The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-02-25

L
sailed forth to the sleeping dame, shout
ing as I went for redress. "Where is my
coat? What have you done with my trou-
sers and all my clothes?" I said as I shook
her sternly by the shoulder; but shook
and screamed in vain. She was like the
sleeping beauty of eastern tale, and could
not be awakened. At last, however, my
behavior reused her. and she sat bolt up
right in bed, and after time her under
standing grasped the truth 1.-The villain!
the rascal" she exclaimed: chats how he
serves me; that's what 1 get for my kind
ness! taking of un in, and feeding of un,
and letting un creep into my sons bed
when you comed-and then telling lies for
un! That's how the dirty varmint sars
me- Why, sir, he coined 20 my door two
hours after nightfall, and lifted up the
latch. and in walks as easy as if he'd
knowed me all my days; and then he
says: Y on do see where 1 do come from.
Well, 'tw'd be a pity if l was took't' wild?
-widn't? 'Twould be a pity, caus for
why: before l was laid holt on, I'd knock
you down and kill you' and he up wi his
fist list as thof he were gwain to do it
Now you mind men a says: if you'll keep
me in quarters for two or three days till
the search is gone over, I'll gle thee these
shirers;' and he showed me heap ofmon
ey: but if you let on a word about me to
anybody, I'll kill you, and fay you alive
afterwards; so now you can choose, says
be. Says l: i don't want to doe no hurt.
I'd sooner ye did get off than not; for l
do often think must be hard life ye do
lead up there to the prison, so you can
eat and drink what I've got; and ifany-
body do come, you can git into bed, and
III say it's my sick SOM
"And so you helped him to my clothes
to get of imp I said, half inclined to
laugh at the ludicrous scene in which |
was an actor.
/ "No, sir, that I did not [ hung up
your clothes to dry, and didn't know but
, what they was there to this minute. That
rogue he've took't um sure enough, and
I thought he were sound asleep all the
9 time!'
That the woman spoke truth, was evi,
, dent So rejoicing that | had at al
tevet.ts saved my purse. I'patsonthe7hate
full suit of the felon; and after partakine
of the comfortable breakfast my hostess
, , prepared for little Kitty and me, and re
munerating> her for her trouble, 1 again
sailed forth, much annoyed at the strang'
position in which found myself, yet hal
amused at the absurdity of it, and laugh
ing in my mind at what my friends ant
patients would think if they had glimps
of me walking over the moor, dressed il
convicted felon's garb, and leading lit
: tie bareheaded and barefooted child, o
> four years old, by the hand. Such wa.
!, , of enjoying holiday!
v However, there was no help for it; wa
v in the mess, and now l must do my best t.
|, the hills, in the direction of the village il
e which my hostess of the past night hat
# told me / was most likely to meet wit
an owner for little Kitty. 1t was glo
v rious morning, and the scenery SO will
i and so very grand, that l longed to max
: some sketches; but, situated as l was, thi
: was not to he thought Of Following tn
o moor-road on which we had entered 70
: about mile across wild hills, over whlc
o lay scattered huge masses of granite, W
n made our way through a wilderness {
> heath and gorse, interspersed with eS
e tensive bogs, until at last we struck a pal
7 ish road Along the course of this roa
e lay some cottages, one of which | entere
It with the view Of making inquiries abou
the owner of the child, but found it empt!
and proceeded to the next, where wer
- only some little children, who ran away q
/, my approach. The third l tried was i
the same case; all the doors were wild
:, open, but the inhabitants were absent.
d Concluding that the people were gon
l. to their work, l pursued my way toward
a village l observed little way befor
Il me. Here the matter was cleared ul
o. Groups of people stood here and there
v eager talk; some news of deep import ha
o evidently reached the colony. 1t was ev
10 dent that some great excitement prevailed
d So eager were all in their talk, that
Is as 1 suddenly turned a corner into tn
l. main street where the people were assem-
III bled--none noticed me, and had time t
g observe one principal group, which al
g tracted my attention. A pretty, yer
: young widow stood with pale and anxiou
d face, and weeping bitterly, by the side {
;e an old man with long white locks; he wa
Of bind, but his face which was turned tc
d wards me- expressed dismay and horror
t. Two police officers were near, and wer
II talking earnestly together, whilst sever;
D. men and women stood round, all express
y ing by their gestures some strong feelin
J. or other 1t was but for moment [ ha
le watched this group, when suddenly littl
st Kitty broke from me, and screamin
E. "Mother mother!" sprang towards tn
is young widow, who turned quickly round
n saw the child, and with a cry of joy re
le ceiyed her into her outstretched arms
o The scene was most interesting, and
d stepped forward with joyful feeling t
s. greet the mother, and tell her the tale {