Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-07

the manufacture, and sale, of counterfeit mon Z,
ey, both paper and coin. Inhabitants OF the
town, who were men of considerable property, |
and, apparently, respectable character, were
largely engaged in it. The location of the
Bank, for such they termed the place of their
operations, was deep in dark-timbered forest,
SO thickly shaded that the rays of the sun could
scarcely penetrate. Here almost the same un-
broken stiffness reigned, that had prevailed since
the foundations of the earth were laid. If men
spoke, they spoke in an under tone, and mostly
in a language which none but the initiated have
known, since the building of Babel. Yet
within several miles of this Retreat there were
no listening ears save those of the wild animals
whose howlings made night hideous even
to those " workers of iniquity." |
ThxAlaggers, (such was the appellation Civ
en se who were engaged in th2busiesesss,)
= frooaution, in passing between the set
Elements and the Bank, to take new, and un-
frequsnted routes always avoiding any appesr-
ance of beaten path and choosing, though
the care added distance to their journey, to
pass over tracts covered with moss and fallen
leaves, and through swamps and beaver mead
ows, SO that no trace of human footsteps should
be left behind. So great and successful was
this caution, that the chances were many to
one, that any but an experienced woodsman,
though acquainted with the position of the
neighboring settlements, would be forever lost in
attempting to thread the mazes of this forest.
Here was the home of Musgrave, though he
had q residence for business purposes in the
neighboring settlement; and here, in the Snag-
gers Retreat, in the society of men and women,
the most abandoned of their species, was William
Musgrave, the child whose mother died three
years before and whose father, had he been
living-for Musgrave senior was not his father,
though William was not aware of this fact
would have fed the hungry wolves of the forest
on the carcasses of these more brutal men.
The elder Musgrave was the chief among the
Snaggers. Accustomed, by employment in a
different service, to exact the most implicit and
prompt obedience from others, and to quell the
faintest murmur by the most efficient means,
he ruled the Snaggers Gang with supreme facil-
ity, and without necessity for any very strin-
gent measures.
Musgrave sought the earliest opportunity af-
ter quiet was partially restored in Harriman's
household, to regain that confidence which he
saw was nearly lost by a want of self control
So far as concerned Hartman the task was easy
and even more successful than he had hoped
To nervous habit of which he had long beer
a victim, he imputed effects such as Hartman
and his family had witnessed. The remark O
Mrs Hartman had revived in his mind recol
lections, always painful to him, of one whC
had been, willie living, his warmess and mos
in vain for advice in difficulty, Or solace il
, trouble And if these memorials had occasionet
/ in him the betrayal of undue excitement it wa
f weakness for which he sought, and hoped h
might obtain, their indulgence. Were he per
Q mitted to review his life, and detail to ther
the scenes through which he had passed, h
= could count with entire confidence on all thei
sympathy for man doomed, he feared forever
r to an eventful destiny. But aside from tn
Q pain his disclosure would infict on them, hi
T. own inclination would dispose him to forbeal
o " And moreover, - he added as the expression
u Harriman's countenance denoted wish tina
% he would proceed, " the best earthly intere
of one who looks on me as on father, is sue
@ as demands of me that my secret should II
main secret still.' This was said with a
is accompaniment of tone and manner, such {
d convinced his auditors that importantly woul
l. not avail them to procure disclosure of tn,
l. which they were now, more than ever, anxious
20 have revealed The sympathy Of Harrima
" was excited by ideal suferings, and his wifi
ID with her eyes intently fastened on the strange
il was endeavoring to solve in her mind the que
ut tion whether he. was "aspirit of health,
goblin damned, with " intents wicked or cha
s. table" But before she seemed to have a
rived at any final judgment in the matter,
m piercing cry was heard from without. MI
us Hartman hastened to window looking o
re upon the highway, and in the same insta
st echoed the cry in tone of agony. Musgra
st and Hartman rushed to the door. Herbel
a" the eldest child, was pursued at the top of
d. speed, by man concerning whom the me
e. frightful tales were running in the minds
children in the vicinity. The pursuer was
a. lunatic who had been confined for many yes
Id in cell in the neighborhood, and whose ruli
passion was destructiveness. He was man
large stature, and endowed with prodigio
strength. He was clad in tattered GARNER
d. and somewhat fantastic array,-his hair q
be beard were of some years growth, and it "
well known in the neighborhood, that
D. many months before his temper had been
rs. violent that none dared venture within his &C
to BY accident he had escaped, and his appearar
Mt when first discovered by Mrs. Hartman,
On dicated that he was bent on the destruction
her child. Musgrave regarded him as fixed
,aa the same purpose, and without hesitating
m measure their comparative strength, he rusl
he headlong upon the lunatic, and dealing hin
its blow that might have stunned an OK, fel
re- him to the ground.
,he The child was saved The merry, laughil
his Intelligent boy-the darling of the mothe
IN heart-had escaped certain death by the int
its position of one whose noble conduct had !
nat only dispelled the doubts she felt she |
MS wrongfully indulgcd concerning him, but |
ind secured her confidence and gratitude then q
art thenceforth
Ter "Thanks thanks" said she the THAI
'ra of mothers heart are all have to give %
cad "And they are the most acceptable offeri