Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-05-06

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America, | am your Excellency's obedien
servant" etc.
As during the time his son was in the army
he had never passed muster, nor drawn an,
money or clothing he was at once discharged, a
his afflicted fathers request.
We next hear of young Stephen at Coventry
Connecticut, under the charge of Rev. JOSEPH
Huntington, then celebrated throughout New
England as an instructor of youth, of the very
highest order. Here, again, we find the young
reprobate engaged at his old tricks, one of which
was this practical joke' upon some neighbol
who had offended him:
~One night we repaired to his house, and
took logs from his wood-pile, about two feet in
length and piled them up against the door un-
til they reached the top, laying them in such a
manner as to incline into the house. After ar.
ranging matters in this order, we made a noise
as IT attempting to get into the old mans gar.
den, sufficiently loud for him to hear imme.
diately upon this, the old man crept softly tc
the door, and opening it suddenly, down came
the logs 50 rapidly as to knock him to the floor
and cover him over The noise which this made
alarmed the family universally, with an idea
that they felt the shock of an earthquake, and
that the Last Judgment had arrived, which set
some a-screaming, and some a-praying: and
for long time, these ideas SO wholly occupied
the minds of the family, that the old man could
not get any assistance from the load of timber
under which he was buried.''
Burroughs was suspected: but as he was seen
to 60 to bed that night, and found in bed when
the complaint was made to Mr.. Huntington, he
escaped 'scot-free." He did not succeed SC
well on another occasion with the same victim
for he was pursued in the dark, caught by his
coat-tail, which was torn off, and although his
enemy was thrown into deep and muddy ditch
he took the coat-tail with him. and bore it in tri-
umph to the boys master in connection with
his pupils mutilated garment, it was deemed
something more than merely "collateral' tes-
timony.
The young scape-grace varied such pranks as
the foregoing, by turning over out-houses in the
night, mounting and riding poor old horses
through the streets, full tilt, without saddle or
bride, for which hiss devoted precepter had to
pay roundly, ect., ETC.
Having left the school at Coventry, Bur-
roughs enters the college at Dartmouth, New
Hampshire, where his peculiar reputation had
preceded him; which led to his being courted
by lovers of coleee-fun, on the one hand. and
suspected and watched on the other. He com
plains of having been placed at board with
sour, morose, suspicious, watchful Clergyman
rigid enthusiast, who understood nothing of
human nature. In revenge for tle efforts Of this
minister to make him submissive and humble,
the student plays upon him 'trcks'' of the
same practical character which had distinguish
ed him at Coventry. Several of these are rela-
ted' some of which are very amusing, but we
pass them by. His cunning was shown in
avoiding discovery, almost always; as in the
case of stealing at night quantity of water
melons from neighboring farmer, who kept
them for sale. He was traced (as he discovered
by overhearing an informer mention the crcum-
stance to tutor) to his room IN college with
the fruit. But he outwitted them all for he
rose early in the morning, went to the farmer,
told him what he had done the night before,
and paid him literally for all he had taken.-
His triumph was complete, when, after being
arraigned before the congregated authorities,
amidst the sneers of the informer and his other
enemies, the tables were so adroitly turned -
Soon after this, and being ''disgusted' with
the rigid regulations of the college, he "left" it
clandestinely, and returned to his fathers once
more, a disgraced student
But here he did not long remain. At little
over the age of seventeen years, he left his faith
er's house again, and directed his course to
''Newburyport, a small seaport town in Mas
sachusetts,' where many small vessels were fit
ted out for privateering. 1t was in the month
of November the season had become advanced,
the snow was falling thickly, and to crown all
his troubles, he was unable, after night-fall, to
find his way through the dense woods. His
horse given out, he was ''sorely worn with fa
tgue and black thoughts )" and it was not un-
til twelve o'clock at night that dim light in
the distance told him that friendly shelter
was near; a log hut, built in the very depth of
the forest IL fire in the middle, the smoke of
which eddied up through hole in the roof
Asking how far it was to tavern, he was in
formed that that was the tavern, and the only
one kept in all the near region round about
He slept two hours "upon hard bed, after
harder SUPPER" and then ''put out'' before
daylight; arriving at longth (whether late or
early, he does not tell us) where was better
s'cntertainment for man and horse.''
Young Burroughs, arrived at Newburyport,
sold his horse, saddle and bride, and with the
proceeds prepared himself for sea. Finding
no prlvatcers in port, he esailed in packet which
had letter-ot-marque to France. Having some
knowledge of medicine, with the assistance of
an old practitioner, who marked his medicines
in the proper way for him, he entered the vessel
as "ship's physician" Sea-sickness prostrated
HIM till he reached the Island of Sable, where
they went ashore. 1t was dreary, barren
place, with nothing to cat or to drink and ac-
cordng to the sailors there 'the abode of spirits
and hobgoblins." 1t was worse then sea-sick,
ness.
With various adventures-now running after
prizes" which turned out after all to be
American privateers-they at last fell in with
a sail which promised something She was a
"lugger,' showed no colors, and answered the
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