The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-06-06
THE PIONEERS.
j. FENIMORE COOPER.

Our tale begins in 1898, about seven
years after the commencement of one
of the earliest of those settlements
which have developed into the thrifty
cities which are now so numerous in
Central New York.
1t was near the the close of clear,
cold day in December of that year,
when a sleigh was moving slowly up
one of the mountains in the district
which these settlements occupied. The
road wound along the brow of a preci-
pice, and on one side was upheld by a
foundation of logs, piled for many feet
one upon the other, while narrow ex-
cavation in the mountains, in the OPP
posite direction had made a passage of
sufficient width for the ordinary travel
ling of that day. But logs, excavation,
and every thing that did not reach for
several feet above the earth, lay pro-
miscuously buried under the snow.
A single track, barely wide enough to
receive the sleigh, denoted the route of
the highway, and this was sunken
near two feet below the surrounding
surface.
The sleigh was one Of those large,
comfortable, old-fashioned conveyan-
ces, which would admit whole fami-
ly within its bosom, but which now
contained only two passengers besides
the driver. Its outside was a modest
green, and its inside of fiery red, that
was intended to cvonvey the idea of
heat in that cold climate. Large buff
falo skins, trimmed around the edges
with red cloth, cut into festoons, coy-
cred the back of the sleigh, and were
spread over its bottom, and draw up
around the feet of the travellers-One
of whom was man of middle age, ,and
the other a female, just entering upon
womanhOOd.
Both the father and daughter (for
such was the connection between the
travellers) were too much occupied
with their different reflections to break
the stiffness, that received little or no
interruption from the easy gliding OF
the sleigh, by the sound of their
voices.
The sleigh glided swiftly along
the even surface, and the gaze Of the
female was bent in inquisitive, and,
perhaps, timid glances, into the recess
ses of the forest, which were lighted
by the unsullied covering of the earth,
when a loud and continued bowling
was heard, pealing under the long arch
es of the woods, like a cry of a numer.
GUS pack of hounds. The instant the
sound reached the ears of the gentle.
man, whatever might have been the sub
ject of his meditations, he forgot it; fol
he cried aloud to the black driver
"Hold up, Aggy; there is old Hec.
tor; l should know his bay among ter
thousand. The Leather Stocking has
put his hounds into the hills this cleal
day, and they have started their game
this way. There is a deer-track few
rods ahead and now, Bess, if thor
canst muster courage enough to stanC
fire, l will give thee saddle for thy
Christmas dinner"
The black drew up, with Cheerful
grin upon his chilled features, and be-
gan thrashing his arms together, il
order to restore the circulation to hi
fingers, while the speaker stood erect
and, throwing aside his outer cover
ing, step from the sleigh upon banl
of snow, which sustained his weigh
without yielding more than an inch O
two. A storm of sleet had fallen anC
frozen upon the surface a few days be
fore, and but slight snow had occur
red since to purify, without weakenin!
its covering.
In few moments the speaker sue
ceeded in eXtricating double -barrele'
fowling-piece from among multitud
of trunks and bandboxes. After throw
ing aside the thick mittens which ha'
encased his hands, that now appeare,
in pair of leather gloves tipped wit
fur, he examined his printing, and wa
about to move forward, when the ligh
bounding noise of an animal plungin
through the woods was heard, and di
rectly fine buck darted into the pat
short distance ahead of him. Th
! appearance of the animal was sudden
and his fight inconceivably rapid bu
} the traveller appeared to be too kee
a sportsman to be disconnected b
: either. AS it came first into view b
raised the fowling-piece to his shou
der, and, with practised eye an
steady hand, drew trigger; but tb
deer dashed forward undaunted, an
: apparently unhurt. Without lowerin
his piece, the traveller turned its mui
zle towards his intended victim, an