Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-11-11
MIS- e. T. l. l. a n Y .
TOM ROCKET.

"
one knew what ho was Ike. II, vas a IA.
Nv frlliw wss TON he never cane Out et
cept when there va. gpod pr're To b. pick
Ell up, and be had hi. .c,ut- ani hi' spies
all over the place 10 give hin Information
about boory, and warn him II danger. Bui
To- judge by wha, people 'Aii he WA'" On
tie road" al hall a dor n diderea, places al
once every day II hi. lic.
Ny Father Was Gloucester man. lie
stood six feet thrcc in hi. soockng', and
measured thirty SIX inches acrpss hi. chest.
IT, cnuld double up halt crown between
h,s thumb and finger, AMI Sa' as brave a.
lion. - many - time aud OF, when ans
ono talked Of tho dangers Of tho road,
hc would sct hi, great teeth t. erth'r,
shake III, head. and -ay that he should
like to -ce the man Iha, could r,h ham 30
tho h,shw,y. and. as said before be did
sec him. anI il w,s T,m Rocket.
Nv father wasa lawyer. AMI was At the
time I have ,nu,nsi, engaged in q gtci,
tithe c,u.c thaI wn. u be- uicd =, WHwics
Spring A-.ir-. -. shortly h'for, CHRIST.
ma.. he had ta - over To lo'k up r,iiencc.
There was 40 cr,.' county co,ch,'o be- rrle.
and helm: hrN, man. be- ruI' alone
lie transacted hi. hn.ln-,'. and my pJ,r
mu.hsr hcin: ilI. and not lisin; t. leave
her alone longer than be could hep. lee st
oct h. RIDE hume again ahnui bali past nine
O',l,yk that .amc evening. IL Vas ~ beau
tlula winters nigh, =, ever YOU were out
IN. III. nag "a, Gr't rate hun'cr, a' do
cil, a,A dog. AMI 6I to carry even hl-
weight n,rr. or p., anything. II bal a
hmc, IT excellent pistol. IN hs ha',ors :
ana he ,sscl along. hummins merry
tunc. neither thinking nor earn: Tor any
ruhbsr under the sun All 1T asnll'n It
.,rack him that th- pretty b1.m',d Of an
inn iu.t out ot warsirk iosn, where hc hal
stopped 1, have glrlh that be had broken
patched together. bad ''rrn very busy With
lho.c III same pistols and .u'P'c'ins that
.he might have been L,nP,rins "'th them,
be- drew the charge. and reloaded them
c,rrtlly. Tm. done, he j'ssed on asain
a. h-inr,.
n, h.d ridden about tn miles, whom he
came L. q ~o,Icn bridge tha, there wA' IN
th,.e d,,. over the Avon. Ji'I beyond It
rs, .ulI,h hill. At the top II (which wa''
sudden h,ni in the rold. Just a' nv lA'h
cr reached lhi. turn, = masked horscman
suddenly whcrl-l r,und upon him, an !
h.ds hun " Ndqd aad d,hrer 80 IL was
Tom Rocket lna s',rni NY father ps'
tol. wcr, out. cnek'i. and -naPP'd within
yard 81 the hishwtymln'. chest hn''
one at, the other. they missed tire TOE
Irytty harma.d-a .p-cni friend u Tom
w.. top sharp t. T-ly upon the uld dudsv u
DRAWN: the halls, Or d'mP'ns the charge
size thrust pm int each tuuchhJlc, and
then broke Il short I'D
" Any N ,re ?" rnm inquired, a. cody
A. y,u pleas, when my E.'h,r s,ronl p''
lul l,.n,d IN the pan.
Yes shouted my f.:her, in fury
=" one i,r your upb :" AnI .,iiiug th'
weapon la, u,-d. ny the mulilc, he hurled
It with all h,, might ard main At Rocket
head. 1um d.ckci. the pistol lsw o'er
tbc heIs,. and ms father, thrown Oui o
balance ~ hi. eIrrtipn, li,s h,. sat. an'
tell heavily on the st's' hy the roadside
In ls,s tine than It tkr- u say 50, Ton
dl,mpuntcI. se,ll my iltier by the c1llaI
aud placing pistol within an inch Of hI
lacr a. he lay, hljc him be quiet, or Il
Would b. the wor,c for hm.
you've gwen me good deal OF 'ron
bIe. " saii Tom, $50 just hand over youI
pur,c without any more adc. or by Gil
.end bullet through your .kull-jns
there : and be laid the cold murEls of hi'
pistol on my fathers forehead just between
hi, eyes.
Iti- bal enoug1 tn have to look down
the barrel ofloldcd Gr5 urm, upon inlI
cock, with hishwaymin's finger upon the
trigger. ut to have the cold muz1Ic pres
.cd slowly upon your heAd-.ugu!-it make
tue crrrp to think ofis.
My father made virtue Of necessity
aud quie,ly gave up his purse.
much good may i, do you" he said
=. Tor there only three and siIPence in IL. v
Now Tor your pocket-boOk," said Tom
not needing HIN.
Poke, bOok?" inquired my father
turning little pale.
"Ay. pocket.book :" Tom repeated "a
thick black one it is in the leis.haud poek
ct Of your riding coat"
:" Here iI is, said my father you know
50 much about it that perhaps you can tell
what its contents are wOrth?'
"l'll see," Tom replied. quietly taking
out and unfolding half a.dOlsn les'l.look
Ing documents
They are law.papers not worth rush
to you or any one else" said my father.
Then" Tom replied, 81 may tear
them up, and he made as though he would
do ~
Hold on your life" my father shout
ed struggling hard, bu, in vain to RISE"
"Oh they are worth something ,hen.'
said Tom with grin.
"lt would take deal Of trouble to
make them out again." my father replied
sulklly-'' that. all"
"Ilow much troublc''' Tom inquired
l. L