Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-02-18

IKE 1eetlng shadows, as they were 80, one at
ter another, unconsidered, would they disappear.
Had she fixed her mind firmly upon any one
purpose thus claiming her attention, and stead
lily pursued it; itwould doubtless have afforded
a better security for the attainment of her OBJ
ject than no plan at all, And this is true in all
the affairs of life. Chance may once in thou
sand times, bring &C favorite of fortune !" to a
desired end but genuine ' flvorites of for
tune :" are as scarce as spirits, that come at a
call, g from the vastly deep; and he who re-
lies upon fortune to aid him, is like the slug
gard who leans for support on g a bruised and !
broken reed" They whose success generally
assures to them the appelaton of +" Fortunes
favorites," are such as leave laggard fortune
hunters in the rear, and press forward with a
steady and determined ZEAL encountering obsta-
cles but to overcome them, till they reach the
goal they aim at. This was the power that
hitherto impelled Alice. This it was that
brought her, after a separation from her early
infancy, to the point she aimed at face to
face, with her father TO point from which,
had he recognized her, he might have looked
back, with painful retrospect upon a desert
waste in the years of his life. But the sum of
her trials, difficulties, and what seemed to her
adversely, pressed 50 heavily upon her effemin-
ate and gentle spirit, that the tendrils of her
heart were strained almost to breaking
She turned her thoughts on Clovis and Will
lam Bolden. The former was respectful and
courteous, when she met him but for reasons
unknown to her, they met much less frequently
than in the early days of her visit to the Re-
treat. The latter was much more her compan-
ion, evidently seeking her society, and sympa-
thizing in her latent SORROWS; but for the want
of a guiding hand in the whole period Of his
life, he was clearly incapable of undertaking
the lead of an enterprise 50 important and haz-
ardous as hers. She could not well doubt his
entire devotion to her; nor his ability even, as
a follower, in any cause wherein her happiness
Or welfare might be perilled. This was appa-
rent in the entire absence of all attempt in her
presence, to conceal his passionate, though sub
dued emotions. He was child of Nature
He had grown up in the dark and tangled for
est well educated, as we have before said, so
far as may be understood by the common accep-
tation of that phrase; but as artless and inds-
posed to contrivance as if no such art as con-
trivance were extant in the world. Alice saw
all this She saw that if she willed it, he
might be to her " like clay in the hands Of the
potter '-and she determined, so far as her
influence should extend, to mould the vessel
Alright. She would not assume the responsible
ty, for any selfish consideration, to give wrong
direction to a mind so easily swayed. Beside,
she said to herself when she had so concluded,
she was under powerful interdict to keep
within her own heart, as if it were gem
covetous world was seeking, the knowledge that
lay concealed there.
Thus determined, her thoughts recurred to
Mistress McDermot The latter had just re-
occupied by Rolph. She found him in state
of great mental depression as well as bodily
weakness. The tenor of his language indicated
sense of deep humiliation, and morbid anx-
iety to withdraw himself yet more from the
converse, and observation of the world. AL
most the only appeal which could arouse his
sel-esteem, since the receipt of the forged letter
from his wife, was to his personal prowess, of
which he had, on more than one occasion, ex-
hibited surprising proofs; and his great physi-
cal superiority over most others Of the gang
The principal source from which he derived
qualification was in the consciousness that such
commendation, so far as there was merit in it,
was sincere and well deserved He knew that
in other qualities; such as tact, talent, educa-
; ton, refinement and skill in the arts, there
were others among his associates who were
greatly his superiors and since mere youth
, full adventurer had shorn him of the honors by
, which his pride upheld, in the presence of
female of the gang, the fear that the fact
!, would soon be bruited about, and especially SO
if Herbert should be received into fellowship
with the Snaggers, as Rolph apprehended he ul-
timately would, subdued him quite. He was
the sole tenant of the domcile he occupied, and
although his precarlous state required con-
r slant attendant, he repulsed, for day Or two,
all offers of that sort, and would only consent
to such desultory calls from Mistress McDer-
mot, as were indispensably necessary to his re-
> covery. Any alluson, however fortuitous, to
his present debility, would arouse in him mo-
mentary energy sufficient to show that he was
suffering more severely from mental inhicton,
than from any physical trials; and the anguish
he betrayed upon the slightest of any such allu-
. sions, was quite sufficient to restrain any one
who was not innately fond of torturing
Judith was pouring into the ears of her anx-
ious auditors a confidential relation of his con-
e dition, both of body and mind, when William
r Belden entered, and, as if by accident, an
nounced the return of Pellet. The orders of the
e latter had been imperative, on no consideration
and appraised him of the presence of the stran-
9 gers. To the mind of none, not even Moll, did
II this fact recur more suddenly, or more wildly,
; on the appearance of Pellet, than to the minds
e of Herbert and Alice. The arm of Herbert,
) on which, in a half recumbent posture, he
$ leaned his head attentive to Judiths detail, in
c stantly refused its support, as if William Bel
den, by the exercise of some supernal power,
) had infected it with palsy. The color, of which
there were yet faint traces, disappeared from
), the cheeks of Alice, as the rich, soft tnts of
d summers sky pass away before the suns early
!. ascension and as she sunk upon the floor. a