inherited from deceased relative, he started
for the North, which it was evident would bt
the theatre upon which would be enacted the
opening scenes Of the struggle There he wit
messed the spirit which animated the patriots
and it added new weight to his convictions o
the righteousness of the cause in which they
were engaged
Putnam was soon transferred to New York
and thither Mark followed him, but soon lef
the main army to enlist a volunteer company fol
the purpose of protecting the settlers from tn,
depredations of the Tories that infested tn,
province. This he succeeded in doing, and tn
men he gathered around him soon learned II
l,te and respect their leader. With this ret
respective view, we will turn to other incident
of our tale. n.
After Mark had satisfied himself that tn,
Maniac was asleep, he arose from his couch an,
approached the spot where the men were sleep
ing. A strange, undefnable fear was haunting
his mind that evil was hanging over the inmate
of a cottage we have before mentioned. VIII
this was he could not tell, but the thought 81
operated upon his mind that it \ in vain h
attempted to sleep. 1t was an undertaking at
tended with no little danger for him to attemp
to go to the spot unattended, when he knew
spies were in the vicinity for the purpose 0
watching his movements but love often leads
men into dangers which they would not other
wise brave. The love which melted Mark LIN
coin to the step, was for being dear to him a
his own life, and he determined, in spite of til
obstacles which beset his path, to visit the cot
tage. Laying his hand upon the sumberin
Watson, the latter sprang up and seized hi
rifle, half unconscious of the position he wa
in.
50 There is no enemy here, Watson sal,
Mark.
"0h, it's you, is t?' replied the other, 8
he laid aside his rifle. 81 was dreamn' ,
them ar cussed Tories, and got to pint whc
they was putin in the licks as you teched mt
Anything wrong that brings you out here ? "
.Nothing that am conscious ol--that is, /
far as concerns my own safety or that of m
men. | ain going out to night, and may
obliged to pass near the Tories camp, but
possible wish to avoid it. You say they, al
encamped some two miles from here?''
About that, should think. You foller I'll
r,ad till you come to a cearin, and thoy'I