Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-02-16
EMMA HOwARD;
THE PLOTTER'S DOOM.
A Story Of our own state and Times.
CHAPTER VII.
THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

ffE THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
HIS soon as Leon became aware that there was
no power short of a direct interpositlon OF
Providence which could prevent his being dash
ed over the falls, and in all human probability,
sunk forever in its depths, he felt faintness
creep over him, and horror of the terrible end
which he was about to experience, and with
shrek which died away mid the greater roar Of
waters he was borne on.
Then came thoughts of home, the dear old
spot, sacred to his memory, and especially 3d.,
as the dwelling place of those most loved on
earth. To leave them SO IN darkness-wlth no
hand to help, and no kind voice to comfort, and
no light to guide-without the necessaries Of
life, and without the hope of better days, was
dagger that went to his heart. He most de-
voutly wished he had never left them thus.
Man proposes, but God disposcs.
It has been said, and is generally believed,
that in the hour Of death, especially by drown
ing, every act passes in review before the mind,
to comfort with the assurance of duty done, or
chill with the remembrance of wrongs commit
ted. To considerable extent this is true, if
not indeed wholly.
In the summer of 18--, Twas rafting in Up
per Canada, and during the trip down the river,
one George Williams, a most desperate, but
most intelligent man, fell from the raft into the
water, ane died, so far as consciousness extend
cd, but was finally, after long and laborious
effort on our part, brought to life again.
In relating afterwards the sensations which
he experienced, he said that there was nothing
painful, or even disagreeable. physically, but
that his whole life-every minute act was as
clear to his mind as in the moment of its COM
mission. His mental vision was opened so
that he could see them, in all their real de-
fcrmity. They even seemed to take to them
selves bodily forms, and hover around to tor
ment him. Finally they faded in death, just as
dream forms fade in sleep.
He was conscious of no suffering in dying,
but in returning to life again, he experienced
great pain, and sincerely wished that we had
Iot HIu SOt nAuCO uO uttu ~ OttoilJ auu was NJ
nearly gone.
Leon had no visions of horror, for his life
had been as good and as pure as he knew how
to live it. He had nothing to regret beyond thu
unavoidable digressions of human nature. H
had never Intentionally wronged, or caused Q
human being pain. His whole soul longed fol
the good and the true. There are such souls
and that they do exist, is the most powerful ar
gument that the human heart is not universally
totally depraved.
But it was the most unaccountable that HI
could have an enemy who could wish to destro!
him. Surely, he had never done aught to max
one so desperately setagalnst him. The though
was painful. 1t was hard to die,-itwas thric
hard to think that in the wide world there wa
heart that could wish it,
On, on. lie divested himself of his coat ant
boots, determined to do what little lay in hi
power, to save his life. The skif proved to b.
but very mperfecrly made, and leaked badly