Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-04-11

boasts Of 1t was still carly in the even
ing, and started after dinner to walk as
far as Lleydem, distance of about two
miles, to reconnoitre. The road ran along
the hillside nearly all the way. A sho wer
had laid the dust, and the wet foliage Of
the trees that chung to the rock on my
right hand, and overhung the path, geam'
ed brightly in the dying light. Far down
on my left ran the brawling river, just col
ored with the rain, and from all about
arose the soft steam from the moiStened
earth, speaking elcquently Units ye-like
odor of the sad end of the year that wa:
coming so quickly. Autumn, is pleasant
enough amid the gardens Of Kent, but
very sad is it among the hills, The trees
are stunted, and the leaves soon flutter
slowly down from their barring branches
and those who have only heard the must
cal signing of the wind through the trees
of lowland landscape, can have no con-
ception of the weird like feeling that steals
over one as we listen to the soughing Of
the gale among the swaying and cleakinG
boughS OF the mountain pines and birchCs
and its tiercer Shrek as it sweeps up the
ravines and over the desolate moor. The
wind was rising, laden with occasional
showers, as | reached the brick field. The
state of affairs was worse than | had i'm
aGined. The engine had been left on an
exposed part of the line, and where there
was a sharp curve, causing the outside rail
to be much higher than the other In
clning at sharp angle, it had been OK
posed to the full fury of a recent gale,
which, catching it at great disadvantage,
had tilted it completely over, and now it
lay on its side on the embankmcnt, with
the hindcrmost wheels, however, resting
on, or only partly off the rails. 1t was a
small and very light engine, and had been
originally intended for the Crimca.
1t was wild and lonely place where
the brick-yard was situated. 1t was just
where the moorland commenced, and
where there was nothing to interrupt the
eye as it roamod over the purple fiat,
strangely lit up in places by crimsoning
CLEANS and patches of golden brown, as
the light of the stormy sunset was reflect
ed from the surface Of pool, or shone on
lighter ground Of dead rushes and ling.
Beyond all was long gray line, which
could not be mistaken for anything but
whatit was-a bonny, open sea. If you
listened intently you could even catch,
borne on the wind, the faint roar of the
surl on the fiat sandy shore.
Nothing could be done that night, and
on the morrow | mounted a sorry looking
animal which mine host called a saddle
horse, and rode of to the mines to beSpeal;
the services of dozen men and three
horses-all they bad to spare--for eight
o'clock that night, and then back to tie
station to put all right with the station.
master. To disarm suspicion | took 4 rod
and made my way down to the now swol-
len stream. Few fish were there in it, for
the deadly water from the mines had play
ed sad havoc with the fnny tribe. More
time was passed in reveric than in fishing,
and tender memories of the rast mingled
strangely with dreams Of the future. How
happy Mary and | could be in little cot
tage ornee | had my eye upon, and which |
knew was to be had at a low rent. How
pleasant to hurry home from business, and
find bright face to welcome me with a
kiss and bonny smile, instead OF my lone
ly bachelor rooms. All, me! would it ever
come to pass, wondered. Surely it must
some day; and yet, somehow, | could not
look hopefully forward. Perhaps it was
the lowering weather and the dull, spirit
less air that everybody wore that dcpress-
ed me and it was absurd, yet felt it as
if | were going to be hung, or meet with
some serious accident in this midnight alb
duction | was engaged in. Vainly trying to
shake off the feeling, retrac d my steps
to the inn.
AT eight o'clock it was already quite
dark. When | reached the bank over the
line [ saw that the men, by the light of
lanterns, had rugged up a temporary crane
and were Juggling away at the ropes, try
ing to raise the fallen engine, and prying
away with levers and screw jacks, work
ing QMtely and well. Most of them were
brawny Englishmen, imported by Mr..
Haywood, the rest where Welshmen
smaller made, but wiry and strong. Stead
lily the work went on under my directions,
and all the while soft, unpleasant drizzle
gradually soaked us through and through.
The wind was fitful and many and mys.
ferrous were the sounds that it brought
out Of the glens. 1t moancd dismaly
through the pine woods, showing that the
spirit Of the storm was abroad, and ere
long would be upon US in all its savage
ness. Suddenly form fitted by, then an.
other, and another, and three strange men
passed by the engine and vanished in the
gloom. Other eyes were as quick as mine,
and saw them. We instinctvely knew
that they were the vanguard of the enemy,
and that soon we might expect opposition.
As we afterwards learned, one of the men
at the mine had not been able to keep the
secret from his Dellah.
Look sharp, lads, and get her on the
line before they come" | cried, and let a
hand to the ropes myself. At last, with a
thud, she was rightcd, and then the screw
jacks were again applied to lift her proper
ly on the rails. This was done without
interruption. The horses were harnessed
to, and she began to move merrily enough,
though rafting noise inside made it evil
dent that some of her machinery was brok-
en-. was beginning to hope we might
soon gain the main line, about half mile
away, when over the bank came some
twenty or thirty men and lads. The
wheels were scotched before we could pre-
vent it. They harnessed a couple ofhorses
and half dozen donkeys to the other end
of the engine. Two tar-barres they had
brought with them were set alight, and
b!aaed turiously, aftording plenty Of light.
| warned my men not to have recourse to
violence, and in this was seconded by the
leader Of the opposite side, who was, in
fact, the purchaser of the engine.
1T shall he a fair fight" he said. q" Let
us see which can pull the hardest now, and
you take your chance in the law after
wards"
Rv ,,,utuo1 copcont ,.o h.