Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-28

"Are you acquainted with Mr.. Musgrave? "
continued Boniface.
&C am not" Herbert answered cautiously,
for what he had already seen admonished him
to be wary, " but [ have heard of him, and I
believe he and Mr.. Hartman, whom seek.
have had some business transactions together. .
Business together" said the Landlord
musingly. "Your name amt Hartman and
this young woman's that's with you?"
"My name is Markham, and she is my sis
ter" Herbert replied.
And you've got some perticular fbsE ness
with this ere Hartman, 4 suppos. 4 - tilt
Landlord inquiringly, and with special empha-
sis on the last adjective
"When I deem it necessary to make you my
confidant, and these gentlemen my counsellors, -
said Herbert somewhat sharply, in answer to
the annoying Landlord, {" will give you no.
tlce and them an audience. Till then you will
please excuse me if choose to remain the mas
ter of my own secrets, "-and he retired to an
adjoining room where Alice and the hostess,
the latter huge mass of filthy flesh, were lis
tening to the conversation already detailed.
" You've got Ia hard one there, old Potbelly,"
said a bystander to the Landlord, as Herbert
retired.
Yes, and fox that won't be holed," said
another.
&c A nd tha Il / I1y5+ r.
he was holed," added third
"Arter all, who is he, Plug?" said one hold
ing tumbler of whiskey in his hand, to the
Landlord
"And what's he arter in these ere parts ?"
demanded another
I" What makes him so tarnal shy?" said
third.
:" don't know said the Landlord, "but
Margaret will spin the whole yarn out of the
young woman before morning."
"That's right, Plug" said one; 'put old
Lynx-eye mousing, and I'll warrant your
cheese is safe''
"Dig 'em out, dig 'em OUT" said half doz-
en- voices, and thereafter followed a drunken
revel, in the course of which various expressions
were dropped indicating that those present were
low dependents on Musgrave, or abettors of his
iniquities.
The words of the landlord here detailed were
scarcely uttered before the hostess, Margaret,
who had sought Alice to obtain the information
her husband had been laboring to procure from
Herbert, retired by a back way to admonish
those in the bar-r0om thqt they ware>Serlaard
by her guests.
" You heard my conversation with the land
lord, did you not, Alice?" said Herbert.
g. Yes,' the trembling girl replied.
I" BE cautious then-these folk are villains
Musgrave is SO too. The landlady is the Lynx
eye they have just spoken of, and she will seek
to draw from you the objects of our journey. To
impart it will do no good, and may do harm.
See to it then, if necessary to say any thing to
them, that what you speak comports with my
answer to the landlord. Will you do so,
Alice?"
Il will, y said she; "but fear to lodge in
this house this night. The sight of these evil
looking men alarms me not less than their ac
tions and their words. Is there no kindly neigh
bor, Herbert, who will take us in?"
81 doubt not, Alice, that these are fair spec
linens of all the neighbors the landlord has. They
are pack of drunken knaves, no doubt, and
will soon disperse. Besides, the nearest neigh
Dor is distant half a mile or SO, and thitber we
could not well Co. were we 50 disposed, in this
dark night"
At this moment Margaret entered the room
and rather than risk conversation between her
and Alice, Herbert remarked that if his and his
sisters lodging rooms were ready they would 90
to bed
"What, so soon?" said Margaret, evidently
at amt late yet, and I'm
ateared you won't sleep much if you go to bed
now, for the noise the gentlemen makes in the
bar-room.
We are somewhat fatigled, - answered Her.
BERT, " and may rest some, if we do not sleep
and perhaps the gentlemen would abate portion
OF their noise upon your suggestion, if travellers
were like to be disturbed by it,"
"Why, they are havin' bit of SPREE dive
see, !" replied the accomplished Margaret, "and
wouldn't mind nothin' about my digestion no
MORN if calf should bleat. -, s,s--------
Well, we will retire, said Herbert. sswben
you will show us our rooms, and trust if we
are kept awake, we shall meet no extra charge
Tor the bar-room entertainments you promise
us.''
g In course, man, we always charge extra for
bar-room entertainments, for most of our livn's
got from the barr
" | reckoned so,'' replied Herbert, as he viewed
the buds and blossoms on her greasy nose
" Wouldn't you and the young woman like
little sperit afore you go to bed? It's the best
thing on airth to rest you ifyou are tired, and
make you sleep, and it's first rate for a want
Of appetite in the morning"
eff | could believe it possessed of any such
virtue" said Herbert, looking upon the filth
and nastiness around him, g would take it for
The last named malady, with which am sure
we shall be grievously afflicted; but we will try
TO get rest and sleep without it, and trust to ab-
'tinence to sharpen our appetites.
g Abstinence! what kind Of sperit is that?
That's somethin never heard Of" said the
portly Margaret.
:" conclude SO; yet it is kind of spirit
should suppose traveller would be very like to
get liberal draughts of here. 1t is quite useful
occasionally, and is wonderful sharpener of ap-
petite. | would earnestly advise you to try it;
or ! am sure your systematic habit will never