Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-04-02
YOUNG PAUGUS.

The old French war was over. The
banners of England had long hoated
above the towers of Quebec The In
dams had left the lakes and woods of
New Hampshire for the broader wa
ter. and deeper forests of Canada and
the West. Time had tanned the iron
will of the rangers, unnamed by any
other enemy, or they were each
sleeping in his narrow grave forever at
rest. Where the Red Man once roam
ed after the moose or lighted the
council fire, now stood the infant vii
lage and the peaceful neighborhood.
The waterfall at whose foaming foot
the Indian struck his rude spear into
the salmon, or hooked the trout on
his curved bit of bone, now turned the
wheel of the clumsy grist- mill whittier
the jogging farmer brought his scanty
grist, over hill and through brush and
swamp in peace. The congregation
as they gathered together at meet
ing no longer brought their guns, or
feared that the prayers Of their min
lister would be interrupted by the war
whoop. OF Capt. Lovewell's men
scarcely survivor remained Of those
who lived through that desperate
fight at Pigwackett. Chamberlin
was still alive-an old gray headed
man. He had long given over hunt
ing, and time and peace had changed
his war spear into an implement Of
husbandry. Of all his hunting and
fighting years, nothing now remained
to him but the gun that shot old Pau
gus at Lovewell's Pond and the bullet
pouch and yellow powder horn, COW
cred over with Indian devices, which
were the spoil Of the fallen savage in
that terrible mountain; these he lad
preserved with an old mans care.
His cottage, from which went up the
solitary smoke that caught the eye of
Capt. Lovewell and his men, was now
the center of a hamlet. A wild stream
ran past it, and little way below it
tumbled down a fall, upon which
stood one of the rude saw mills Of
that day, and Chamberlin once the
swift hunter and the strong and
proud warrior, was now it's humble
sawyer. He had survived his wife
and all his children. Few OF his
neighbors ventured to be familiar with
him on account of the stern peculiar
ity OF his character, and he passed his
days in solitude, excepting such as
sociations as men had with him in
his humble vocation. In the fall Of
the year 1777, towards the close Of one
of those fair days in autumn which
make up the Indian summer, num-
Der of the villagers of P. had gathered
themselves together in their one
story tavern to talk over the affairs
of their burough as was their wont,
when they were surprised and startled
by the entrance Of a young Indian
among them. He was tall, over six
feet, and finely formed after the
fashion of the forest. He had belt
of wampum around his waist, and
from it hung his tomahawk; a long
gun was in his hand and he stood in
his moccasins with the grace and dig
placed his gun behind the door and
silently took his seat. A little before
sunset the former left the inn and re-
tired to their homes. One old hunter
remained with the landlord and the
savage. The hunter eyed the Indian
with keen attention, and his suspi-
cions were awakened at the sight of
this armed Indian, far away from the
nearest tribe and in time of peace.
He was well acquainted with the In
dian character in the old wars, and
his suspicious were heightened and
confirmed when he heard the young
chief ask the landlord in low and
Indifferent tone, if one Chamberlin
dwelt in the village. The landlord
pointed out to him the mill where the
old man labored and the place where
he dwelt. The Indian took his gun
and went out. 'ESome Of the blood Of
Old Paugus," said the hunter, Eand
I'll venture my life he is come to
avenge the death Of that chief upon
Chamberlin. I'll give the old man
warming" He hastily stepped out
and followed a winding foot path
that led down to the saw mill, where
he found the old man still at his tolls.
He reached the mill and told Cham
berlin that Young Paugus from Can
ada had come with his rifle and toma-
hawk to avenge upon him the fall Of
that chief Chamberlin's cheeks
turned ashy pale and he sternly re-
piled, "Tell Young Paugus I've the
gun that slew his father and he had
better return to his forest and not