National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-02-22

died off faster after every stock of
damaged fruit | sold in the old shop,
and I'm afraid she was right. Wen.
as | Cold you, | struggled along as
best | might, and after while
things began to improve, and ! be
gan visions of a clean store in "A
good street when | laid down to
rest at night.
: $50 one day when | had been to
market | brought home half dozen
hams, and hung them up about the
door, more for show than anything
else, for hams were grand holiday
dinner III those regions. aud not an
every day affair, eau tell you.
They went oft slowly as thought
they would. NoI and then somc
one would come in for a pound. and
once ! sold half the smallest one to
a woman who wanted it for a Sun
\ day dinner. She was to pay me on
Monday morning, but she never did
it, for on Sunday night her husband
killed her with lum bottle, and
they took her body past my shop,
with her head beaten out OF shape
and bloody.
And so the hams hung there
through the summer and through
the fall, and quite on into the Win
ter.
at was just as the December
.htS began to grow long and dark,
and cold, that noticed a new po-
liceman on our beat-a young.
handsome looking fellow with very
briS hit eyes but with thin checks
ana hands, although he seemed to
be powerfully built, and made for
rather a stout man, that could not
help Watching him, and wondering
whether he had been i'll or not.
( The first time noticed him was
at sunset, and he passed and re
passed the window a dozen times,
looking all the while at those hams
/ which tangled from the frame of
the awning.
Il hope he means to buy one" ,"
said to my wife rs we sat togeth-
er over the tca-table, land |
shouldn't wonder if he did. for he
seemed to have taken quite fancy
for them
But the evening passed, and
though | saw him on the opposite
side Of the street. looking across
with his bright eyes straight at the
hams. he did not come in nor speak
to me on the subject. And SO !
made up my mind he would send toI
ii i'll the morning. and somehow
made sure of il, that whenever |
saw-a decent looking woman go by
with a basket on her arm, ! said
that's the policeman's wife coming
after the ham" | was mistaken.
/ however, and after the street lamps
were lighted up that night. began
to see the man pacing up and down
with his eyes fixed as they had been
| the night previous, upon the hams.
Once he caught me peeplng at him,
/ and then he turned SO red and look
ed at me with such a glitter i'll his
eyes that | grew angry, and sad to
myself, It's well that keeping I'M
Saleablc articles is not n crime III
this country, for if it was, | should
expect to be arrested" SO | gave
him back his look, turned upon my
heel and walked back into the shop
II did not see him again that
night but long af.or el erytllng had
been taken in and locked up, and
was snug in beu, heard a tramp,
tramp. on the pavement, and knew
: that it was the policeman. and that
} he was looking at the hooks where
the hams was shung.aS well as though
, had seen him.
.'On the third evening he was
there again that, YOU may say
: was no wonder, for it was his duty
: to he upon that beat, and no other,
) but it was curious that he should
, keep on staring at those hams with
| those bright woltish eyes OF his.
; didn't like it, though | could not
- have said for why.
1 "A vessel had been wrecked al
| sea about that time, and an extra
| with the latest news of the disaster
came that evening. | bought a pa
= per and sat down behind the coun
a ter to read it. 1t was avery stormy
o night. and but few customers came
c in-and between both reading an'
thinking, time passed on untll th'
{ clock struck eleven, and | had no
/. yet taken in my goods or put up IN,
G shut ers.
"Just as was about to do SO
g my door opened and an old woman
y came in. She was scottish, miSerabl
l. creature. know about the place a
+ Irish Kate, and with her red NOSE
:. bleared eyes and bloatcd limbs, wa
e as ugly a picture rs any one eve
u east eyes upon.
t. "Another dram, SUPPOSE sal
z to myself, going round to the bar Il
y once. for wanted TO get rid of he
| as soon as possible. But she to m
surprise, came up to me and put he
Il red paw on my arm.
If 'I'vc made Il discovery, Mister,
t. said she. "You have not been keel
q ing as bright Il look ont as yo
% should. There's been a thaie q
work widout this blessed night
d what thicfE | asked.
ii More than ! can tell YOU she II
n piled, but ! think IT'S u policeman
y, no less the rascal
r "A policeman | cried, and m