Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-03-01


around the corner.
How now, Jack Brown, and you,
Tom Hodge; what are you doing with
that dog?" heard him saying. "Bet-
ter leave him alone, and clear out from
this. don't want you hanging round
here any longer. Here pup"
Shortly after, as the landlord came up
stairs, and stopped at my door to see if
| required any thing, | asked him the
occasion of the disturbance l had heard.
40, the dog did not like Jack Browns
teasing" he said, and so showed his
teeth. The hostIer said they had been
tormentiDg him--Jack Brown and his
companion,-and when he threatened to
fly at them, they got angry. should
not have cared much," added mine host,
if he had given them something to re-
member them by-they deserve it"
| 1t was perhaps half an hour after,
when, sitting still by the easement, while
the moon rose higher and higher, saw
coming into the inn-yard, boy, with a
stealthy look about him. He looked
about the place as he entered the door
just below my window. Some few mo-
menls elapsed, and he came out again
followed by the hound, who kept close to
L.4, smelling Of something which seem
Ell to pa 1sed 10 coax him along. They
went together around the corner Of the
inn, and disap cared.
sat two or three minutes thinking Of
the master, and then, prompted by some
suspicion scarcely defined al ,ae moment,
put on my hat, descended the stare, and
wen, ont the door. Passing around the
corner Of the inn, followed a path lead
ing past the stables aud the kitchen gar
deA Of the inn. This path lay across a
large orchard beyond, and down by a
brook running through the meadow far
der on. The moonl' ght though not very .
bright yet, slumbered here n a silvery (
twilight among the trees, leaving their
shadows uadisturbed below.
As | reached the orchard which had
no wall at the lower eud-I could see
through the trees down to tho meadow,
aud there, crouchei beneath a large viii
low bending over the brook, was a dark
figure, " wlich took to be that Of the boy
and thar instant there was a dull splash
in the water as if something heavy had
fallen in. l sprang forward TO the spot,
jas. Re the boy had risen to bis feet, and
seized him by the arm.
What have you been doing ?" ask
ed, very sterniy.
He started, and attempted TO elude my
grasp; then as l repeated my question,
10 half frightened, half sui
len tone: .
well, Jack Brown told me to do it
and the dog didn't belong to any one.'
| le5 90 his arm, threw of my coat, .
and sprang into the brook, while he ran :
luickly away. The water was nearly as
B sh as my head here; and struggling in .
/, for life, was the hound, with a great q
tone, attached by cord to his neck, {
holding him down. t
In an instant l lad seized The stone in r
10Th hands; and as l lifted it with main G
;rength, the dog rose slowly to the sur i
ace, with feeble and conyulsiye efforts d
Between being half strangled and bali
it was as much as he could DO i
0 crawl up on the bank, while l laid the b
tone there; and as l drew out my knife I
o cut the cord, be lay down exhausted a
ipon the turf. Poor fellow lie licked h
ny hand gratefully while was doing it.
Some fragments of raw meat lay here d
n the grass. / understood now. The $
10Y had enticed him hither with these, :,
nd fastening the stone to his neck while
e was eating, had let the stone slide II
lto the water, and so pulled the dog in
(ter it. 1t was fortunate for the young h
lscal that he was nos within reach Of n
lstice, or l should have administered it
nth compound interest then. However, r.
5 the hound was safe, / cared less about @,
le matter; and that he agaS safe, there I
as no doubt; for after a few moments a
e arose, and moving off step or two, W
'owly shook the water from his shaggy nj
los. Now patted and caressed him, Sc
nd with mute eloquence he returned my ec
arresses, showing his gratitude in every IN
ossible way, for the deliverance he had cr
,ceiyed at my bands. m
1 took my coat on my arm, and togeth- di
: we proceeded to return to the inn. Ny m
anime companion and myself entered
y sleeping apartment. There was in
'e blazing cheerily on the hearth, and N
,ing quickly up to il, the doc laid down