Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-10


success in this story is not equal to that lin many
other works from bis pen. ltrequre9 not only
great genius but great skill to write purely i'm
aeinatiye sketch, whose scenes and characters
shall have had no actual existence, and to clotho
the narrative in slcb attractive and fascinating
garb as to make it widely popglar; and it calls
Tor much daring, VIZ can tut think, in tho
author who ventures INTO these unlrequened
fields Of literary achievement. That Mr.. Ihomp.
son b success should bo but partial in this, as we
believe, bis first attempt in this kind Of novel
wiring, is not therefore matter Of surprise.
Indeed, it is more occasion for surprise that the
author should by bis vivid imagination and by
the lively and graphic do,insas.on Of the scenes
aud characters of the narrative, have clothed 1t
with the living interest which it certainly pos
sessas.
But without attempting any further critical
discussl Of the literary excellence Of the story
We give our readers the closing chapter, 10
which they viii recognize HE uns5atod vigor
and force Of Af Thompson pen;
Vain would De The stomp, to describe the
scene of o0mm0uan and alarm that ensued
among d \ ranks, both Of llo aagna'cG, and the
people q tho Imperial city, 40 the fearful, and
90 them in q country where eirthqlakoa ana
volcanoes were unknown, mprehensiole
phenomena iAoy had jus. witnessed The dense
and deeply aeiated living ma.ses thronging .he
Sacred Enclosure. rushing hitler and th.her
N their oyarp1wT.ug conformation and dsmay,
W'ro seen cgtTywhere sWaying aud surgIng over
and lr9uu4 the whole extended area, like the
ler3g.-gsyssef the ocean Ia a suddenly snting
tem,.st psijaaei ag t6e blind imuulee 10
e,o,re. and thus beefi,gs gst,v trlnrl.ug hundreds
to death beneath tbeir feet. while the mingling
cr,es and orosns Of tbe wounded asd 5yiag. the
sbfjek, Of aH.itbt. aad tho eaEe.y uttered
pr,,ers to tae Gods for dellgerauc5 from the
s,metbin, tsrrifla,t hand. though thew scarcely
know vn9t. fled the air with the Nildes. up.
roar And tuuou
rbo Hl,b p1,.t ,hyugb al ffst as much
Ias.ont-f,j .rJ .l.tfl..I 4s tb. fe.t. as,st uot
loog II rar.fnirr .firent couuossre fur tak!ng
some definite action Tbe madden!ng thought
Iof the lle-or.death issue which hc well know
lbe had uo,g .t sta vr.st0rel him 30 the
nm uscofsiI h.s feai.sh faculties. With the
l1ir, of tl.s eI,u1 d, dust and smoke. that bad
filled the arr II wss bis first caro- 90 peer forward
Z, the fpot recently occupiel by iis intended
victim adI her ru.fir. And tie instant he dis.
o,y,rod t1ar f.i,ps no hastily called several of
nj. syiff,.t ronnrrs 10 his s,de and promptlv
dsp.tcbs5 than t5 close all the gates Of the city,
snl 4, sa, ttat tbry were ,ecsrely guarded.
II, tlen .eut different bands OF armed warriors
N rpr.lc i1taros,t and bfins back the iurltiyss.
And this done be arose and 10 d loud voice com.
aanoed .hv attention Of the people
A" let ~ one Je alarmed be snid, schooling
bis features aud voice iat5 looks and tones deem
ed best calculated for ehec, " l. was but a
clap OF thunder camlng from yon cloud be
continued pointing TO the dust and smoke cloud
that had, by this time, risen above the city.
" Yes only that and yet lt la a thing TO be
heed-l Isis 10 be taaen as token oil dis
pleasure OF the Gud. /. was m iact the voice
Of the Great Mi1it. speaking 10 10. lie had
become impatient at our hesitation and delay IN
rendering ug for his altar the victim that had
been vowed to MIN. We have incurred very
great peril ia ,lJs tudlHg wiki the God. But
have taken prompt measures 10 avert the con-
sequences Iaough, as yJu see, the peUerse
victim aud her ,rlI.5i0us raud, Is am prepared
to show them TO be, have escaped from the
sacred Eaclosutg, they hsya not escaped lrom
tHG city. Means have been taken % intercei
them; AM they Vi,i sJ1n be brought back
Peace, then, ye people HHo GOt shall be
shortly avenged and tnen lie viii again smile
on US, and save US from every danger.
We Will now return to Cents0la and her
fugitive traia Elr the hrs. few tutlongs, after
clearing the Sacred Enclosure, they found the
great street SO empted in Consequence Of tn,
general rush OF the people 10 the scene et ia,
sacrifices, that they encountered lew obstacles
to prevent thcm IRON making their way with al
desired rapidly through the usually thryngcc
street leading to the western gate aud they
began to congratulate themselves On the prospect
OF an easy aad speedy escape from what they
now uJutiy ielt 10 be, not on'Y a hostile, bul
Heaven doomed city Blt a, they proceeded
they soon perceived that a crowd was beginning
to gather around thgtn with LOOKS aud appear
anoes indicative Of anything but friendly intent
Large numbers cane pouring in from every cf0s,
street and avenue, through which they hat
reached the vicinity, in obedience to orders from
headquarters. t5 impede the advance Of the
mgiuyes But the intrepid Iuiozin, By bis
menacins attitude, and thc activity with whiol
he swung his ponderous war. club, succeeded ,o
while In causing the closely pressing crowd t,
give way before them while the stout and fear
less Wampa with a club in enc hand and loal
spear Ia the other, found as little difficulty II
protecting the rear Of tic train from any dan
grJus intrusion. Hu, as they began 10 draw
near the great gate, It grew more and NOR
doubtful whether the protection thus auJrdc,
could be sufficiently maintained to ensure 'hai
escape from the city For the crowd were nov
not only rapidly Concentrating around them
but, pressing close, aud closer On every side