Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-09-06

which it was whispered he had ac-
quired by bucaneerlng.
'He's just ready for burning! p
said the black man, with a growl of
triumph. "You see 1 am likely to
have a good stock of fre-wood for
winter"
''But what right have you," asked
Tom, ''to cut down any of Deacon
Peabody's timber?''
''The right of prior claim,'' said
the other. "This woodland belong
ed to me long before your white-faced
race put foot upon the SOIL"
''And pray, who are you, if [ may
be so bold" asked Tom.
ooh, 60 by various names. 1
am the wild huntsman in some coun-
tries the black miner in others. In
this neighborhood / am known by
the name of the black woodsman. I
am he to whom the red man conse-
Grated this spot, and in honor of
whom they now and then roasted
white man, by way of sweet-smelling
sacrifice. Since the red men have
been exterminated by your white saw
ages, 1 amuse myself by presiding at
the prosecutions of Quakers and An
abaptists; I am the great patron and
prompter of all slave-dealers, and the
Grand Master of Salem witches"
"The upshot of all this is that, if l
mistake not" said Tom sturdily,"you
are commonly called Old Scratch"
"The same at your service !" re-
piled the black man, with Ealf-clvil
nod
Such was the opening at this inter-
view, according to the old story tho
it has almost too familiar an air to
be credited. One would think to
meet with such singular parsonage
in this wild, lonely place, would have
shaken any mans nerves but Tom
was hard minded fellow, not easily
daunted, and he had lived so long
with a termagant wife, that he did
not even fear the devil.
1t is said that after the commence
ment, they had long and earnest
conversation together, and as Tom
turned homeward, the black man told
him of great sums of money buried
by Kidd, the pirate, under the mo-
rass. All these were under his COM
mand, and protected by his power, SO
that none could find them but such
as propitiated his favor. These he
offered to place within Tom Walker S
reach, having conceived an especial
kindness for him; but they were to
be had on certain conditions.
What these conditions were, may
/ be surmised, though Tom never dis
closed them publicly. They must
have been very hard, for he required
time TO think of them, and he was
not a man to stick at trifes when
money was in view.
When they had reached the edge
of the swamp, the stranger paused.
"What proof have 1 that all you
have been telling me is true?' asked
Tom.
''There's my signature" said the
black man, pressing his finger on
Toms forehead. SO saying, he turn
ed off among the thickets of the
swamp, and seemed, as Tom said, to
90 down, down, down into the earth,
until nothing but his head and shoul-
ders could be seen, and so on, until
he had completely disappeared.
When Tom reached home, be
found the black print of finger
burnt, as it were, into his forehead,
and there was nothing which could
obliterate 1t.
The first news that his wife had to
tell him, was the death of Absalom
Crownlnshield, the rich bucaneer. 1t
was announced in the papers with the
usual flourish, that, ga great man
had fallen in Israel"
Tom recollected the tree which his
black friend had just hewn down,
and which was ready for burning.
''Let the free-b booter roast" said
Tom. "Who cares?"
He now felt convinced that all he
had seen and heard was no illusion.
He was not prone to let his wife
into his confidence but as this was
an uneasy secret. he willingly shared
it with her. AL her avarice was
awakened at the mention of hidden
gold, and she urged her husband to
comply with the black mans terms,
and secure what would make them
wealthy for life.
However, Tom might have felt dis
posed to sell himself to the devil, but
he was determined not to do so tC
oblige his wife; SO he fatty refused
out of the mere spirit of contradiction.
Many and bitter were the quarrels
they had on the subject; but the
more she talked, the more resolute
was Tom not to be damned to please
her.
At length she tried to drive the
bargain on her own account, and il
she succeeded, to keep all the gair
to herself. Being of the same fear
less temper as her husband, she sci
off for the old Indian fort toward the
close of summers day. She was
many hours absent. When she came
back, she was reserved and sullen il
her replies. She spoke of black