Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1867-02-27

"Sir Roger used to make his regular an.
nual visit to town but of late, when
there, he had wandered restlessly about
the streets, peeping into the shop-windows
and if it rained, he would stand under an
entry for hours, waiting till it was gone
over rather than take a cab or omnibus.
The habit Of lurking and peering about
was become fixed, and his feet bore him
instinctively into those narrow and crowd
ed alleys where swarm the poachers of the
city-the trespassers and anglers in the
game preserves aud streams of humanity.
He had lost all pleasure in his club; the
most exciting themes of political life re-
tanned no piquancy for him. His old
friends ceased to find any pleasure in him.
He was becoming the driest of all dry
wells. Poachers and anglers, and Meth
odists haunted the wretchcd purlicus Of
his fast fading. out mind, and he resolved
to 60 to town no more His whole nature
was centred in his woods. He was for
ever on the watch and when at Rockville
again, if he heard door clap whea in be'
he thought it gun in his woods and
was up and out with his keepers.
"Of what'value was that magnificent es.
tate to him =? these superb woods; those
finely hanging cliffs; that clear and riant
river, curving travelling on, and taking
noble sweep below his window; that
glorious cxpanse Of most vcrdant meadows,
stretching almost to Castleborough, and
enlivcned by numerous herds of the most
beautiful cattle; those old farms and
shady lanes ouerhung with hazel and wild
rose the glittering brook, and the songs
of woodland tirds-what were they to
that old man, that victim to the delusive
doctrine oil bood, of the man-trap of an
hereditary name ?"
"The opposite,in in every respect, to this type
of fossilized aristocracy appears Simon
Degge-a plebeian, q reformer, a liberal,
an English Radical His character, we'll
painted, is one of sterling integrity, Of
undying energy in every respect what
VIC Of America would call rising man,
Continually interfering in behalf of the
people, he rises to high place in the
popular regard, and the war between him
and Sir Roger Is a good illustration of
how such contest is carried on. The
following extract shows passage of arms
and the result.
"a laborcr and his son. a boy about ten
years of age was returning from the fields
towards Hillmartin village. and were fol-
owing the footpath through copse, when
the lad saw thrush's nest on one of the
lowest boughs Of spruce fir, temptingly
nestled close to the stem, not more than
a yard from the ground. Away he ran
towards it. his father stopping for him on
the path. Arrived near the tree, the lad
as he ran struck his foot against some
thing and fell, but Jumping up, said -
"Oh father, here is a great chain !"
He was STOPPING to lift it up, when the
father cried out -
Let it alone let it alone it is man.
trap" r"
The boy stood terrified at the dreaded
name of a man trap. The father advanc.
ed carefully. poking the ground, which
was covered with dead leaves, with loug
pole which he picked up. When he came
to the spot where the boy stood, he saw
part Of strong chain laid bare, and lift.
ing.it up, discovered close to his feet q
stout iron pin, which was driven into the
ground and thus confined the chain
Telling the boy not to move, he gradually
lifted the chain till he felt it again fast.
t"There" he said Its the trap"
He looked round, and discovering 9
large stone, he fetched it. and discharged
it into the place where he supposed the
centre of the trap to be. AT once with
horrid snap and clang, the jaws of thu
huge trap srraps out of the concealinI
leaves and clashed together with a dread
full shock. Father and son stood rooted
to the spot. There was revealed thu
great iron engine in half circle of a
least half yard high, with its bideou
iron teeth closed, and grinning terribly.
"There |" said the tathcr--'take care
Tom. how you 60 bird.nesting into thu
woods If this had caught you it woul,
have snapped you in the middle Of you
body, and these DEVILS teeth would hav
almost met in your flesh. Nobody bu
the wretch of keeper as sctit could hav
got you out and if you had ben by yersel
you must ha' died afore anybody had ful
yer.
The man, Immediately on reaching tn
village asked to sec the Mr.. Degge, wh
, heard the account with great indignation
/. and taking another strong man with hin