Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-02-12


"Well, master I'm not 'shamed to say as |
nevor was afraid of man, beast, nor spirit and
never stopped at going out all hours of the night,
through the most loansomcst roads, if so be
was called upon so to do. Still must say that
jest as me and Molly, my mule, got into the
deep, thick, lonesome woods as stands round
the old Hidden House in the hollow, did feel
quccrish; case il was the dead hour of night,
and it was said how strange things were seen
and hearn yes, and done too, in that dark deep,
lonesome place. | seen how even my mule
Molly felt queer too, by the way she stuck UP
her ears, stiff as quills SO, partly to keep up
my own spirits and partly to courage her, says
|, Molly says |, what are ye afeard on? Be
a man, Mollyr But Molly stepped out eau
tious, and prickedup hG long ears all the same.
"Well, master, it was so dark | couldn't see
yard past Molys cars and the path was so
narrow and the bushes so thick we could hard
ly get along; but just as we came to the little
creek as they calls the Spout cause the water
jumpa and jets along till it emptics into the
Punch Bowl, and just as Molly was cautiously
putting her fore foot into the water, out starts
two men from the bushes and seizcs poor Mol
ly's bride"
Good heavens" exclaimed Major Warfeld.
"Well, master, before could cry out, one of
them Williams seized me by the scruf of my neck,
and with the other hand on my mouth, lie says
"'Be silent, you old fool, or I'll blow your
brains out
"And then master, ] saw for the first time that
their faces were covered over with black Grape.
| couldn't a-soreamed if they'd let me, br my
breath was gone and my senses were going along
with it from the fear that was on me-
"Don't struggle, come along quietly and yon
shall not be hurt, says the man as had spoke
before.
"Struggler couldn't a-struggled to a-saved
my soul couldn'tspeak | couldn't breathe !
liked to have a-dropped right often Molly's
back. One ou EN- says. says he
"'Give he some brandy And t'other takes
out flask and puts it to my lips and says, says
he:
"'IIere, drink this
"Well, master, as he had me still by the scruff
o the neck couldn't do no other ways but open
my mouth and drink it. And as soon as took
a swallow my breath come back and nv speech
"'And oh, gentlemen says !, 'ef its your
money or your life you mean. haint it about
me. Deed clare to the Lord-a-mighty haint
it's wrapped up in an old cotton glove in hole
in the plastering in the caimney-corncr at home,
and ct you'll spare my life, You can go there
and get it, SAYS |.
"'You old blockhead,' SAYS they, I'VE want
neither one nor tother, Come along r,ictlv
and YOU shall receive no harm. But 9t the first
cry or attempt to escape this shall stop YOU -
And with that the villain held the mizze of a
pistol so nigh to NV nose that smclt birthstone,
while t'other one bound a silk Handkerchief
round my eyes. and then took poor Molly's
bride and led her along couldn't see, in
course, and dissint breathe for fear o the pis-
toll But l said my prayers to myself all the
time
We'll, master. they led the mule on down
the path, until we coined to a place wide enough
to turn, when they turned us round and led us
back outen the wood. and then round and round.
and up and down. and cross wavs and length
wavs. as ef they didn't want me to find where
"Wcll, sir, when they'd walk about = this
fused way, leadin' of the mule about mile. !
knew we was in the woods again-the very same
woods and the very same PATH knowed by
the feel of the place and the sound of the bush
cs. as we hit up against them each side. and al
so by the rumbling of the Spout as it tumbled
along toward the Punch Bowl We went down
and down. and lower. and lower, and lower, un.
til we got right down in the bottom of that hol.
low.
"Thcn we STONED. A gate was opened.
put up nv hand TO raise the handkerchief, and
see whore was; but. lust at that minute, | fell
the mizzle O. the pistle like ring of ice right
agin nv right temple. and the villain growing
into nv ear:
"If YOU do -
"But didn't dropped nv hand down a.
if | had been shot. and afore | had seen any.
thing either So we went through the gate. and
up a grayelly walk-I knew il by the cracking
of the gravel under Molly's feet-and stopped
at horse-block, where one o. them william,
lifted me off. | put up nv hand again.
"'Do. if YOU dare saws t'other one. with tn,
mizzle o. the pistol at nv head.
Il dropped nv hand ike lead. So they led
mo on n iit,lc way and tbnn nm some stems
counted them TO myself as I went along. The,
were six. You see. master | took all This paini
to know the house again. Then they opened ;
door that opened in the middle. They tber
went along passage and up more stairs.ther,
was ten and turne and then ten more The,
along another passage. and up another flight O
stairs. lust like the frst Then along anotbe
passage. and up a third flight of stairs. The,
was alike
"Well. sir. here we was ot the ton o'thc house
One o. them williams onened n door on the lief
side. and t'other said
.Thcre--go in and dovour dutv,r and nush
ed me through the door and shut and lock ed !
on me. Good gracious. sir. how scared was
| slipped off the silk handkerchief. and 'feare,
as l. didn't FORGET to nut il in nv bosom.
"Tben looked about me. RIGHT afore MI
or tho boortb NOS n I;t,Io ,,or,, tapor h,rn;no