Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-05-15
A LEGEND OF VERMONT.

Fair the cabin walls were cleaning in the
sumbeams' golden glow,
On that lovely April morning, near hum
dred years ago;
And upon the humble threshold stood the
young wife, Margery Grey,
With her fearless blue eyes gIancing down
the lonely forest way.
In her arms her laughing baby with its
fathers dark hair played
As he fingered there beside them, leaning
on his trusty spade;
81 am going to the wheat lot, !" with smile
said Robert Grey;
s'WilI you be too lonely, Margery, If 1
leave you all the day?"
Then she smiled a cheerful answer, ere she
spoke single word,
And the tone of her replying was as sweet
as song of bird;
mo" she said, ''I'n take the baby, and go
stay with Annie Brown,
You must meet US there, dear Robert, are
the sun has just gone down.
Thus they parted, strong and sturdy, all
day long he labored on
Spading up the fertile acres from the stub
born forest won;
And when frightening shadows warned
him that the sun was in the west,
Down the woodland aisles he fastened,
whispering "now for home and rest"
But when he had reached the clearing of
their friend, mile away,
Neither wife nor child was waiting there
to welcome Robert Grey.
e. e. 1I,<1
went an hour ago,
While the woods were still illumined by
the sunsets crimson glow.''
Back he sped, but night was falling, and
the path he scarce could see,
Here and there his feet were guided on
ward by some deep-gashed tree,
When at length he gained the cabin, black
and desolate it stood,
Cold the hearth, the windows rayIess in
the stillest solitude.
With a mrmured prayer, a shudder, and
sob of anguish wild
Back he darted through the forest, call
ing for his wife and child.
Soon the scattered settlers gathered from
the cIearings far and near.
And the solemn woods resounded with
their voices rising clear.
Torches flared and fires were kindled, and
the horns long peal rang out,
While the startled echoes answered to the
hardy woodlands shout,
But in vain their sad endeavor, night by
night, and day by day,
For no sign nor token found they of the
child or Margery Grey.
Woe! woe for pretty Margeryl With her
baby on her arm,
On her homeward way she started, fearing
nothing that would harm,
With lip and brow untroubled, and
heart in utter rest,
Through the dim woods, she went singing
to the darling at her breast.
But in sudden terror pausing, gazed she
round in blank dismay,-
Where were all the white-scarred hem
locks pointing out the lonely way?
God of Mercies! She had wandered from
the pathway not tree
Giving mute but kindly warning could
her straining vision see.
Twilight deepened into darkness, and the
stars came out on high,
All was silent in the forest, save the OWLS
low, boding cry
Round about her in the midnight stealthy
shadows softly crept,
And the babe upon her bosom closed its
timid eyes and slept.
Harkl shout and in the distance she
could see a torches gleam,
But, alasl she could not reach it and it
vanished like dream,
Then another shout another! but she
shrieked and sobbed in vain,
Rushing wildly toward the presence she
could never, never gain.
Morning came, and with the sunbeams
hope and courage rose once more
Surely ere another nightfall her long wan
behring's would be DER,
So she soothed the wailing baby, and when
faint from want of food,
Ate the evergreens and acorns that she
found within the wood.
Oh the days so long and dreary! Oh the
night more dreary still!
More than once she heard the sounding of
the horn from hill to hill,
More than once a smouldering fire in some
sheltered nook she found,
And she knew her husbands footprints
close beside it on the ground.
Dawned the fourth relentless morning and
the SUMS Implying eye
Looked upon the haggard mother, looked
to see the baby die;
All day long its plaintive meanings wrung
the heart of Margery Grey,
All JOno her bOSOr1 Grad cd
pallid thing of clay.
Three days more she bore it with her, on
her rough and toilsome way,
Till across its marble beauty stole the
rlanne-SnOtS of dooor