The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-09-14
NOugapaug.
A LEGEND OF QUAKER VILLAGE.

AT Weybridge Lower Falls there is a
small island in the stream which was
called by the Indians Nougapaug, signi-
flying in their dialect 'Eisland in the
pines" 1t was formerly much larger
than at present, and on the southern
part enclosing nearly half an acre of
nice bottom land, which in 1880 was
entirely destroyed by great freshct.
There is beautiful legend told us of
this pretty island and its early inhabi-
tants. The north end of the island is
high bluff rock, where many an Indian
council fire has burned. The south end
was spread out into broad garden con-
venient for the powwow and the dance.
Its location was central between Lake
Champlain and the Green Mountains,
easy of access to both and very seclud-
ed, being hidden from observation BY
the pine-covered highlands that sur
rounded it on all sides, and being sur
rounded by water no wild beasts cared
to come inconveniently near it. For
these and other reasons, this island has
been the delightful rendezvous for war
like Indians, and the abode of white
men in pursuit of the deer, the cougar
and the otter. Long after the Indians
had left the Nougapaug, for some rea-
son never quite satisfactorily explained,
a log shanty was standing in the garden
on the extreme lower end of the island.
When people began to settle in the vi
cinity, Mrs. Bradwardine, widow wo-
man, and David, her son, were found
occupying the premises. A pig and a
little pony constituted all their visible
property. She was woman of strong
mind and had way of reasoning out
whatever she saw, asking no questions,
for, although she lived quite retired in
her island home, she always knew all
that was said or done i'm the neighbor-
hood. AT length the son married and
brought his wife to the island. No one
knew her, or where he found her. The
singular pair were for time the occasion
of some curious criticisms, for he was
short, dwarfish, and very dark, she was
tall, finely formed and very fair, nearly
twice as old as he and but little younger
than his mother. She heard their hui
morous animadversions, which slightly
nettled the elderly bride. She shook
her matronly curls, but made no reply.
But David, her husband, was saddened
and became Respondent. He would
have left the island and his home, but
she dissuaded and cheered him, saying
"Do not leave me, David, and l will
sing to YOU" Then seating herself by
his side on the highest rock of the is
land, she would sing with shrill, clear
voice, and thousand songs would war
BILE and trill on the evening air with
their sweet melody, till the wild forests
were vocal with her pleasant LAYS.
Thus she lured him and kept him from
despondency and from wandering away
into idle and vicious company.
To feed the pig, saddle the pony, and
till the garden, together with hunting
wild game, was all the occupation the
husband was observed to have. A lit.
tie more than year after marriage he
died. The widowed mother and wild.
owed daughter-in-law continued TO live
together lovingly, like two weird sis.
ters. Occasionally, at the close of the
day when the weather was fine, they
were seen both riding together on the
little pony, and return again at early
evening II was not known whittier
they went or whom they saw, if they
saw any one, in their excursions.
1t was natural enough that suspicious
of conjuration, sorcery, witchcraft, oil
enchantment should exist and attach tC
persons living as they did, for the belle
in those things was prevalent in thos,
days. Both of them, it was believed
had at least the gift of fortune telling
but they rarely practiced it. In word
a profound mystery enshrouded al
their plans and movements. How they
got living no one could divine. Othel
suspicious at length arose that thes,
women were in some way connected
with band of smugglers who privatel,
furnished them with provisions AM
clothing. No one could conjecture b,
whom, or when, their supplies wer,
obtained. So this conjecture was tn,
most feasible as il justified all the con
ditions of the case except one-was i
possibleI All other conjectures ha,
been successfully broached and explod
ed. This one seemed possible, thougl
IL rested entirely upon assumption. N,
explanation seemed likely to be oflere,
that would bear the test of investiga
ton, therefore TO assume il was tn
most easy and ready way TO solve tn
question. Divers other methods ha,
been proposed TO unravel the mystery
but all was hidden In impenetrabl
darkness which admitted of no expli
cation. Was this assumption possible
About five years after the death O
David, some boys were fishing OH tn
opposite shore of the river who hear
a woman on the island calling in dis
J tress. They crossed over the ford an
found 1t was Aunt Geraldine, for s
they called her, who said her mother
Mrs. Bradwardine, was dead. Two O
three women, who were informed b
the lads, came over that evening, an