The Rangers

ng on! my mo

ere erst I u

ng torrent l

side all bat

e bursting

large quantities of its internal heats, or that the air becomes suddenly rarefied by some essential change or modification in the state of the electric fluid. The morning had been cloudless; and the rising sun, with rays no longer dimly struggling through the dense, obstructing medium of the dark months gone by, but, with the restored beams of his natural brightness, fell upon the smoking earth with the genial warmth of summer. A new atmosphere, indeed, seemed to have been suddenly created, so warm and bland was the whole air; while, occasionally, a breeze came over the face of the traveller, which seemed like the breath of a heated oven. As the day advanced, the sky gradually became overcast-a strong south wind sprung up, before whose warm puffs the drifted snow-banks seemed literally to be cut down, like grass before the scythe of the mower; and, at length, from the thickening mass of cloud above, the rain began to descend in torrents to the mutely recipient earth. All this, for a while, however, produced no very visible effects on the general face of nature; for the melting snow was many hours in becoming saturated with its own and water from above. Nor had our travellers, for the greater part of the day, been much incommoded by the rain, or the thaw, that was in silent, but rapid

d, pleasing countenance. The remaining two gentlemen of the party were much older, but scarcely less dissimilar in their appearance than the two just described. One of them was a gaunt, harsh-featured man, of the middle ago, with an air of corresponding arrogance and assumption. The other, who was still more elderly, was a thick-set and rather portly personage, of that quiet, reserved, and somewhat haughty demeanor, which usually belongs to men of much self-esteem, and of an unyielding, opinionated disposition. The ladies were both young, and in the full bloom of maidenly beauty. But their native characters, like those of their male companions, seemed to be very strongly contrasted. The one seated on the left was fair, extremely fair, indeed; and her golden locks, clustering in rich profusion around her snowy neck and temples, gave peculiar effect to the picture-like beauty of her face. But her beauty consisted of pretty features, and her countenance spoke rather of the

turn to the conversation, which had now, for some time, been lagging,-"father, I think you promised us, on starting fr

erson addressed; "for I know I calculate

instead of the promised sunshine, does the progress, made and n

of a thaw so sudden and powerful as this? Why, the very road before us looks like a running river! Indeed, I think we shall do well to reach Westminster at all to-night

escribed, "has particular reasons for being on the ground to-night. I must also be there, and likewise friend Jones, if we can persuade him to forego

the honor of a command, though I should be ready to go on and a

d for what?" asked Hav

he sheriff, "that threats have been thrown out, th

disaffected creatures, who, having heard of the rebellious movements in the Bay State, have thrown out these idle threats with the h

t information, on which I could rely, that these disorganizing rascals were actually combinin

he squire; "they will never be so audacious

as I was leaving my house in Brattleborough, yesterday morning, in which the judge stated, that about forty men, from Rockingham, came to him in a body, at his house in Chester,

ir insolence!" exclaimed the squire.

be tried, he supposed the court must come together to dispose of that; after which they would immediately adjourn. And promising them that he would give the sheriff directions not to appear with any armed assistants, he dismissed them, and sat down and wrote me an account of the affair, winding off with

nd and Peters, had subsided. "I have heard several mysterious hints thrown out by our opponents about it, which seemed to imply that the prosecution of the prisoner was got up f

his true name," responded the sheriff. "The crime was committed at Albany, severa

at circum

saved, or something of the kind, those whom he owed beset him to pay them, or play again. But he refused to play, pretending to have become pious, and also held back about paying up his old debts. Their debts, however, they determined to have, and went to him for that purpose; when an affray arose, and one of them was killed by Herriot, who escaped, and fled, it seems, to this section of the country, where he kept himself secluded in some hut in the mountains, occasionally appear-ing abroad to preach religion and rebellion to the people, by which means he

Judge Chandler's communication: what steps have you taken, if

f resolute fellows; while I whipped over to Newfane myself, fixed matters there, and came round to Bennington to enlist David Redding, and a friend or two more; as I did, after I arrived, last night, though I was compelled to leave them my slei

however, yet believe them so infatuated as to take this step. But if they should, decided mea

either on the part of the authorities or their opponents. But what do these people complain of? There must be some cause, by which they,

n and sold to pay their honest debts, when money is so scarce, they say, that they cannot pay their creditors in currency-just as if the court could

f it be proper for me to inquire,

as they have done this side of the mountain, had New York adopted the resolves of the Continental Congress of last December, and come into the American Association, as it is called, which has no less for its object, in re

t, had any intention of yielding to the mob-laws of Ethan Allen, Warner, and others, who place the laws of New York at defiance on the other side of the mountain

have recently read over a list of the members of the Congress; when I noticed among them the names of men, who, but a short time since, stood

hat you cannot take the opinion of your friends, who know so much more than you do about these matters, instead of raising, as I have noticed you have

colonies and the mother country, I have gone on the ground that the party which has the most right on its side would, of course, have the best reasons fo

er. The other gentlemen, also, looked rather glum; and for many moments not a word was spoken; when the other young lady, who had not yet s

o the loyal party; and whatever might be said, I know I should alway

disaffected people are based on mistaken notions. They are too ill informed, I fear, to appreciate the justice

n rights, or what is for their own good, and should be treated accordingly. And I think some of our leading men miss

opinion. My business, for several years past, has brought me often in contact with them, in a certain quarter; and I have found them not on

his experience in the great republi

their opponents, and coming into power, upsets every thing done by their predecessors. The next year the upsetters themselves get upset; and all

teringly, "I doubt whether you have b

d, who noticed that Peters had ans

eculations east of the mountains, you know, had brought, it seems, several suits for the possession of lands, mostly in this same Guilford; and among the rest, one for a right of land in possession of a sturdy young log-roller, whom they called Harry Woodburn, who appeared in court in his striped woollen frock, and insisted on defending his own case, as he proceeded to do with a great deal of confidence. But when he came to produce his deed for the land he contended was his own, it was found, to his utter astonishment, to bear a later date than the one produced by Peters. This seemed to settle the case against him. But he appeared to have no notion of giving up so; and, by favor of court, the further hearing of the case was deferred a day or two, to enable him to procure the town records, which,

raillery. "He has petitioned for a new trial;

as, of course, I suppose it to have been. Your lawyer, Stevens, really appeared, once or twice, to be quite annoyed at his home thrusts; while lawyer Knights, or Rough-hewn Sam, as they call him, who, either from a sly wish to see his friend S

Why, he is a mere obstinate boor, whose self-will and vanity led him to set up

great expense for himself, in obtaining delays and new trials, in the hope that the lost records would be foun

ring the case, doubtless," replied Peters, with the

ully; "but I should have hardly inferred it from M

t. "Mr. Jones has really excited my curiosity by his account of this young

landscape, which here opened to their view. This was the tall, rugged mountain, which, rising from the eastern shore of the Connecticut, was here, through an opening in the trees, seen looming and lifting its snowy crest to the clouds, and greeting the gladdened eyes of the way-worn travellers with the silent but welcome

t, in New England phrase, is termed a jumper, constituted his sleigh. And this vehicle was drawn by a long switch-tailed young pony, whose unsteady gait, as he briskly ambled along the street, pricking up his ears and veering about at every new object by the way-side, showed him to be but imperfectly broken. The owner of this rude contrivance for locomotion was evidently some young farmer from the neighboring country. But although his dress and mode of travelling seemed thus to characterize him, yet there was that in his personal appearance, as plain as was his homespun garb, which was calculated to command at once both attention and respect. And as he now rose and stood firmly plan

ding smile and tender playfulness of the accepted lover, as he was,-"Jane, you said, I think, that you should lik

eplied the other briskly; "but why

pushing on before us, in yon crazy-looking establishmen

with which his uneasy and frowning glances, as he kept his eye keenly fixed on the person in question, but illy comported. "We

he next moment, a full and fair view of his personal appearance; when they turned and looked at each other with expressions of surp

every one boast of-" Here she threw a furtive glance at Peters, when she appeared to read something in his countenance which ca

so frantic that they could scarcely be restrained from dashing off at a run. The young farmer, in the mean while, finding himself closely pressed by those behind him, without any apparent disposition on their part to turn out and

remonstrance, at the same time catching at his arm, as if to restrain

eigh runners that followed, came down with a crash to the ground, leaving him barely time to clear himself from the wreck, by leaping forward into the snow. Startled by the noise behind him, the frightened pony made a sudden but vain effort to spring forward with the still connected remains of the jumper, which w

nearest horse by his nostrils and bridle curb, and, in spite of his desperate rearing and plunging, under the rapidly ap

eters, choking with rage at his defeat in attemp

s means, sir!" retorted Woodb

heriff, protruding his harsh visage from one side of the sl

to Patterson with cool disdain. "I have nothing to do with you, sir; but I hold th

ave designedly caused your disaster. Our horses, which are high-mettled, as you see, t

med Peters, still chafing with anger, but evidently disturb

to see merits in a rich man's claim. Yes, you have defrauded me, sir, out of my hard-earned farm; and there," he continued, pointing to his gasping horse,-"there lies nearly half of all my remaining property-dead and gone! ay, and by your act, which, from signs I had previously noticed, and from the tones of that young lady's exclamation at the instant, (and

its doors, leaving the young man standing alone in the road, gazing after them with that moody and disqui

t there is no help for you now, nor for me either, I fear, as illy as I can afford to lose you. But it is not so much the loss, as the manner-the manner!

g, like himself, on their way to court, had stopped at the inn, or store, near

emost, as he came up and threw a glance of s

ody reply, as others now arrived, and, w

but how w

court gentry, run over me-that's all," he answered, with an air that s

ed their belief that the aggression was intentional, and warmly espoused this cause of their outraged friend and townsman. A sort of council of war was then holden; the affair was discussed and set down as another item in the catalogue of injuries and oppressions of which the court party had been guilty. Individuals were despatched into all the nearest houses, and elsewhere, for the purpose of discovering what evidence might be obtained towards sustaining a prosecution. It was soon ascertained, however, that no one had seen the fracas, except the parties in interest,-all Peters's company being so accounted,-and that, consequently, no hope remained of any legal redress. On

ands, I should but be doing just what I condemn in him, and thus place myself on a level with him in his despicable conduct. No, we will let him alone, and give him all the rope he will take; and if he don't hang for his misdeeds, he will doubtless, by his conduct, aid in hastening on the

ificant nods and looks; "that time wil

s the winter was coming on, and milk was half our dependence for the children, our only

, my pair of two-year-olds and seven sheep were all seized and sold under the hammer, for just enough to pay the debt and costs, to Squire Gale, the clerk of the court, who is another of those conniving b

all be allowed to exercise the right which, according to my notions, we have from God-that of choosing our own rulers, who, then, would be men from among ourselves, knowing something about the wants and wishes of the people, and willing to provide for their distresses in times like these. I have little to say about individual men, or their acts of oppression; for such men and such acts we may

dially offering the other his hand; "the approbation of a man like you more than

it may the sooner overflow, yet you were right; and it was spoken, too, like a man. But let me suggest, whether you, and all present, had not better now disperse. The powers that be will

n find some one to dispose of the body of my luckless pony; for then I propose to throw the ha

n yard yonder, Harry. And I am sorry I have too much of a load

you will; for I conclude you are bound t

with a team, by to-morrow. Neither the rain nor thaw is over yet, if I can read prognostics. How strong and hot this south wind blows! And just cast your eye

oes,-articles with which foot-travellers, when the snow was deep, often, in those times, went furnished,-took up their line of march down the road lea

ecially in that of New York; and that the frequent controversies, arising out of disputed titles, made up the chief business of the court, which, on the erection of a new county by the legislature of New York, embracing all the south-eastern part of the Grants, and known by the name of Cumberland, had here, several years before, been established. And it was business of this kind, and the personal, in addition to the political, interest they had in sustaining a court, the judges of which were themselves said to be engaged in these speculations, and therefore expected to favor, as far as might be decent, their brother speculators, that led to the j