Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-10-07
Mysterious Mutton.


wolves were so plenty that it was almost
impossible to keep sheep, and only now
and then 'cosset' was raised as pet
A good deacon had reared one, and as
Il had become rather troublesome, be
killed it. Mutton was great treat in
those parts so he reserved one quarter
for himself and one for the minister, and
divided the remainder into small por-
tions and distributed it among their few
neighbors. The ministers portion was
placed in an outbuilding for safe keep
ing until the next day, but in the MORN
ing il was no more TO be found some
one had stolen it, and the pelt in which
which it was wrapped.
Greatly disappointed, the deacon and
his wife resolved to make some amends
! for the loss to the minister, and there
fore selected their incest cheese, and
placed ii in covered basket and sent it,
with polite note, by their two boys
1t was berry time. and the boys made
frequent stops both going and coming
When they returned, great was the sur
prise of the deacon to find a note from
the minister cordially thanking him for
the present of quarter of mutton, and
asking him to accept the gift contained
in the basket as an expression of his re.
gard.
"NIutton mutton y said the deacon
she was probably thinking of the sheep
| killed yesterday when he wrote the
note. But let Us examine the basket"
He opened it and there was nothing but
fiat stone!
The deacon was a good man, but this
aroused his indignation, and he could not
refrain from speaking harshly of such
treatment from one he had always con-
sdered his friend. BY the advice Of his
wife, in the afternoon he called on the
minister for an explanation, taking with
him a small cut of mutton for peace Of
fering. The minister and his wife had
Just gone out, and as the deacon was
talking with their little girl, be happened
to look into an open pantry, and there
spied the very quarter OF mutton stolen
from him the night previous; he knew
it by the marks he bad made in dressing
it. Without another word he seized it
and went home in great wrath, convinced
that the minister was thief, and deter
mined to have nothing more to do with
him. The minister on his return was
equally indignant at the conduct of the
deacon, but prudently resolved to say
nothing of the matter.
For three weeks after the deacon and
his wife were absent from church. Ev-
cry one wondered why but be would
make no explanation neither would the
minister. Bot finally meeting of the
church members was called, with de-
termination to have the strange actions
Of the deacon explained, and he resolved
to lei the whole story out. He told the
circumstance, and expressed great grief
at what he considered the shameful cons
duct of the minister. The latter gentle
man then made his statement. He said
that the deacon's boys had brought him a
quarter of mutton in basket, and that
in return he had placed there neat
family bible.
Everybody now looked at his neigh
Dor, wondering what it could mean.-I
Some thought them both ctazy-others
thought of wilchcraft. All was still as
the grave for some minutes, when there
arose g man formerly known as Wicked
Will,' and had lately reformed and join
ed the church.
"Brethren," said he in a trembling
voice, 81 stole that quarter of mutton.
On my way home in the night / was
chased by wolves and climbed a tree for
safety, where | had to stay until they
went away in the morning. Being afraid
to take the meat home by daylight, /
bid it in the woods. In order to make
sure Of it staid rear the place, intends
ing to carry it away early in the even
ing. While there the deacon's two boys
came along, and from my hiding place
heard them speaking of what had hap.
pened. | also found that it was too
warm for the meat to keep through the
day and so, when they were busy 10
gathering berries, l slipped the cheese
out of the basket and put in the meat. -
When they returned they stopped again,
and hearing them speak of a present for