Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-12-28
mpatiently demanded the manager.

VIII rate Jake
"That Of an evil so dire, 80 awful, 80
mysterious, that its like never happened
on this earth |"
"You said nat before also ~ exclaimed
the manager.
ARREST her Arrest her, Mr.. Ryland |!
She ought to be taken and locked up I'M
til she could be sent to the lunatic asy-
lum ~ exclaimed old Marwig, in some
trepidation.
II have no power to do so, my friend"
replied the manager.
"Why, where is she ?" inquired Mrs
Bonner, tremblingly. "Who saw her
go2' .
No one answered, but every one looked
around. Not trace of the witch could
be seen. She had passed like n dark
cloud from among them and was gone.
"She makes my flesh creep, " muttcrcd
Mrs Bounce.
"Mine too" whispered Ann Lang, II
TALL thin, fair young woman, seamstress
by trade. "You know she can tell true
what's going to happen. She's done it
again and again y
Eyes, know know she can y said
Mrs. Bounce.
"She has missed it this time, though |!
What's to prevent Mr.. Rothsay from TAX
ing his seat tomorrow? He is in first
rate health, up at tho North End Hotel,
with his groomsmen, waiting for the
hour to come down to Rockhold to be
married"
"Ah that wedding will be n show
But 1 should like to see the Inauguration
as we'll?
"How do you know that there will be any
Inauguration ? Wait till you see what is
going to happen. Old Scythia tells true -
said Miss Lang
"Ah, yes that she docs !" assented
Mrs. Bounce. Didn't she prophesy of
little Ruly, that as sure as he lived to
grow up, he would make MANI
This argument was received with a
burst of laughter.
at don't take witch to tell that ~
said the bookkeeper.
ooh, you know what she meant that
Rulv would make Just the sort of man
he has made And didn't she prophesy
he would be elected And isn't he elect.
ed? Old Scythia has second sight. and
she tells true"
"Now stop croaking Here we are,
opposite Rockhold, said Mr.. Ryland.
1t was a glorious dry in June among
the mountains.
A long, deep green valley lay low be-
tween two lofty ridges of the Cumber-
land Mountains, running north and south
for ten miles, and near the boundary lines
Of three States.
This lovely vale was watered by n mer-
ny, sparkling little river called the Whirl-
igig, which furnished the power for all
the huge machineries of the great firm
of Rockhnrrt & Sons, proprietors of the
Plutus Iron Mines and the North End
Foundries, which supplied the mighty
!. engines on the great lines of railroad from
the east to the west, and whose massive
| buildings, FORCES, furnaces, store-houses,
laborers' cottages, and SO on, occupied all
the ground between the foot of the noun
tain and the bankssof the river, on botl
sides the Whirliglg, at the upper or north
end Of the valley, where substantial,
bridge connected the two shores.
This settlement, called, from its posi-
ton, North End, was quite thriving
little village The gathering together o.
, so many workmen at the mines and foun
dries had drawn tradespeople and othel
honest adventurers to the spot.
On this bright, June morning the grea
works were all stopped. There was {
general holiday, and as this was at thu
cost of the firm, it gave general satisfac
3 ton.
All the people of North End, excep
the aged. intirm and infantile, were troop
ing down the valley, on the rough roat
between the foot of the West Ridge ant
the side of the river, to a ,fete to be givel
them at Rockland on the occasion of til,
marriage of Old Aaron Rockharrt's grand
daughter, Corona Taught, to RegulaI
Rothsay, the governor-elect of the State
1t was marriage of very rare interest
to the workmen and their families
To the men, because the governor
+ elect had been one Of their own class
The members remembered him from til,
time when he was friendless orphan
4 child, glad to run the longest errand or d,
also n very independent little fellow, VIII,
from anybody.
To the women, because he was going t,
, marry his first and only sweetheart, ant
on the very day before his Inauguration
so that she might take part in the pagean
= try that was to be his first great success
and triumph.
And, therefore, ell these people talket
so necessarily of the bridegroom and thu
5 bride as they passed along the rugge,
n road between the wooded foot of tn,
e West Ridge and the rocky bank of thu
Whirlieig, until they came in sight of TIN
l ferry opposite Rockland, the residence o
the Rockharrt family and the scene of TIN
G approaching wedding.
Old Scythin, the mad woman, and he
? evil prophecy were coon forgotten, evel
!, by the superstitious and credulous, n
9 they gazed upon the gay and festive seen
b on the east side of the river.
: "Oh did you ever see such beauti
Il full sight in all your life !" exclaimed Mis-
Ann Lang to the company at large.
o "Oh, yes When Mr.. Fabian Rocl
@ HART came of age there were ever S
: many more decorations! More flower
& arches, and more tents, and more tables
r But there ! Now the fcrry-boat has jus
left this side. If we had hurried W
might have caught her. And now "
% shall have to wait y grumbled Old Ma
wig.
l, On the opposite side of the river, at til
q foot of the East Ridge, stood Rockhol'
u the country seat of the Rockharrts in il
own park, which lay between the moul
70 tain and the river.
l. Tho house itself was without any pr
tentions to architectural beauty. 1t WI
" more remarkable for substantial strengt
ar than for elegance.
1t was, in fact, large, heavy, oblor
Ia building of gray stone, two stories higl
q. with cellar and garnet.
From the front of the house to Il
n edge of the river extended n fair gree
- lawn, shaded here and there by gre
Ia forest trees.
80 Under many Of these trees, tables wit
Ia refreshments were set, and seats wei
~ placed for the accommodation and +
q freshment of the outdoor guests.
a. sunny spots, also, some white tents wei
= raised and decorated with flags.