Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-02-15

door, more Tor show than anything
else, for hams were a grand holiday
dinner in those regions, and not an
every day affair, I can tell you. They
went off slowly as | thought they
would. Now and then some one
would come in for a pound, and once
| sold half the smallest one to a wo-
man who wanted it for a Sunday din
ner. She was to pay me on Monday
morning, but she never did it, for on
Sunday night her husband killed her
with rum bottle, and they took her
body past my shop with her head
beaten out Of shape and bloody.
"And so the hams hung there thro'
the summer and through the fall, and
anito or, ire+e7' .l.e ,,iaess-
at was just as the December nights
began to grow long, and dark, and
cold, that I noticed a new policeman
on our beat-a young, handsome look
ing fellow with very bright eyes; but
with such thin cheeks and hands, al
though he seemed to be powerfully
built, and made for rather a stout
man, that | could not help watching
him, and wondering whether ne had
been i'll or not.
The first time | noticed him was
at sunset, and he passed and repassed
the window a dozen times, looking all
the while at those hams which dangled
from the frame of the awning.
"'I hope he means to buy one,
said to my wife as we sat together
over the tea-table, and | shouldn /
wonder if he did, for he seemed to
have taken quite a fancy for them.
But the evening passed, and tho
| saw him now and then on the oppo-
site 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 that he would send for
it in the morning. and somehow made
sure of it, that whenever | saw a de
cent looking woman 90 by with q
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 pre-
viOus. upon the hams. Once he caught
me peeping at him, and then he turned
so red and looked at me with such a
glitter in his eyes that | grew angry,
and said to myself, Its we'll that keep
ing unsaleable articles is not a crime
in this country, for if it was, | should
expect to be arrested. SO | gave
him back his look, turned on my heel
and walked into the shop.
Il did not see him again that night
but long after everybody had been
taken in and locked up, and / was
snug in bed, | heard a tramp, tramp
tramp, on the pavement, and knew
that it was the policeman, and that
he was looking at the hooks where the
hams hung, as well as though | hao
seen him.
"On the third evening he was there
again: that, YOU NAV say was no won
der, for irwas his duty to be upor
that beat. and no other, but it was
curious that he should keep on staring
at those hams with those bright volt
ish eyes ofhis. | didn't like it, thougl
| could not have said for why.
"A vessel had been wrecked at se3
about that time, and an extra with th,
latest news of the disaster came on
that evening. bought paper anC
sat down behind the counter to reaC
it. It was q very stormy night, ant
but few customers came in-and be
tween both reading and thinking, tim
passed on until the clock struck II
and l had not yet taken in my good
or put up my shutters.
Just as | was about to do so, IN
door opened and an old woman cam
in. She was a scottish, miserable crea
ture, known about the place as Iris
Kate, and with her red nose, bleare
eyes and bIoated limbs, was as ugl
picture as any one ever cast eye
upon.
"'Another dram, | suppose sal
to myself, going round to the bar q
once, for [ wanted to get rid of he
as soon as possible. Bnt she to m
surprise. came up to ME aud put nc
great red paw on my arm.
"'Ive made a discovery, Mister
said she. You have not been keeI
ing as bright a lookout as you shoul,
There's been a thafe at work widol
this blessed night
; what thief?" | asked.
> "More than I can tell YOU" she r
piled, "but I think it's a policema
no less the rascal"
:, : "a policeman p cried, and n
thoughts flew at once to the man | ha
! seen staring at the hams.
E at was too dark to see his face
, she said, but | caught the shine of
star he had on, and whoever it w
G took a ham from your pegs and h
it in the ash box beyond the corne
> You'll find it there if you look, al
'. sure ye'Il not refuse sup of whisk'
Ie for the information I've give ye.
r. | gave the old creature what S
n wanted, and hurried out of the sh
and put up my shutters, growing {
N grier every moment.
If I'll it is the policeman I'll ma
| him pay dearly for it," said. VIII
lg I stood beside the box and saw
b. the light Of the lamp close by, that
ny ham was, wrapped up in somethi
cd resembling handkerchief, | bit
er lips and clenched my hands with ra