Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-14

whose walls, and ceiling, were of ragged stone
as nature formed them. An obscure light pen
etrated this apartment through clefts overhead,
and was partially relieved by the glowing heat
of two or three small furnaces and forges, at
which men, begrimed with SCOT and dirt, who
might have been useful citizens, were silently
plying their forbidden art, like evil and mute
spirits in another world. The doubtful glare
which their fires reflected upon the counte-
nances of these men gave them hideous as
pect. The facility with which they handled
the molten ores, and passed the brimming ladies
of red-hot fluid from hand to hand and the
imperturbable coolness with which they travers-
cd their apartment in the midst of fiery darts
that shot from their melting pots, anvils, and
forges, and fell in showers Upon 1sheir half-pro-
tected forms, added to the cold, and unbrokensi-
lence which prevailed, made them seem like in
fernal beings, and might have strongly reminded
one entering as Hartman did, of the faciis
descensus auerni, which Virgil has described.
Across this apartment little stream of pure
cool water gurgled over bed of rock, and was
lost in crevice on the opposite side. Beside it
was William Belden constructing puny dam,
and at little distance apart stood Clovis, whose
intercession had saved the life of the boy, now
watching him with affectionate interest, lest
from some rude. hand he should get a cuff with
out reason.
Sharp glances, expressive of determined pur-
pose, were cast on Hartman, and sub silentio,
he and his guide passed on. Ascending short,
jagged, artificial flight of steps, for the most
part on their hands and knees, through low,
narrow, dark passage, they arrived in spacious
apartment which was comparatively cleanly,
and into which a sufdciency of light was admit
ted through long natural vestibule accessible
by boats from the lake. This apartment, or
cavern, for such it might properly be called,
was of ample dimensions its walls presented a
cragged surface its roof was of stone, high
above the heads of its occupants and its floor,
saving some slight protuberances, was even and
decently swept. 1t was conveniently and sub
(stantially furnished, yet without anything per-
tanning to ornament. In the corner was huge
fire place from which the smoke assembled through
a chimney laid up of loose stones, to the top Of
the apartment, whence it escaped, through va
rous crevices in so small volume as to be scarce
ly perceptible among the trees and shrubs with
which the outer surface of the entire cavern
was crowned. In the vestibule, and at the en-.
trance of this apartment, were suspended vari
GUS stringed instruments acted upon by the wind
indicating the presence of a more tender sensi
bility than any we have yet described, anc
these, in periods of comparative quiet, filled th'
apartment with plaintive and softly-howine
melody. When a storm was on the lake, or j
boisterous winds prevailed, the volume of sount
in this apartment seemed thousand fold in
creased, and thousand times varied and TIN
noise Of the dashing surge against the cliff
echoed like the report of cannon in siege
The occupants of this room, which was calle'
the Hall, were females presenting various cast
of character There was the staid, and matron
ly looking woman ; the bold, burly, dubious
looking wench
"The homey rough -hewn, holden Of a virgin "
"who engrossed the homage of Major-sturgeon -
and the tender-eyed, soft-cheeked girl, looking
for all the world" as if guile could neve
find an avenue to her heart. These were differ
emily engaged. Some in culinary pursuits
others in making, or repairing, apparel, an
others still in filling up, or afixing signatures
counterfeit Bank notes.
Leaving this apartment, Hartman and hi
guide entered the vestibule which was vastl
more jagged and uneven on all its surface tina
the Hall they had left. A balmy and refresl
ing current of air circulated through this apar
ment and on its shelving crags, Or against il
walls, were laid, or suspended, huge gammor
and fitches of bacon, dried moose meat, hauncl
es of venison; and great variety and prof
sion of pastries and minor viands, very admir'
bly, qualified to sharpen, if not from their abul
dance to pail, the appetite of the "most strai
est :" of the sect of Epicurus. Proceeding ol
ward, they reached the outward extremity
the vestibule, where its elevation above the w
ter, and the projecting branches of shrub
shielded its cavernous state from external viey
Descending by irregular and somewhat precar
GUS steps to the waters surface, our guide ar
: follower stepped into boat and presently lie
the cavern far behind.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.