Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-03-03

"He has gotten tired of waiting, and re-
turned alone to the tent" thought the dea-
con, and, so thinking hurried onward to the
tent also. But he was again disappointed
there was no one there.
Mechanically the deacon drew of the pack
and released the burrO to Craze. Then, for
the first time he began to connect the rob.
berry of the coach with his partners disap
pearance.
"He could not do it-he would not !" NUT
tered the deacon, as he walked to and fro,
shouting at intervals and listening vainly for
a reply.
And yet for all his protestations the thought
would obtrude itself, causing him to walk
about in agitation and mutter again and again,
"He could not-he would not" And still he
was more shocked than surprised, when at
nightfall party came up the little trail with
his partner in their midst.
Deacon" said the spokesman, as they
gathered about the little tent, 1--WE brought
him here at his last request, for it's clear
case against him. He was caught skulking
about the trail this morning, and we found
this on him" and the speaker extended
package.
Mechanically the deacon took it, saw it was
still sealed, and saw also it was the package
he had been expecting. Then in a dazed
way he looked at his partner standing with
his eyes fixed on the ground, and the old,
sullen, despondent look on his face Raising
his eyes he met the deacon's for an instant,
and read the horror in his face.
81 see you, too, have Judged me, " he said,
in a voice so low as to De nearly inaudible.
"Well, so be it; l can but die like man and
an innocent one too; for, deacon" and he
| faced the old man with q steady look, II
| found that package lying in the trail this
morning. had grown tired of waiting and
started towards the camp to meet you. When
| picked it up | knew something was wrong,
| and it flashed upon me to keep out of sight,
especially after what had happened before.
| l asked them to bring me here that | might
tell you the truth, and tell you also 1 appre-
ciated your kindness. have nothing more
to say" be added, YEARLY, and his despon-
dent face fell once more upon his breast.
Still the deacon never looked st him, but
covered his face with hand that trembled in
spite of himself.
"Well, deakin," at length said the bluff
voice of the spokesman. ''you see how it is
a likely story: but then, of course, he
wouldn't confess it. This is the second
| time, too. The first we let him of easy,
but now" and the speaker paused omi-
nously.
low but determined murmur of assent
came from the others. The deacon heard
| II, ana MS manu- Itil IIOul lin Ihcb anu RThbD-
ed the breast Of his flannel shirt convulsively,
as he turned and faced them.
Now" he said, in low, firm voice, you
know me. You know that never once have
l left the straight and narrow path to join in
the denominations over there" pointing to the
camp.
'"That's so, deakin," said the spokesman, a
little taken back at this abrupt address. "We
all know you have followed the straight trail
and that your ways wasn't exactly our ways"
yes" said the deacon, "your ways were
not my ways For, men, saw the folly of
| it all, and had long ago found out life was
not given us to be frittered away like that ;
that it was terrible earnest thing, to be
fought and conquered and trampled under
| foot, and be made subservient to the end"
For twenty odd years." the deacon con
tinued, as the others were silent-'for twen-
ty odd years have walked as straight as it
was in me to do, keeping steadily on without
| friend or companion until he came. Then
saw what a wreck he had made of life, and
thought might set him right and stand his
friend, and may he in time he might-he
might at least be frlenu - ~
The deacon's steady voice trembled slight-
y as he paused, and his auditors still kept ST.
lence, held not by any eloquence in his
| speech, but by the grim earnestness of his
manner. 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 it-I know it, and you
shall not harm him. But il he were not
and the deacon threw one arm about him and
shielded him from them with his broad br sast
-'if he we're guilty of all you say, you
should not harm him while draw the breath
! of life; for, men, l am his father"
For an instant his auditors gazed at the dea-
cons gaunt figure upraised before 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 lead
er of the little party suddenly stopped.
Boys" he exclaimed, abruptly, what
will the camp say to all this 2"
There was a moments silence ere one re-
piled uneasily, They will say we're lot of
- soft hearted fools!"
Let them!" defantly said the bluff voice
of the leader. Let them say what they
please, for, boys, there amt any OF this
crowd going to part them two now"
But the camp didn't say SO at all. The
camp instead worked itself up into such a
state of enthusiasm over the deacons pluck,
and drank go many and such hearty healths
to the deacon and his newly-found son, that
the resources of the miners Retreat were
well nlgn exhausted. FOR, upon tnen return,
the real culprit had been captured and his
last confession revealed the truth.
Magically, Mountain City had sprung into
existence-like magic it faded away. The
"Green Mountain Boy" had proved to be q
"blind lead" the mines had failed, and the
camp was abandoned. The tents have long
since vanished, with their tenants, and only
the moldering Lighthouses, their dirt roofs
fallen in, mark the site of the once prosper
Gus camp.
With the rest the little tent upon the noun,
tain side has disappeared, and its inmates
have gone, no one knows whittier, most like
ly to follow the beacon light of Fortune
westward over the mountain tops.
But though the silver vein hidden in the
mountains breast was destined never to be
discovered, yet the deacon was richer by far
For in the reverent affection of the son he
had saved and reclaimed, he had struck q
vein of pure gold yielding more and more
abundautly, and never to be exhausted.