The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-12-20

unteer to ride express with the news?
news which, il you know anything of the
spirit of the great mass of our people,
will be taken as a call to arms, and
responded to accordingly
Several eager voices announced their
readiness to start off at once on the
proposed nilsson.
Follow me to the stables, then, {"
resumed the stanch party, hastily lead
ing the way to the barn. and throwing
open Il stable door. "There ~ he con.
tinued, pointing to pair of large,
active looking brutes, feeding together
in one STALL" there are my two horses
take them. Let one of their riders
go north, the other south and spare
no horse flesh of mine in an emergency
like this: but ride and rally, till you
have sent the bloody tale to every
ia ms. And you, Morris and Dunning,
accompany me to Captain Wright's.
More messengers must be despatched
west and east, into the borders of New
Hampshire, and much other business
done before morning.
A far different scene, in the mean >
while, was in progress among the in.
mates of the loyal mansion, which
we have before described, and which
was destined to give shelter that night
to the last conclave of royal Office
holders ever known in the Green
Mountains. Although the leaders of
the court party had returned from the
sanguinary scene they had enacted. in
high cxiultation at the decisive vic
tory they supposed they had achieved
over their opponents, yet neither their
own vain boastings. nor the deeply
quatfcd wines of their host. could long
keep up their spirits. Conscience
soon began to be busy among them
and their hearts wayed faint and fear
full at the thought of what they had
done. They instinctively drew close
together. conversed in subdued tones
or sat uneasily listening to the sounds
that occasionally reached them from
without. And whatever they might
have said to keep up their own and
each others courage, it soon became
apparent that secret misgivings, fears,
and forebodings of coming retribu-
ton had taken possession of their
guilt smitten bosoms.
~
that house. to whom the critical events
of the night brought deep disquietude
but it was disquietude of quite a
dfferendt character from that which
was experienced by the troubled
wretches we have named. The person
was the Tory's Daughter-the pure,
guieless. and high minded Sabrey
Haviland. (5)
Having been apprised of the inten-
tion of Patterson and Hrs confederates
to mack an assault upon their oppon-
ents AS soon as the expected reinforce
ments arrived. her anxieties on the
subject had prevented her from retir-
ing to rest, as her less concerned com
panion did, at the usual hour. And
when the startling report of fire arms
broke upon the stiffness of the night,
she was not. like many Others in the
village. at loss to know the cause and
her fears led her to divine but too well
the fatal result. And after an interval
of painful suspense, which was term
inatd by the return of the tory leaders
to the house, she stole softly out of
her chamber to the head of the stairs,
and there listened with mingled emo
tons of horror and disgust to the
boastfu recital of their sanguinary
deeds. as gwen by the heartless Gale
and others, to her father and Judge
Sabin, who had remained in the
house. but who, she perceived with
sorrow were warm approvere of all
that had been done. But, as revolving
to her gentle nature as was the general
description of the event the particulars
the cxulting Darrators soon proceeded
to- give were much more so. And when
she heard them relate the ARRAY be
tween Woodburn and Peters. and heard
the latter, while making light of his
own hurts. boast that he had first
given the other thrust with his
sword through the body, which must
finish him before morning. she could
listen no longer, but, hastily retiring
to her room, she walked the apartment
for nearly an hour in the deepest
agitation and distress.
Among the many excellent traits of
NJ ISIS Haviland's character. "A lively
sense of right and wrong, together
with a deep and abiding love of truth
and justice, unquestionably FREEDOM
mated. So strong and controlling,
indeed, was this principle in her
bosom, that it exhibited itself in all
her conversation. and seemed to be
the governing motive of all her actions.
And when she had once discovered
the truth and the right, at which she
appeared to arrive with intuitive
quckness DO wheedling or sophistry
could blind her to their force: and no