Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-08-04
What,s inaPack4

tosn any OtuSTS anu standing at
the end Of long avenue, and it's only oc-
cupants on the day in question were two
women servants and boy. The time, per.
haps, hung rather heavily upon the hands
OF these three, since the appearance of a
queer figure telling up the avenue was
hailed With unconcealed satisfaction.
IT'S old Burke, the jaeger said one.
1T isn1 old Burke but he's got a pack
any how. HSw slow he walks, aud it's get
ting darks We shan't be able to see the
things
The Jaeger, or 5agmau, or peddler, which
ever bane you like best, came Nd to the
door wipirg bis forehead. and grooming
under bis burden; aud we'll be might
Surely peck Of such size had never be.
fore wearied the enduring shoulders of a
bagman. De did not attempt to ease him.
self Of 1t. however, or to display his wares
in the customary manner, but he took IF
his hat TO the women politely.
'W0uld the mistress take pity on him.
and let bim leave bis pack in the hall or in
the kitcheD-auy where, so that it would
be safe And he would fetch it the next
dey.'
Now, the master and mistress were, as
we have seen, from home, 80 was the man
who filled the Office of coachmau, groom,
and gardener with the help of the boy above
mentioned az u sub; and neither master,
mistress, or coachmsn would return that
0ight. The three servants therefore look
ed at each other inquiringly. little Curl
Gus and great deal disappointed.
What's 10 the pack p asked one.
oh, it's not regular pack, bat an or.
DER responded the bag-man. A lot of
coarse cloth and some gunpowder; nothing
that would do to show the ladies. But /
am tired to death, anG have got to 90 iurth-
er. If might leave it where it would be
cafe for tonight, I've got few shawls and
things | could bring with me tomorrow
when return for it,
Again the women looked at each other.
'Shawls had he got? What else p
"A few trifes. May be gown.piece or
two that would come cheap
We'll, be might leave the pack if he
liked. but ne must take it away early the
next day
The ped1ler entered the hall and pre-
pared to lay down bis burden, then be es-
pied the door of a little room, which would
have been buffers pantry il the house
had boasted a butler. Might he put il
there, because Of the gunpowderf And it
was Put there, accordingly. the bagman
losing the door after him carefully. and
warning the friendly receivers not to take
a light into the room, or NEEDLE with the
pack 90 any account, because of the gun
powder.
The women went back to their kitchen,
and the boy fingered in the hall medita-
lively, having watched the peddler down
the avenue. At last he went to the door
of the buffers pantry, and took long look
through the key-hole. The last rays of the
setting sun shOns in through that little
widow, and fell upon tie pack lying in a
huge state on the floor. Again the boy
walked up and down the hall, again be
looked ling and anxiOusly through the
keyhole.
Did the pack move little as be stared at
it'll What fool be was, be thought; it
-ss ell faGGJ, VI course, Suddenly bis
gaze became riveted on enc corner Of the
paek, shore seemed to be a loophole, and
he saw, as he believed, in the red light,
the cleaning of human eye.
de drew back his own from the heyhUle;
he shot bolt into its socket noise iessly,
and then he began walking up and down
again. He thought about the loneliness Of
the lace, and the helplessness Of it's in.
mates; he thought about those two in the
kitchen and himself, and about the peddler,
and what might happen. lie walked till
it was quite dark, and he could no lunger
distinguish the outlines of that mysterious
pack; then be went into the kitchen where
the two women were still talking of the
shawls and probable gowupieces.
GWhpra's the Old Unn % 0Skod fba bor
La, Joseph, wha: should you want with
that? It's up there, over the clock
is it loaded? All right said Joseph;
examining it. Now then, I'll tell YOU
what want with it. I'm going to shoot
the pack
Joseph looked at the two Mortified faced
faces with bis own rather pale, but deter
mind.
You won't squall or anything, if tell
you what for, will your
No; but Joseph-the gunpowdeF!'
'Gunpowder's all in my eye. I'm going
to shoot it, because there's a mortal man
10 it, aud man doesn't get himself wrap.
ped in pack for no good purpose; tbat's
what cay. Ifyou're afraid, give me the
light. and stop where you are.'
But the women crept behind him tremu-
lOusly, and kept silence, while he tried
again if he could see anything through the
keyhole.
Then he opened the door boldly.
If the packs an honest pack said Jo-
seph, 1T won't mind shst'
Perhaps the uack really moved, or per-
haps Joseph was little nervous, for the
last word was not out of his mouth when
the report of gun rang through the room
A dead silence followed il. Joseph's
eyes were fixed 10 a wide open stare on
the pack. Presently small red spot came
ooziog through the coarse wrapping; it
grew larger. A little red stream trickled
down upon the hOor, and crawled towards
the boys feet, then he retired hastily and
locked tbs door again.
Ouce during the night, Joseph, standing
near a window, faDcied he heard a low
whistle outside; his heart gave jump, and
he siRnalled to the women to move about,
and slam the doors, and make az much
noise as they could. The whistle was re.
peated once only, and then all was quiet.
But though the morning light broke in up
on the servants they could not go to bed
or rest, for thinking of that CHASTITY thing
down IN the burler's pantry. None came
but the master of the house, but no ped
dler came with sbawls aud gOwnpieces.
when they undid the pack. the hand Of
the dead man was found clutching a small
whistle, and be had belt on. stuck With
pistols and cutless. IL is needless to add
that Joseph was rewarded; and some time
one Of gang Of robbers being
caught 10 burglary, confessed himself to
be the Identical bagmsn who left the pack
81 she lonely house, and never went to
Claim it.
a one legged Welshman, named Jones
was pretty successful in bautering an Irish
man, when the latter asked him: