The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1905-05-11
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ON GRAN HTHAM MOUNTAIN


I ON CRAHTHAM MOUNTAIN
Daing summer wi ich spent amor
the Wti'e fountains b'ctme acqusintt
with an o!d farmer hunter, Eben Holt, wi
knew more aAout woods and ''all outdoors
In general than sny one else | have tvt
met. He related to me this adventure, tn,
he had had nearly sixty years before;
When Cousin TnAd and WAS boys or
families came up from Come ctcut al se
tied In Grafton County, New Hampshire
10 rough region but spsrsely inhabited b
backwoodsmen. That spring we were pu
to cutting timber en- the lower slope Q
Granthan Mountaip, at the foot of whic
the farms lay. To save tramping back al
forth, we carried Cur dinners; and as fresl
meat was scarce, we took along an oil
musket, called the Thunderer, " hich Thad
father had given him, and spent most o
our noon hour 10 baRg,ng such small gam
as we could fld.
We had hardly swallowed the nooi
snack one day when gray squirrel dart
ed across the open space before us ant
scrambled up nearby tree. Thad grab
bed the gun and fired, but missed, and the
squirrel, evidently thinking himself In the
wrong place, started of at great rate
leaping from tree to tree.
We gave chase. On and on he led US
straight up the mountain; sometimes we
thought that we had him, and sgain he was
far on ahead. We scrambled over rocks and
erawled ulder fallen trees aud fell into hol.
lows, but foolishly kept on, viii our eye.
rolled up to the heavens.
But we had to give up the chase at last +,
and threw ourselves on the greurd to rect
and get our breath.
say, Thad, we've never been up so high
as this before. cried, sitting suddenly
bolt upright, fIr saw that We were In the
dense growth Of the upper mountain, which
we bad been strictly forbidden to pene.
lrste. On the right dark scanned sand.
stone ridges stretched upward to a huge
pile Of ugly. looking rocks; gray moses
hurg In masses from the lower dead bran
ches Of the fir-treea, which stood 90 cose
together as to shut out every CLINT Of sun
shine. The dampn.ss and gloom Of the
place we're appalling even to our healthy
imsginations.
Lst's get out Of this, was Thsd's COM
ment, as he sprang to ii, feet. Wen give
old Grsnthsm hail, though. Judging
from these gray locks we must be pretty
close to his ear.
He pointed to the hanging mosses, and
tickled at his own wit, gave a great war
whoop Then we both turned to plunge
down the mountain. A wall, long and plain.
tive, sounded out Of the gloom below US in
fearful echo to the shout. IL arrested our
stepa and frcze US to the spot In sheer hor-
ror. We knew that wild cry we'll. 1t had
shivered down FRI m the desolate forest on
many cold night Of the past winter, send
Dg prickles Of fear over US even In the safe.
y Of the home freight.
It's a painter we CAPPED. Again the cry
'ounded, nearer this time,
IL you ever hear that fcrsech when out
'lone, boys, run bard for home, father hsd
'nce SAID. And run we did now; but un-
as the danger was between US
md that refuge, we were obliged to scurry
lp the mountain. Thad dragged the gun
We never thought Of loading. Our small
hot would but enrsge the great beast
which was go rapidly Gvertsking us.
We gained the ridges and ran on and on
Up their slopes, which grew sleeper, rough.
Z and more broken the higher we went,
his cry sounded resrer and nesrer at each
epetition. Brealhless and exhausted, at
ist we sank down for moment behind the
Irst obstruction, then a nearer scream
erved US 10 renewed n,rts, and we tcr,m
lied up sgsln.
Great masses of ltdgts now surrounded
.. Through morstrous cracks We rushed,
yer fallen blocks and round huge BOULDER.
tripptd and fell, but Toad .rked me up;
be gun caught and tad TO be eIuieated
oots c,utched at our feet and bflers tore
ur tkin. Then that cry e. und,d sgsin, 30
ear that We knew cur pursuer was slretdy
o the ridge c.cse behind. F.anlic with
ear, We dssbtd keatioi & touida pr Ct.
pg mass Of rochs, AMI were face 10 face
,iih q black b l., into which Thsd tcrtu-
led si,bou, q moments hesitation. Ifol-
owed close on bis te.ls. There WAS room
Rough after We had sque,fad through he
arrow opening, aud we could see the hard
Dol beneath Us strewn with great stones,
away into darkness.
Block the hole Block The hoh gasp.
., AID together we stroye vi b all our !
light TO roll asone before The tpsring
someiLins luded i,feli sgslnst The Oh 1
tfuetisn AZ II went into place. We felt tie
, e.of the blow rs We dsipers ely beldtp
be striesde, asd through tie cracks We
Juid see q gresi,tawny-cplort least siriv.
e 10 rerd the solId rock with her power. I
Il clsws. Her thrisks Of b, NJ d rage were {
uswered from the back Of the cave with {
sarls ard cries {
ThAd groaned ~ the truth nitbed upon |
.. We were In the p,nthet's den. wa .