Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-12

AOu llO DIG 1Ou NC IhUhO uh V"AA ASN- -
Frenchman. You talk questions when you see
yourself replied the Frenchman half angrily.
" On the lake, mean. Up or down ,"
cup? Down? By gar, you spec me go up
to de sky-up to de air-up on de cloud? You
tink me go down on de water? You tink me
go down on de fish? What for you ak me all
dat fool question? You want make un big
scrape wild Frenchman too?"
"No no, good friends, no, no you mistake
me entirely. mean where do you iand-what
place? ?" persisted Howard.
go, Mon Dieu Mon Dieu me see, me see
Pardon, monsieur, me been ak pardon. By
gar, me tot you been make un fool on French
man. Me go on St. Penelope tonight. Me
live on St. Peneiode, on fodder end de Lake."
Que dit H.? " asked Antoine
" II Uoudrdnt SauiOr Ou nous demure."
~ want passage to Pikeville, in time for
the stage west can you carry me g
"Ah, yes yes sar me be much glad carry
Monsieur to Pikeville. Arreteum peu, Antoine,
pour LASER le Monsieur embarque," said he,
speaking to his French companion.
{" Get in, ;" he continued to Howard, cordially,
" get in Take de seat on de forrid end, Dere
all right--so ho"-saying which, he showed
the boat from shore, and the trio aoated down
the river.
John Howard seated himself in the bow of
the boat, in silence, while his companions rowed
under the great bridge, and out into the broad
lake. For a fuI hour he never spoke, but re-
mained buried in thought, or listening to the
senseless jargon of his French companions.
Utopia was left in the distance. and as far as
the eye cou Id reach, not dwelling was 10 he
seen, on either shore of the lake. Wild noun
tains on the West, and bold bluffs on the East,
with verdant island, ahead, dimly seen in the
distance but no sign of life or human habita-
ton.
1t was a hot, sultry morning, at the close Of
June. Not breath of air was stirring-nOt
sound but the dip of their oars, or the shrill
scream of the lake birds that hovered aroLnd :.
An almost oppressive calmness seemed to rest
upon everything-the lake-the forest-and the
green meadows that here and there sire tched
back from the lake to the hills beyond.
True, the little specks that hovered on the
southern horizon, would have told of storms, to
an experienced eye, but they told nothing to
John Howard and if bis companions were ex-
perienced, they were jovial thoughtless and
careless.
1t is one of the happieSt and most admirable
traits of the Frenchman, that he neither can,
nor cares to, look beyond the present.
Pierre Genaut, the voluable Frenchman, and
Antoine, his man of all work, had been, as was
their custom, to St. Aubin to mill. Genaut was
small farmer and lived at St. Penelope, ten
J miles below Pikevile, where Howard intended
to land He was lively, good-hearted fellow,
and as quiet and steady at home, perhaps, as a
Frenchman can be, but always in for time
when away.
EAU de Uie' said Antoine at length, remov-
ing the cover from large wooden pail, and ex-
posing several junk bottles.mixed indiscriminate-
ly with bIked beans, pork and potatoes, dough
nuts and cheese, bread, and such other edibleE
/ and utensils as go to make up the tout ensemble
, of such voyages.
g Oui nous prendrGis ua peu, 81 voHs plat. y
! There, Monsieur, have something. BygGr,
t est bon pour le sGnte," said Genaut, at the
/ same time extending a we'll filled bottle to How
ard
f 50 Thank you, sir don't wish for any," Thil
was said with an effort, for although he was
firm in his resolution, yet when he was so inop
| portunely tempted, and felt all that gonenosl
. and keen appetite, and was, moreover, so ex
y tremely low.spirited as he now found himself, il
required all his strength to resist.
Q "Don't be 'fraid, don't be fraid," pursued
Genaut mo got more, five, six quart. Tak'
: some, he no hurt Monsieur. Bon," taking {
: drink, " by gar, he be fus rate"
/ "Not any, thank you I've drank too much,
! replied Howard.
: "Too much you bin drink too much Yol
i drink nottin nottin tall what for you bin sale
q you drink TOO much o. Antoine" said he
Z. turning suddenly, /" Voice un bon place pour !
% pOissOa'''
+" Oui Monsieur; jaine Get project" )" saying
d which the boat was made fast to an anchor
% the fishing tackle overhauled, the lines unwound
and an hour spent in the vain effort to coax tn
finy tribe from their element. John HowarC
h demonstrated, but they were determined to fish