Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-10-04
THE GOLD FIEND.

Some twenty years before the Declar-
alton of Independence had been written,
there lived on the very summit of the
Orange Mountain, in New Hampshire,
most violent, ill-tempered man.
Kraus was his name-Farmer Kraus he
was called, for he owned many a goodly
acre on the meadow side, and he was
famous all over that country of forests
for his skill in clearing the thick under
growth and fine old trees that had lived
in undisturbed solitude probably many
centuries.
His house, poorly built of rude logs,
stood on a bold rock that overhung the
road, and on each side stretched dark
and gloomy forests of magnificent trees.
Far away in the blue distance rose
hill upon hill, undulatlng like the big
waves of mighty sea. Here and there
the sparkling waters of little lake met
the eye, but it was all cold, cheerless
and desolate, for King Winter had set
his icy hand upon the face of the earth
and the noble pines and hemlocks and
spruces were clad in their virgin garb
of white. Yes, it was cold and cheer
less, but grand and striking. Our
Farmer Kraus, however, did not enter
into the poetical nature of the scene as
he gazed from his doorstep over the
magnificent prospect before him. He
stood with his arms crossed, huggine
the muzzle of q long fowling-piece tc
his breast, and he muttered between his
set teeth
eyes, yes, we shall see-all these
goodly acres will be mine-mine, but |
must work carefully, cautiously. He,
the fool, refuse me his sister-hush
Let him look to himself. for I will mu1
-"
''Ah all ah - ,..
Kraus started in terror.
The confines of the dark forest glowed
with red supernatural light, and de-
moniac peals of laughter echoed across
the mountains.
"Ah ah ah All ah ah Kraus
for ever All! ah ah !"
The farmer reeled, for he was faint
with terror. Big drops of perspiration
stood upon his brow, his knees trem.
bled beneath him never in all his ex-
perience had he heard anything half SC
awful. He listened in anguish, ex-
pecting every moment dreadful death,
but the gloomy forest presented its
former vista of dusky darkness, and
the hush Of silence oyerspread the
scene. ......
Kraus rose. He had dropped on his
knees in his fright He kicked the
door of the hut open, and lit the pine
wood gathered on the hearth. Then he
took burning brand from the fire, Lii
his pipe, and cursed again.
"Bah, he said, as the black smoke
assembled in spiral wreaths to the
rafters. bah, it was my imagination
or the wind whistling through the
trees"
Kraus jumped to his feet.
Again, and yet again came the curd
Ling yell, breaking distinctly on the
farmers ear. .,,...
"Ah ah all Krausl Kraus
noble Kraus All ah ah p
This was too much for the farmer.
He rushed to the door, barricaded il
with heavy logs, and then returned tc
the fire, near which he spent the night
IN the grestest agony of mind.
But Kraus soon forgot all about the
mountain spirits, and went on as usual
with his busy, bad schemes for acquir
ing property wrongfully.
Far down in the Orange valley. neal
the spot where the little town OF
Canaan now stands, lived Robert Mont.
gomery, a hearty, well-to-do Scotch.
man. Kraus hated this man with all
the bitterness of a malignant heart. fol
Montgomery was an upright, God-fear.
ing farmer, and had always stood ur
against the wrong-doings of his noun.
tain neighbor.
Robert had an only sister-C Clara
celebrated in all the country round fol-
her gentleness of demeanor and striking
beauty. She had been sought in mar
riage by all the young men of those
parts, but more particularly by Kraus
who had frequently met her in the
mountain passes and who really loved
her.
But her brother gave him distinctly
to understand that his sister never woulC
or could be his.
".Sooner," said he, "would I see he,
dead at my feet than the wife and com
panion of such man."
Kraus said nothing, but he returned
to his log hut, took down the fowling
piece hanging over the chimney, ex
amined the priming and put it bacl
again.
"Not yet" he had said.
Six months had passed away sine,
that day, but Kraus still bore the insul
in his breast.
Winter had now set in with ven
geance. Snow fell fast and thick TO
days at time but the farmer went OF
with his work-falling huge trees ant
drawing them out of the forest will
oxen as if nothing had happened.
One evening as Kraus sat by hi
lonely fire, smoking his pipe and gazini
at the burning brands, he heard tn
pattering Of feet outside the hut, an,