The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-03-31

cold, white, and statuc.like. While 9th.
ers wept, but few tears fell from bis eyes
aud even those seemed wrung from him
by an anguish for the most part sup.
pressed or concealed.
lie chose that his mother should be
buried, not in the " burying ground at
the settlement, but upon their own little
farm where she had lived. And SO in a
spot below the rocky ridge, where wild
violets grew, she was laid to rest.
John spent the night following the fu.
neral at Pete's house, then returned to
his own home, and from that time his sol.
itary life began He took his cattle aud
his sheep over to Pete's. made all fast a.
bout his home. and resumed his boating
upon Lake Champlain. He fully realized
that he was a marked man. He was ad.
vised, it was said even by his own legal
counsel, to leave the country, and to leave
his name behind him but no words inAu.
enced him. Firm and steady in his course
strictly temperate and just, be won re-
spect where he could not gain confidence.
The years rolled by. Captain John
still was boatmau, and still kept his
home at the lonely log.house on tho edge
of the great valley. From each voyage
he returned and spent day and nieht
alone at the old place and it was noticed
that strong high palipg was built around
his mothers grave, and marble head.
ston, was placed there, and other flowers
grew with tho wild vioets. Even 10 win.
ter, when there was no boating and be
boarded down by the lake, he made many
visits to the old home stead. His igure.
which. though youthful, was now growing
gaunt and thin rs his mothers had been.
was ,tten seen by Pete ut nightfall upon
the top OF certain rocky ridge, standing
out clear aud sharp against the cold blue
steel Of the winter sky.
,hn had no companions aud sought
none. The y'ung men and women of his
set had married and settled in lie he
was still the same.
But there came change. Eleven
years had passed -luce ,he mother died,
aud 1t was June again, Johu was spend.
ing day at the old place once more
He sat in the door looking out on the
magnificent .udscar re, he broad lake, aud
the dim line of mountain awat across the
valley The lovely day seemed to cheer
this sters', lone y man.
Three persons came up the road they
advanced straight to where John was sit.
ting. Que of them stepped forward,
looking John steadily in the face, held
ou' his haud to him aud said, "Johu. do
you know me 7"
The voice seemed to strike him with a
, sharp, stunning shock. He quivcred,
held bis breath, stared into the eyes OF
the questioner, and then suddenly 5ecom.
ing unnaturaly cool and collected, said
"Is it you, William r.
The two who stood back had once been
Johns warmest friends. They now came
forward. and with such words as they
could command. told the story of vii.
liam's sudden return, and sought for
themselves forgiveness for tie cruel and
false suspicion which had so long es.
, tranged them from their friend
John seemed to hear this as one 10 a
r dream. He talked with William and the
, man in manner that seemed strangely
t cold and Indifferent, about where William
t had been voyaging SO long in distant
seas, and OF his strange absence. A
, quarter OF an hour passed away. The
e men proposed that John should 20 with
them to their homes, and said there would
Q be a gathering Of friends there. They
t pressed the invitation with warmth and
such true feeling as our voices express
when a dear friend has been greatly
. wronged, and we humbly acknowledge it
t John said absently, in reply, that he
D did not know. He looked uneasily
around as il in search of something. per.
haps his hat. He essayed to rise from
e his chair, but could not. and in momen,
; fell back ashy pale. fainting and breath
less. The men bad not looked for this
t but accustomed as they were to the
rough life Of the wilderness. they were
b not alarmed. They famed The fantne
e man with their straw hats, and as soon al
e wster could be found, applied it to hi,
hands and face. lie soon partially re
t covered. and looking up, said in broker
r voice, Give me "A little time. boys A
: this hint. the two old friends. who wer,
= now crying, stepped out Of the door. ant
, cousin William sat down out upon tn,
;. doorstep.
J. John found that a little time was no
b. ''nough. He had travelled too long and
Il. T. \
: easily or quickly TO return. A nervou
'ryer followch the ,ho, he received, an,
G for two month, he did not leave the home
E stead. and was confped 10 his he'd Bu
d the old hou'e was nor Lonely. The mel
y and women came. Soth his old friend
d and some new aomers. and tried to max,
II up to him in some degree The love an
d sympathy he had 80 long missed. Bu
for many days it was evident that thei
e kindness panied aud oppressed him.
e at appears like" said Pete. that
1t rough word don't hnrt him. but kin
e one ho can't stand" And this was true
It His soul was fortified against hatred an
d contempt, but kind voice. or geutl
10 caress, seemed to wound him so he wou
y. sob like an infant.
Ie AS he recovered from his illness h
n continued gentle, kind. and shrinking, I
* fault. BY the operation of some spirit
n ual law that | do not fully comprehend
a he was, after his recovery. one of thos
K who win strange affection from other
d His influence seemed like wild fascins
"a tion II was said of him in affair paar
that be was more truly loved, and b
Of more people, than any other man or VIC
!" man in all the settlement round. Chi
lr dren loved him with passionate attach
as ment, and the woman of child.like nj
" ture whom he made his wife is said I
,e have died Of grief at his death. He dc
n, parted this life at the age of thirty-eigl
S. years, and he sleeps on the edge OF ii
great valley. with his mother aud b