The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1882-06-02

That's so. deacon, said the spokesman
a little taken back a, this abrupt address,
We know that you've followed the straight
trail, and that your ways want exactly
our ways
Yes, said the deacon, your ways we're
not my ways. ior, men, saw The folly OF
il all, aud had long ago found out that
life was not given us to be frittered away
like that; that 1t was terrible earnest
thing, TO be fought and conquered aud
tramplcd on and made subserNient 10 the
end.
For twenty odd years, continued the
Deacon. as the others were silent-ior
twenty odd years have walked as straight
as il was in me to do, keeping steadily on
without friend or companion, till he came.
Then saw what wreck he had made OF
life. and / thought | might set him right
and stand his friend, and in time he might
he might at least be friend TO me.
The doaeons steady voice tremhled as
he paused, and his auditors still kept ~
lence, held not by any eloquence in his
speech, but by the earnestness OF his man
ner. Still facing them. he moved to the
Young mans side and laid his hand on his
shoulder.
He is innocent he said in the same
steady voice. | feel i'll know it, and
you shall not harm him. But, II he were
not and the deacon threw one arm about
him and shielded him with his broad
breast-If he we're guilty OF all yon say
you should not harm him while draw the
breath OF life; for men, am his father
For an instant his auditors gazed at the
deacon's gaunt figure upraised above the
other. Then bluff voice said softly,
Boys, we'd better git, and the two were
left alone.
Half way down the mountain side the
leader of the little party suddenly stopped.
Boys, he exclaimed abruptly, what VIII
tho camp say to all this9
There was moments silence ere one 70
piled uneasily: They will say we're lot
of soft hearted fools
Let them, defantly lsaid the bluff voice
Of the leader. Let them say what they
please; for, boys, there amt any oil TINS
crowd going to part them two now,
But the camp didn't say so at all. The
camp instead worked itself mp into such
state of enthusiasm over the deacons
pluck and drank so many and such hearty |
healths to the deacon and his newly-found
son that the resources OF the Min
er's Retreat" were well.nigh exhausted
For, upon their return, the real culprlt
had been discovered, and his last comics
sion revealed the truth,
Magically Mountain City had sprung
into existence-lke magic it faded away |
The Green Mountain Boy had proved
to be "blind lead, the mines had ialied
and the camp was abandoned. The tents
have long since vanished, with their ten
ants, aud only the moldering log houses,
their dirt roofs fallen in, mark the site oi
VIZ ~-.-n nrnsnero~- ""nn
With the rest, the little hut upon the
mountain side has disappeared and its IN
mates have gone, no one knows WHITTIER
most likely to follow the beacon light oil
Fortune westward over the mountain tops
But though theHsilver vein hidden IN
the mountains s breast!was destined never
to be discovered, yet the deacon was rich
er by far. For in the reyerent affection oil
the son he had saved and reclaimed, he
had struck vein Of pure gold yielding
more and more abundantly and never to be
exhausted