The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-31

We'll IN order 70 hear what was being said and ON
hearing some one say, have you any idea, sir,
whose dogs il was,n and her husband reply, that
II be had an idea, It would not do for him, poor
as he was, to accuse even rich mans dog she
could restrain her indigestion and sturdy indie
pendeDoe no longer but said out aloud, addressing
herself to no one in particular, " for my part,
think we live In free country Pa hackneyed
cry Of the vulgar, to which no very definite idea
is attached, save that no superiOrs are scknOwl-
edged.
aCertainly, Mrs. Bates" said Mr.. Claverel
who caught the words, and was courteous enough
to reply.
"But suppose we do, Of what use is it, unless we
dare say what we Think
"That is certainly among our PriVileges-can
you not say what you thinkf' and MIR. Claverel
scratched his head in puzzled sort of way, with
out precisely knowing why he felt uneasy.
"Yes, can, answered the sturdy little woman,
"but some folks can't"
"whO can't7" said Mr. clpversl laCOnioally
@Bates, for one" she replied.
"What does Bates think7p
"Efe thinks o certain rich mans dog, not a
thousand miles from here, killed the biggest part
of our sheep"
"Do YOU mean to say it was my dog % Mr..
Clsverel said, coming close TO her, his blue eyes
sparkling the while with indignation.
@lf the shoe fits, you must wear i'll didn't
say it was your dog"
No you seem afraid to say what you think
Notwithstanding your boast about free country
should like to know upon what evidence your
suspicious are founded
"The evidence of my eyes and ears. | don't
know as we need other evidence in this free
country
"Then you mean to say that you saw my dog
kin your sheepl | understood your boy 70 say
= --pa killed in the nieht WAsi.~~H ASA u
so, how did you chance to see iii"
By this time their discussion had ELECTED
+ ssnerni- attenuon, and Mrs. Bates, f&VSSsd With
the opportunity Of being heard went on TO explain
the grounds of her belief, which she did on this
wise:
at was along about midnight reckon, that
walked up-I don't know what made me- for gen.
orally sleep pretty sound, unless Of the chill
Idren are sick, or Bates Is going to market, and,
such times, get but little rest Here while ago
| took my baby, Ssryanne her name is, and went
visiting, fool like, Mrs Bates was fond of Wis
iting and the little toad took the whoopingcaugh;
suppose il was good enough for me, but how she
got it was the greatest wonder in the world. IL
| could be no other way than that she took 1t Of
somebody In the street. | remember Of stopping
to speak to one person, Polly Kitterly wanted
| TO buy some pasnip seed-Kittery's folks always
raised the best OF Vegetables end she had her baby
Lizabeth Vanholt, in her arms-she's named for
the old man, Vanholt and they say ipslike enough
he will leave her silver spoon or two when he
dies Well, can't remember now, whether her
baby's head WAS towards my baby's head, or
| L. - = g.
my baby's head but il her babyls head was
towards my baby's head, and if her baby had the
whooping cough, IL would have been easy for my
baby to take it of her baby
Certainly, Mrs Bates" said Mr.. Clavere
now thoroughly good-kumored, d" but you forgot
about the Sheep
"No | haven't, answered the lady. [" reckon
| can speak word In this free country without
talking as though was giving Kings evidence,
and must have my head cut off If | said o word
more or lessn
almost deepening TO laughter, ai Ihe yoIuble 1T
| tie woman, somewhat appease6, went on with,
" well, as | said, Sarysnne took the whooping-
cough, and though she had it pretty light, for she
didn't whoop much, Bates wouldn't believe she
had it for good while the other children took
the whooping-cough of her, and every one Of them
whooped as bad as ever | saw children whoop with
the whooping-cough, and have seen children
| whoop with the whoopiDg- cough till their faces
were fairly black and blue But since they got
over the whooping- cough, | have scarcely been
broke of my rest at ALL as you may say, unless
have spell Of the tooth-ache or neurology, or just
| before rain when my corns are troublesome ana
how happened to wake up last night, don't
| know. | might have had an ugly dream but
couldn't remember any Of IT, II had and yet IL
seems as If remember something of spreading
clothes down to bleach in the of our little
| peach orchard, and Of hearing dogs bark, and |
think likely heard our dog barking at the neigh
bors' dogs here she looked at Mr. Claverel) that
had come TO kill the sheep, for our dog will be
cross to other dogs in the night, when other dogs
come where our dog is, though be is just as good
dog TO other dogs in the daytime, and even along
In the early part Of the evening, as any dog need
be TO other dogs hut about midnight, and on till
daylight, be is as cross dog to other dogs as q
dog can be0
Mesntime Mr. Bates, who II must be owned
looked little sheepish slipped into the house.
where by dint Of whipping one of the children he
raised such hue and cry as brought the story Of
his good wife TO an untimely oonclusion-the
whole amounting only to this, that most probably
she was awake at the very time the disaster oo-
CURED, though she had no reason for such infer
ence, save the vague impression Of hslf-remem-
bered dream and why her suspicious had fallen
upon Mr.. Claverers dog, she said not. 1t was,
however, supposed TO be for that Mr.. Claverel
owned more land than Mr.. Bates, and that Mrs.
Claverel sometimes wore a black silk dress, which
she had actually hired made.
When Mrs. Bates, having rid her bosom OF Its
perilous stuff, had retired within doors Mr. JAM
eson, man whose opinions were regarded by his
neighbors Of great weight, partly that he spoke
in deliberate and consequential sort OF way, and
partly that he was one Of the largest landed pro-
prietors In the county stepping little aside from
the group, and elevating himself upon block OF
wood, delivered the following speech
Friends and neighbors: Whereas We have
been brought together by the sudden and unex-
pected calamity which last night or probably on
the morning Of this very day, fell with the weight
Of milestone upon William A. Bates, here MIR.
Bates overpaid for his less, looked solemniy dig
nif sd1 il becomes US as dligent seekers OF JUS
tce TO ascertain, II possible, the guilty perpetra
tors OF the bloody deed and whether II be your
dog (suiting his gestures to his words) or wheth
er IL be my dog, let the punishment be speedy
and decisive, for In come instances, and In my
humble opinion, friends and Deigbbors, this Is
one, In which severity Is mercy. would there
fore respectfully suggest, and humbly as becomes
me- for | see around me gray hairs that betoken
wisdom, that Dr. Hilton be forthwith profession
ally summoned, aud that he decide, or that his
doctor stuff decide which OF our dogs has
breakfasted on mutton p And, casting look Of
inquiry upon his admiring audience, Mr. Jane
son descended from the block.
The boys volunteered, one after another, to 20
for the Doctor, till finally, the Jameson sugges-
ton being unanimously approved, the whole as
sembly set out In high glee
Startown was, and Is STILL little hsh-and-
mossses village, with one three-story brick house,
which is known by all the district round about as
the Stsrtown Hotel Here the stage coach stops,
here all bills Of vendues and school house debates
and travelling shows, from the babes In the wood.
to Herr Dreisbaok's lion in harness, are posted
II boasts also Of free school and select school
q milliper shop, two blacksmiths shops, tnree