Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-11-01
RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY,

its neck IS wrung. There was no way of fas-
tening the door. Io hold il was ont of the
question girls Woasla look through the
crack SO Icllabod 81 behind a ladder
but be saw that do His eye fell
on bundle Of stray ea1 he wished himself
a mouse, that he snighE crawl into it.
The girls came nearer and nearer Hay-
ing pacifed the dog.thev boldly determined
to ascertain the cause ol hisierror.
Don't come Iap aaked for heavens
sake, don'tp shriekea aehabod.
Not understanding bis words, the girls
| 1ho't he was calling for.assissanee. sudden-
IlY all was silent Tier losked through the
cracks, bit they TimiilY they
Opened sile eoor. Ih9s ssasssn was sSIsas
church on Monday morning. Encouraging
each other, the girls entered. This encour-
aged the dog. and he entered too. Nobody
was to be seen
The girls looked everywhere.-up the lad
der, on the NOV, behind the pitchfork that
stood in the corner-and fnally concluded
the robber, or whoever the snvsterious indi-
vidual was-must be in the tanning mill
Turn it, MolIyp said June.
Molly turned it-but as she did not find
out anybody, the girls changed their minds,
and felt certain the mysterious individual
must be in the large apple-barrel, which stood
in the corner.
The barrel was covered with straw. Jane
} pointed at it nysteriousy. Molly turned
pale. She was sure she saw the straw move;
and the dog was beginning to snuff an
growl at it, as it convinced there was some-
thing wrong Siientls Jane seized the pitch
fork Lizzie brandished sickle. One took
| her station on one side of the barrel, and
g the other on the other sde Towser was
r before it, growing frghtfully. Molly APP
preached it from behind. and, at a signal
e from Jane-hpped 1t o0er and split out
q Icha6od!
n He came out like spring snake out Of a
Y snuff box Up went Towser's bristles, and
n down came James pitchfork within an inch
l. of Ichabod's right ear! Lizzie was near
e reaping the Left with her sickle. Molly
s. shrieked; the sisters astonished, recoiled
l. They had recognized Ichabod!
q Don't look at me o, Lor the dog-my
n clothes!' CALCULATED Mr.. Inches. Don't
a, don't look !
s. And while the girls sent up a chorus o
wild, ringing laughter, he drew back into th'
s. barrel, like turtle into-its she'll
Amid the stifed growing of Towser, AM
the giggling of the girls, Ichabod, who ha
ID hastily fortified his retreat with what stray
lie he could grasp, by reaching out his make
re arms, told his story, aR1 entreated the girl
- 4 IL
le dog.
This they obliginaB did; and havin
ne withdrawn to give Ichabod an opportunit
I'd to dress, he got out of the barrel and int
er his clothes in double quick time. He think
RI he never occupied so little time in dressin
ID before or since!
ed Ichabod then, with feelings which ca
be more easily imagined than described
Cd appeared, white and CHASTITY, before tt
~ girls, who laughed, and before Towser, wi
a snufed at him, hung his head, and final
ith sneaked away, with his tail down, ve1
es, much ashamed. Ichabod, very mu'
ashamed too, went off in another directio
put and disappeared in the bushes; and OWL
left to painful associations connected with t
led briars, the dog, the barrel, and the gir
i'm our hero never afterwards went in sWi
I'M, ming behind Deacon Johnson's barn.