Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-02-05


as death.
ado zee mind about ten years ago, in New
foundland, ?" began Skipper George, turn
ing his steady eyes to his hearer, and speaking
as if the date or the years since the date had
been painful to him "the hard year that was
when they had the rails they called emp"
"Yes; though was in England at the time,
] know pretty well what happened in Newfound-
land. 1t was a sad time"
"Ay, sir, twas sad time. Many people suf-
fered; some wanted food, ald more agen got
broken in spirit, land that's bad for man, and
some got lawless like. Twas sad time ia
deedl" Skipper George, having fingered thus
before his tale, began it abruptly: "Well, sir,
twas on the sixteenth of January Thursday
'twas-I was acomun down Backside from the
Gosh, hauling a slide load O. timber an my
youngest son wi me. 1t had abeen fine day,
first goun off, (for winters day. wi Just
furry O. snow now and agen, and deal o snow
on the ground, tull about afternoon it began to
blow from about west, and by nothe, or therea-
way, heavy and thick, an growun heavier an
heavier, an bitter cold. OH twas bitter cold
We didn' say much together, George an l, but
we got along so fast as ever we could. Twas
about on hour or two before night mubbe and
George says to me, Lets lave the slide, father
'Twasn' but we could ha' KEEP on wi it, though
twas tarrible cold, hard work but twas some
thun else
$50 we turned the slide out O. the way and
laved her, and coined on. Twas blowun gales
up over Backside; we could scace keep our
feet; an / hard somethun like a voice-I sup
pose l was thinkun O. voices-an' | brought
right up into the wind. Twas Just like beun
at sea, in manner, and craft drivin' right
across our wake, an would ha' been out o. sight
an hearun in a minute. Then knowed by the
sound twas the Minister-(we ddn' have e'er
reverend gentleman of our own in the DAYS /;
but e lived over in Sandy Harbor and ed oose
to go all round the Bay) We could scace bide
together, but was proper glad to meet un, (for
minister's comfort, e know sir y an e said,
IS GnyJody omP There's two o. brother Izik' s
orphans, sir, I'm afeared, and others along wi
EN-, | said. So e said God help them!-
Where are your two other boys. James and
Maunsell? p Along wi brother kik's two
said. Twas blowun tarrible hard, and cold, and
thick and the minister turned wi us, and we
coined up, ploddun through the driftun snow,
and over the rudge. When we opened the door,
first the mother thought there was four of us
and SO she said, James !! for we were all showed
over; but she sid there was only three, and
twas the minister wi us two SO she begged
his pardon, and told us our poor boys were out
u'aN out was dil Olu punt lntN
We were all standun (for we didn' think o.
nawthin but the boys) when two coined into the
door, all white wi''snow. 'Twasn' they two sir
but twas my nevy Jesse and another. Haven't
they comedP e said. Dear, what's keepun
them?'
n"Jesse had abin out, too, wi kik Maffecn and
Zippity Marchant, and they were over to back
side o Sandy Harbor together; on'y our poor
Young men were about three parts of mile
further down, mubbe. So, when it coined on
to blow, Jesse and his crew made straight fol
Back Cove and got in, though they were weak.
handed. for one had hurted his hand wrist-and
so, in about three hours, they got round by land
and thought the tother poor fellows would dc
so well. What can us do Uncle George? p Z
said; for he's proper true-hearted man, sir
and e was amos cryun. First, we can pray,
said the minister; and so he said prayer.
make no doubt was thinkun too much ovei
the poor young fellows; and the wind made {
utiiiUv gfeat BenUwing uown the chimley ant
all round the house, and so | uss ruther aw',
from it more and ought. Then tho Ministej
and Jesse and l started out Ny mistress didn
want me to go; but | coudn' bide; and so
atore we'd made much wy up harbor agen tn
wind and growun dark, (though 'twasn' snow
un,) we met a man comun from tother side
Abram Frank; and e said last that was seen O
our four was, they were pullun in for Hobbs
Hole, and then somethun seemed to give wa
like, wi one of 'em rowun, and then they CAV
over. and put her before the wind, and so a
long as they could see anything of EN- one wa
standun up scullun astarn. THAT was m
James, sirr)
very long, gently breathed sigh here mad
itself heard in the deep hush, and as Mr. De
bree turned, he saw the sweet face of Skippe
Georges daughter turned up to her father, witt
tears swimming in both eyes and glistening ol
her cheek. She had come up behind, and no,
possessed herself quietly of her fathers hand
$50 we turned back, and the minister wi us
(twas cruel night to be out in,) and the win,
almost took and lifted us, and sot us down b
the foot o the path over the rudge; but whe
We got atop here, and it coined athwart,
brought us all down kneelun, and we coul
scarce get over to the door. The poor mothe
got up from the chimley corner and came fol
ward, but she needn' ask anythin'; and ther
; was pretty young thing by the fire, (tkis gil
was little thing, asleep, but there was a prett
, young thing there) that never got up or locke
round; twas Milly Ressle, that was troth-plgf
to James, They was to have been married i
, week, eff the Lord willed and twas for e.
: house We were drawun out the timber. Sh
just rocked herself on the bench. She's gone
long enough ago, now sir!
$50 the Minister took the Book and read
bit. / heard un and l didn' hear un for / wa
aw'y out upon the stormy waters wi the poo
| young men. Oh, what a night it was u! it's n
use! blowun and bellowun and freezeun, an
ice all along shore to leeward
"Well, then, sir, about two hours O. nigh
there coined a lull, and then there was pus
or shake at the door, and another-and anothe
r and another-(so it was, we all thought an
/ then the door banged open. Twas nawthing bu
t cold blasts coined in, and then lull agen for
e second or two. So / shut to the door and tn
poor mother broke out cryun, and poor Mill
t fell over and slipped right down upon tn
r hearthstone. We had a heavy time Of it tha
E night, sir; but when the door banged open thl
time, this child, that was little then, lyun or
on the bench sleepun, made a soart of gurgl
| like, when the first sound coined to the doo
Q and when the flaws o. wind coined in she smiled
| and smiled agen, and laughed as eff body m
be sayun pooty things to her in d'y time. Jess
$ sid it, and plucked me by the coatsleeye, and
, sid it, too.
"Well, sir, night passed; zee may be sure W
didn sleep much on'y cat maps; and once O
g twice failed into kind of dwall, and started
t thinkun they was speakun to me. Mornu
| coined slow and cold, colder than night. S
A I'LL