Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-04-29
A MODERN PROMETHEUS.

and Gloats Deer his Dying Struggles.
Before gold mines, oil wells and dia-
mond fields had developed their practic-
alities for the adventurous spirits of this
country, the fur trade of the further
Northwest enlisted the energies of nu-
merous speculative characters, among
whom were two young men of St. Louis,
who, from having been playmates in boy
hood and
INsEPARABLE FRIENDS
at college, became partners in scheme
OF Indian Uresai-e Eos. 4hA- .;ahnr-snnils
of the hant. Both were orphans-the
nearest living relative possessed by Ell
ther was sister to the elder of the two
and there were consequently no do
mestic ties to keep them back from the
wilds or limit their absence thither.-
Ascending the Missouri river to the ap-
pointed trading grounds, they entered
upon the conjoint adventure in the true,
all absorbed energy of success, and, from
the first month, prospered beyond all
their expectations and reaped profits pro-
portionate to early wealth. In
LITTLE MORE THAN TWO YEARS,
indeed, the brotherly firm were rich
enough to have gone back to civilization
and lived at ease for the remainder of
their lives but as already told they had
no social exigencies to call them back,
and, having contracted fondness for
their new occupation, they stayed on and
on indefinitely. Once year, however,
they repaired to St. Louis to sell their
furs, and divide and invest the profits
and upon one of these occasions the sis
ter before mentioned persuaded her
brother to take her back with him to
the wilderness, that she might observe
for herself the many wonders he had SO
often described
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
Thus during the ensuing year. the
rancho of the friends at the head waters
of the Missouri was graced by the pres
ence of an amateur "huntress." who,
when the time came for her to return
home, was reluctant to leave, and doub-
ly SO because her brother CHANGED to
have sickness which prevented his de-
parture with herself and his partner on
the nsnal ann,-~1 l-:--- 10 4hn
city. The trip must be made, however,
and it would be her only opportunity
of going for year. So with what for
titude was available under the circum-
stances, she bade the invalid good-by,
and went home in the care of the young
, er member of the firm. Left to himself,
; or with the care of Indians only, the
: sick man pined until his partner return
with an unusually large dividend, and
r an account of the young lady's safe ar
: rival in st. Louis gave him energy to
combat and conquer the fever of which
r he was the victim.
THE REVELATION.
= Tbenceforth the friends traded and
e trapped as before for several months
at the end of which time midwintel
Y letter from the city to the elder of the
< men almost killed him with the dread
J, full news that his sister had become &
9 maniac, and that it was his lifelong
friend who had made her such. 1t wa:
!, another friend who wrote, and the words
/ were few but to the point. The brothel
happened to be alone when reading it
Y and was thus able to master his first flu
# rious impulse for immediate signal re
II venge upon the traitor, and
r. sUBDUE HIS FRENZIED FEELINGS
d to the cooler deliberation of a schem
r, for retribution as perilous as the offenc
2 had been. When his partner came il
a he explained the pallor of his counte
(. nance by pretending temporary faint
o. ness and resumed his daily pursuits a
Sc though the message from home had bee
h the most ordinary of Enclosures. Hi
le treacherous friend must die; but in dy
Is ing he must be compelled to endure ag
k onies as lingering as those he had infict
RS ed and while the self-appointed minis
Y, ter of Justice followed his usual avocs
It, ton he planned the
hit REVENGE THAT SHOULD BE WORTHY
ry the wrong. When the next stock {
ed furs were packed for transportation dow
the river, the avenger made some excu;
t for brief visit to Fort Benton, whel
es he procured of lawyer the execute
of a will, leaving the testator's name
1T. blank. Then returning to the ranch
SO he proposed that instead of going dow
the river for their market, this tin
re. should 90 overland together on hors
ng back to Fort Kearny, intercept the boa
to with their stock where the river Plat
nd empties into the Missouri, and take Il
10. furs up the former stream to Fort Lar
ito mie, where they could establish XII
all of entrepot of their business to probab
On, great advantage.
It'll A JOURNEY TO DEATH.
us The idea seemed so plausible to t
younger mon that he approved it wit
M out hesitation, and started immediate
1t with the protector on the overland jor
l. nov accomnanied only hv q nack-mr