Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-04-28

| """i y icfcdieu W MIN tnaC Sne was SOmetnln
tar dearer, and that life itself would be of littl
worth if not shared with her He was no,
twenty-three years old, and except by desultor
study, and such knowledge as he had acquires
by association with the Grays, almost entirel
uneducated. lie was raw, uncultivated coun
try youth. Milly refined young lady, who's
manners would have graced any circle. H
was no fit mate for her, and as the knowledg
dawned upon his mind, he sat down alone il
his chamber, and few big tears rolled oye
his face.
He was resolved to make himself worthy O
her if that were possible. But how? Iii,
fathers will had left the property at hismother'
sole disposal, except two hundred aa5.lars &
which he was entitled on coming of age, but
which be had never claimed. He very wei
knew that his mother would do nothing to ait
him to marry Milly, whom she hated, because
she had once i'll treated her, a common action
of low minds; and he must therefore depend
on himself and his pittance.
A few days later Milly received letter from
Zadock in which he informed her that he had
entered the Academy at -, and that he in
tended to acquire an education and make him.
self if possible worthy of her. Hespoke meek
ly of his love, but did not seek to bind her by
any promises, saying that the thought of max
ing himself one whom she could respect and
look upon as an equal, was quite enough mo-
tive for all his toll .
During the three years that followed nothing
was heard of Zadock. lie had gone to another
school, at distance, and his mother, who was
deeply offended at his leaving her, never spoke
of him. Mily felt grateful for his love, and at
the same time embarrassed by it. To her, he
was only the tall, awkward, sunburned, loutish
boy, very good at heart, but coarse and uncul-
tivated, totally different from the ideal she had
enshrined in her heart
Milly had many lovers now, aud to one OF
them she believed she had given her heart. But
he was not one in whom her adopted parents
had confidence. They earnestly besought her
to renounce him, and after many tears and
struggles she consented to do SO, in an inter-
view promised for the following day.
Il have promised to ride with him, papa
Gray said Milly," to the mountrin spring.
will tell him all on the way"
Dr.. Gray bcsought her not to 60 with the
man whom h. distrusted, but she was resolved
to fulfill her promise. On the next day, accord,
ingly, she rode by his side along the winding
road that led to the mountain spring, and AZ
they stopped in the cool shade Of the trees that
surrounded the rocky moss-fringed basin, where
the bright waters bubbled up, to leap down the
mountain side in many flashing cascade, she
but for the sake of those who had been to hei
as parents she had promised to bid him farewell
g,&leadings followed, with his dangerous dark
ewes upon her, and words that turned her lovt
to terror, and awakened strange dread in hel
soul. She no longcr feared the parting, \
horrible repulson sprung up in her soul sh'
scarcely knew why, for she hardly compre
hended his words land she broke from his de
tainlng grasp, and urged her horse swiftly alon!
the precipitous path. Close after her came he
lover. And where the road grew rugged, ant
the horse s speed was stayed, he reached he
side again, seized her bridle and vowing tha
they never should part in life, urged her onwar
in byeroad that led in direction opposite t
her house.
The bride was in his hand, and tho tw
were speeding along, her lover vowing that til
first priest found should make her his wife, an
threatening her with horrible words if she IT
fused and she, in her ignorance, despairing {
escape, when suddenly sound broke upon he
ear, tramp of feet among the brnshwood,
loud, strong voice, that inquired
Halo, stranger, what are you doing wit
this lady? We don drag ladies over the mour
tain roads, like this, in these parts. What al
you doing?"
Here the speaker, tall; brown, bearded mar
burst from the bushes, and appeared upon tt
path before the pair. lie held u gun in h
hand, and a string of game was suspended fro
his belt Milly's prosecutor had paused IL lit
at first, but he now pressed boldly on, as if
would ride down the intruder, to whom
vouclsafed no answer.
"Wby, Milly!'
There was a great shrek of joy, a cry
ZAde and Milly sprung into the arms
the tall man, who put her very cooly behlr
him, while he levelcd his gun at her discount
ted lover, and ordered him to move off pret
quickly, or it would be worse for him.
dc obeyed, leaving Milly's horse behind, {
which she presently rode back to her home,
OF course, Milly looked upon Zadock as h
prescrver. Her love for the unworthy one h;
quite died out, and it was not quite unnatur
that she should find herself liking the real
good-looking, manly fellow that Zadock Sno
had become.
Not moro thana year thereafter she stood
the altar of the village church with him, al
became his wife. Mrs. Snow was dead, and t
young pair went to live in the handsome ms.
sion, which had arisen on the site of the {
, farmhouse, built by Nlilly IS money.
Mlly's money? Ah yes, she was an heir
, NOW Her father IS brother n cbildless hocl
lor, who had ignored her existence all his Ii
| had in dying, bcqueahed his large fortune
8 her.
That fellow heard of it in the village tt
| morning, Zadock was wont to say. Z"
heard the doctor reading the letter in the la
YER Office. lie knew Milly didn't know 1t y
and he meant to secure her and the money
i by forcing her to marry him. She was terri
for sho didn't know that he could